Be Ye Reconciled by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Aug 17, 1911

Be Ye Reconciled

By C. M. S.

CHRIST, the great Reconciler, gave his life to the work of seeking to establish peace between man and his Maker. The whole gospel work is one continuous invitation to man to turn his back upon sin, and to turn his face toward paradise and home.

“All things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God.”

Lost and undone without him, no hope in ourselves, our right to life forfeited, our inheritance in the earth sold for a mess of pottage, God still looked in pity upon us, and made possible for us a way of escape from the dismal condition in which we had plunged ourselves. That ministry of Christ was not the reconciling of God to us; he was not estranged from us, nor is he now; but we had taken ourselves out of his hands, and he would not compel us to return against our will to the arms of the One who still loved us.

Therefore Christ came into our world, took upon him our nature that he might the more keenly sympathize with our temptations, made his habitation with the lowliest of us, and unfurled to our view, in his life and in his teachings, the unchanging love of God for us, and then across the great white banner of that revealed character wrote the yearning of the Father’s heart in the one word COME. And that word has been rolling through this sin-cursed and sorrow-sodden earth from then till now. As if pleading before a human court his right to our trust and hope in him, the Lord declares that his “mercy is from everlasting to everlasting.” He teaches the psalmist to declare: “Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;” “all the paths of the Lord are mercy;” “the Lord is of great mercy;” he “keepeth covenant and mercy.” He tells us also that mercy shall compass those that trust in the Lord.

As God’s character is the very embodiment of mercy, so he expects it to be shown by those who would be his. If we do not so do, we misrepresent him and cause those to misjudge him who

see us and know our profession. We were “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind.” Nevertheless, God had mercy on us, and gave us the sure promise of the riches of heaven for the poverty of this earth, peace and joy for our wretchedness, the light of life for the blindness of death, a name better than of sons and daughters in place of our miserable inheritance here. Therefore he tells us that “he that honoreth Him hath mercy on the poor.” So he that will not be merciful to the poor dishonors God; for he contradicts the character of God. His specific requirements are, “to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” Himself the God of love, he calls for its unmistakable manifestation on the part of every child of his. The Old Testament is filled with God’s promises of compassion upon those who turn to him; and when Christ came to teach in his own life the principles of his Father, we read of him that he had “compassion on the multitude;” “and Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes.” When the demoniac had been healed, the Saviour instructed him to go and show himself to his friends, as an example of God’s mercy and compassion. When the Saviour looked upon the bereaved widow of Nain, it is reported that “he had compassion on her.” Because of her grief and his compassion, he touched the bier and spoke into life again the only son of the sorrowing widow. Then he declares of himself, “I am the Lord, I change not.” And again: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.” “It is of Jehovah’s loving-kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” Lam. 3:22.

That same loving Father who has recorded his character for our scrutiny, and sent One to live it out before us, is still loving the children of men, and pleading with them. He has not changed, and he will not change. It is not with malice or hatred that he will execute judgment upon the finally impenitent. It is only that sin may be eradicated, and the universe be clean once more.

So he is inviting, pleading with, admonishing, urging. The beautiful story of the prodigal son is another of God’s tender pleas to the human race. That father’s heart never ceased to love and yearn for that wayward child. So is God toward us. This revelation of God is peculiar to the Christian religion. “While he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” Again, that father is our Father. He sees us while we are afar off, and when we turn to him, he has compassion on us, folds us in his arms of mercy and love, throws over us that best robe of Christ’s righteousness, and welcomes us home with a jubilation in which all the angelic hosts participate. “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” It matters not how wretched and desperate the condition of the prodigal, the best robe is his garment when the Father meets him coming home, and that robe marks him the guest of honor.

The world is full of prodigals; and so the Lord says, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.” Isa. 45:22. And again: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” In our prodigal condition we are “dead in trespasses and sins;” but he declares, I am come that ye might have life. In the last verses of the last chapter of the last book of the Bible, the great work of the chief Reconciler is epitomized in these words: “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely.” With all the invitations, exhortations, and admonitions with which the Word is filled, God could not close its pages without that last earnest plea to the world. The fountain of cleansing is opened, the way to it is prepared, the robe to replace the filthy garments is ready, and God stands with outstretched arms, waiting. Everything has been done that divinity could do to make the reconciliation an accomplished fact. The price has been paid, and still he must plead with men, and wait. How slow we are to realize all God has done for us! How long must he wait? He will not wait forever—he can not. If your heart is not his already, is there any reason why you should not make it so before another sun has set? The invitation has come to you.

C. M. S.