By Lloyd L. Streeter
The doctrine of reconciliation is one which is understood generally by studied believers; however, there is considerable debate about the specifics of exactly what it means. The word itself simply means to completely change the position of something. In this case, it means to completely change everything to bring it into a position where God is propitiated, satisfied that His will is being done.
What does God mean when He says, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (II Corinthians 5:19)? There are several acceptable views on this matter which do not contain the idea that God reconciling the world must include the salvation of all lost people.
FIRST, there are those theologians who say that “the world” here does not mean every person in the world, but some people from all over the world, some from “all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues” (Revelation 7:9). This view is consistent with other Scriptures. For instance, the Bible says that Paul’s ministry would result in an “obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name” (Romans 1:5). This view, that some people from all over the world would be obedient to the faith, is also consistent with Scriptures which use “the world” to refer to a group of people from the world, but not every person in the world.
For example, when the Bible says, “Ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15), who believes that this means that every person in the world is able to see our light (testimony)? Or, when Jesus said that the “gospel shall be preached in the whole world” (Matthew 26:13), who believes that He meant that every person in the world will hear the gospel? And, when the Bible says that “the gospel is come unto you as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit” (Colossians 1:6), surely Paul does not mean every person in all the world received the gospel and was now bringing forth fruit—at the very most, he could have meant that some people throughout the Roman world had received the gospel.
So, II Corinthians 5:19, according to this view, does not have to mean that all lost people are going to be saved, and “the world” does not mean every person in the world.
SECOND, some theologians teach that there is a reconciliation of the entire world of man, but that that aspect of reconciliation saves no one. This view teaches that reconciliation is in two parts: 1.) A general part that changes the world to a position in which God could save those that believe, something which was an utter impossibility unless Jesus died for the sins of the world. And, 2.) a specific part that comes to fruition at the time that a sinner believes, and his position is then changed from condemnation to salvation.
This second view seems to have been the teaching of L. S. Chafer. In his Systematic Theology, Vol. III, “Soteriology,” he says, “The two aspects of reconciliation are best disclosed in II Corinthians 5:19-20. In verse 19, it is declared that the world (cosmos, which term is never by any stretch of exegesis made to represent the elect who are saved out of it) is reconciled to God.”
Chafer refers to the first aspect of reconciliation as “general reconciliation,” and to the second aspect as “specific” or “individual.” He says, “There are two aspects of reconciliation: one wrought for all by God in His love for the world and the other wrought in the individual who believes when he believes.”
Chafer explains the problem that arises: “It is assumed, thus, that general reconciliation is equivalent to general salvation. To avoid such a conclusion, it is asserted [by Chafer] that Christ died for only the elect.”
He continues, “It is evident, then, that whatever complete change is indicated for the cosmos, according to verse 19, it is not equivalent to the saving of anyone—elect or non-elect; [but] it has made the reconciliation of verse 20, which IS equivalent to salvation possible. . . .”
Chafer is saying that reconciliation is two fold, had two aspects. The first, a reconciling of the world is found in verse 19. And, the second, a reconciling of the individual believer, is found in verse 20. The first, being a general reconciling of the world, saves no one.
In Chapter X, titled “For Whom Did Christ Die?” Chafer comes back to the subject of reconciliation and to II Cor. 5:19-20: “According to II Corinthians 5:19 there is a reconciliation declared to be world-wide and wrought wholly of God; yet in the verse which follows in the context it is indicated that the individual sinner has the responsibility, in addition to the universal reconciliation wrought of God to be reconciled himself to God. . . . The desideratum is not reached . . . until the individual, already included in the world’s reconciliation, is himself satisfied with that same work of Christ which has satisfied God as the solution of his own sin question. Thus there is a reconciliation which of itself saves no one, but which is a basis for the reconciliation of any and all who will believe. When they believe, they are reconciled experimentally and eternally, and become the children of God through the riches of His grace.”
According to this view of the meaning of “world,” only those who have faith in Christ are saved. Unbelievers are not truly reconciled.
THIRD, there is the view that “world” in II Corinthians 5:19-20 simply means that both Jews and Gentiles are being reconciled. Some people, especially Jews, would divide the entire world into these two groups. In this case, it is not every individual in the world who is reconciled to God, but some individuals from among both Jews and Gentiles. It is a way of saying that the Gentiles are not left out.
This view is certainly consistent with Ephesians 2:11-22. In that passage, Paul is writing to “Gentiles in the flesh . . . aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants. . . .” (verses 11-12).
In the Church, the Jews and the “far off” (the Gentiles) are both reconciled, “made nigh by the blood of Christ” (verse 13). Christ has made “both one” (verse 14), both Jews and Gentiles being reconciled to God. Christ has made “one new man” (verse 15), which is the Church. Paul says that God has made this “one new man” (the Church) so that “He might reconcile both (Jew and Gentile) unto God in one body” (verse 16). In so doing, Christ made it possible for all men to have peace with God, both those who were “far off” (Gentiles) and those who were “nigh” (Jews) (verse 17).
In other words, the death of Christ placed the whole world, both Jew and Gentile, in a new position (reconciled), making it possible for sinners to be saved. Mankind and the entire universe was completely changed in position. This is reconciliation. But it did not automatically save anyone. As Chafer says, “The reconciliation of the world does not obviate the reconciliation of the individual” [Systematic Theology; Vol. III; p. 237].
To summarize this view, “God. . .reconciling the world unto himself” (II Corinthians 5:19) means that Christ died and thus created the Church “that He might reconcile both (Jew and Gentile) in one body” (Ephesians 2:16).
While each of the three above views of the world and of reconciliation has some elements to commend it, I do not hold to all that is taught by any of them. There is, I believe, an even better position. A fourth view is held by quite a few students of the Bible, myself included. It is the view that when Christ died, He guaranteed that the entire universe, both the world of men and the natural world, would one day be reconciled to God. It is also the view that reconciliation does not equal salvation. Reconciliation simply means that the position of all men and of everything in the natural world, the spirit world, and all else will be completely changed, so that everything will be brought into agreement with the will and purpose of God.
When all the people of God are in eternal bliss, when there is a new heaven and a new earth, when the curse of God is removed from creation, when the wicked are in the Lake of Fire, when the evil angels are in Tartarus, when Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet are cast into Gehenna, and the lid has been put on the “garbage can,” then, and only then, will the universe be reconciled to God. Then, and only then, will “all things” be according to God’s will and purpose.
There is nothing in the Bible doctrine of reconciliation to suggest that every person in the world will be saved from sin, go to heaven, or have eternal fellowship with God.
Colossians 1:20-23 is the most complete treatment in Scripture of the subject of reconciliation:
Verse 20: “And having made peace through the blood of his cross [and man can have peace with God only by being justified through faith in Jesus Who shed His blood on the cross. See Romans 5:1] by him to reconcile all things [all things, not just all people. "Things" is not in the Greek text, But, "all" ("pas") is, and the meaning of that word is "the whole." The context is that of all of creation. So, the translators have it right as "all things."] unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth or in heaven.”
Note: Some people, like J. Vernon McGee, point out that the above verse says things will be reconciled on earth and in heaven, but no mention is made of those under the earth, in Hell. This is pointed out because it is believed that reconciliation equals salvation and the fact that Hell is not mentioned might give some evidence against Universalism. However, the “all things” of verse 20 are the same “all things” that are found in verse 16 (three times), verse 17 (twice), and verse 18 (once), and the “all things” seems to be inclusive of all that God created.
The fact that “all things,” and not just all people, will be reconciled proves that reconciliation does not equal salvation. “All things” do not get saved. Only people can get saved, not the natural creation, nor even the angels.
Furthermore, Philippians 2:10-11 makes it clear that the time is coming “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”
Those words give us a very fine description of how “all things” are going to be reconciled to God, even those beings which are “under the earth,” in Hell. But it does not say that any get out of Hell after they bow their knees in Hell and admit that Jesus is Lord. They do not get out of Hell, because reconciliation does not equal salvation.
Paul continues in Colossians 1:21: “And you [Christians], that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.”
That means that Christians have the position in Christ of having been completely changed (reconciled). Our experience is not yet that of being completely changed and being in complete conformity to the will and purpose of God. Our practice falls far short of being reconciled. But, our position IN CHRIST is that of being reconciled. “In his sight” (v. 22) we are reconciled.
Verse 22 gives us God’s definition of our personal individual reconciliation. God counts us to be just as we will be in that day when Christ presents us in heaven. That is our position. Paul says that we are reconciled “now” “In the body of his flesh [i.e., in Christ] through death [accomplished by His death] to present you [here comes the definition of our reconciliation] holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.”
So, we conclude that reconciliation does not mean salvation. That is not the definition. Rather, it means to have a position completely changed. Bible reconciliation means that everything and everybody will be put in a position that glorifies God, that fulfills the will and purpose of God. For the Christian, this means being holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in His sight.