ARE THERE TWO STEPS IN THE WORK OF RECONCILIATION?
18 But 1all things are out from God, who has areconciled us to Himself through Christ and has given to us the bministry of reconciliation;
19 Namely, that God ain Christ was reconciling the bworld to Himself, cnot accounting their offenses to them, and has put in us the 1word of reconciliation.
20 On behalf of Christ then we are 1a ambassadors, as God bentreats you through us; we beseech you on behalf of Christ, Be 2reconciled to God. (2 Cor. 5:18-20, RcV)
Footnote 20.2 says, “In the preceding verse it was the world that was reconciled to God; in this verse it is the believers, who have already been reconciled to God and are to be reconciled further to God. This clearly indicates that two steps are required for men to be fully reconciled to God. The first step is to reconcile sinners to God from sin. For this purpose Christ died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3) that they might be forgiven by God. This is the objective aspect of Christ's death. In this aspect He bore our sins on the cross that they might be judged by God upon Him for us. The second step is to reconcile believers living in the natural life to God from the flesh. For this purpose Christ died for us — the persons — that we might live to Him in the resurrection life (vv. 14-15). This is the subjective aspect of Christ's death. In this aspect He was made sin for us to be judged and done away with by God that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. By the two aspects of His death He has fully reconciled God's chosen people to God. These two steps of reconciliation are clearly portrayed by the two veils of the tabernacle. The first veil is called "the screen" (Exo. 26:37, lit.). A sinner who was brought to God through the reconciliation of the propitiating blood entered into the Holy Place by passing this screen. This typifies the first step of reconciliation. The second veil (Exo. 26:31-35; Heb. 9:3) still separated him from God, who was in the Holy of Holies. This veil needed to be rent that the sinner might be brought to God in the Holy of Holies. This is the second step of reconciliation. The Corinthian believers had been reconciled to God, having passed through the first veil and having entered into the Holy Place. Yet they still lived in the flesh. They needed to pass the second veil, which had been rent already (Matt. 27:51; Heb. 10:20), to enter into the Holy of Holies to live with God in their spirit (1 Cor. 6:17). The goal of this Epistle was to bring them there that they might be persons in the spirit (1 Cor. 2:15), in the Holy of Holies. This was what the apostle meant by saying, "Be reconciled to God." This was to present them full-grown in Christ (Col. 1:28).”
This footnotes claims that there are two steps required for a full reconciliation:
1. Sinners must be reconciled to God, so Christ died for our sins.
2. Believers must be further reconciled with God, so Christ died for our persons.
Furthermore, to support this teaching, there is a reference to the two veils in the Tabernacle.
Although everything seems very clear, and strong, if we shake this “building” a little bit, we discover that it has a very weak foundation.
1. This teaching is based only on a couple of verses in 2 Cor. 5 and nowhere else in the N.T. we have the faint allusion to the two steps of reconciliation.
2. It is based on a wrong understanding of verse 19.
3. It is based on a translation of verse 20 were the word you has been supplied in italics.
4. It is based on the wrong application of Hebrews 9.
Concerning the first point, it is clear that this teaching is not to be found in other Epistles of Paul, or of any other Apostles. Consider the great Epistle to the Romans for examples. In it it is unfolded the Gospel of God in the clearest possible way. Can we see in it the two steps of reconciliation? Verse 19 speaks of what God did in Christ to remove all possible barriers between God and man. He was reconciling, He didn't actually reconciled the entire world! God made the first step, then He sent his messengers to proclaim the word of reconciliation. To this agree what is stated in the Gospel of John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Now, let's consider the third point, the translation of verse 20. Here I quote Dr. E.W. Bullinger, “Here the word “you” is incorrectly supplied. Paul was not beseeching the saints in Corinth to be reconciled to God. They were reconciled as verse 18 declares... Then in verse 19 he goes on to speak of “men”; and in verse 20 he says that he beseeches them , as though God did beseech them by us; we pray them in Christ's stead, and say: – “Be ye reconciled to God.” This was the tenor of his Gospel to the unconverted.” (Figures of Speech used in the Bible, pages 13-14).
Let's come to the last point. The writer to the Hebrews is saying that an ordinary priest (notice that it is not a common sinner as the footnote claims) entered only the first veil, “But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people” (Heb. 9:7, KJV). It was through the blood that the high priest entered the second veil, and that blood was offered for his sins and for the sins of his people. “The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Heb. 9:8-12, KJV). In this passage we see that Christ, with His own blood, obtain eternal redemption for us, something that the high priest in the O.T. could not obtain. It seems clear that this passage has nothing to do with a second step of reconciliation.
As always....