The concept of reconciliation is the most misunderstood concept within the Christian Church. Jesus is said to have brought about reconciliation between the world and God 2000 years ago through a one-time act on the cross. He would have thereby fulfilled the law, by which we would be justified. This idea has robbed the gospel of its power to this day. Indeed, as long as we expect righteousness from the law (and we do so as long as we believe that Jesus would have fulfilled the law for us), we render Christ inactive, placing ourselves outside of grace (Galatians 5:4).
The grace of Christ is aiming at the full redemption / salvation (spirit, soul and body!) of the curse of sin and death. This curse has reigned over over all creation since time began as a result of the knowledge of good and evil. Why do we see so little of this redemption in our daily lives? Because we have made Christ inactive and we have doing so placed ourselves outside of grace.
The concept of reconciliation is not about bridging the separation between God and man that as a result of our misdeeds would have been there. Through the incarnation (becoming flesh) in mankind, God has laid down his glory. Reconciliation means that God becomes aware of himself again through us humans. Reconciliation begins with becoming aware of the connection between God and man that has always been there in Christ (the Light that enlightens all men; John 1:9).
The best-known section in the Bible that talks about reconciliation is 2 Corinthians 5:18-20. The commonly translations of this part of scripture are based upon the misunderstanding of the concept of reconciliation as I explained in the previous paragraph. I give below the translation as I believe it should be.
“18 And all this is from God, who through Christ has reconciled us (those to whom Paul writes) to Himself and has given us (idem) the ministry of reconciliation, 19 which consists, after all, in this, that God in Christ is reconciling the world to Himself (imperfect present tense!), by not imputing to them the fall (in consciousness), and putting in us (those to whom Paul writes) the Word (logos) of reconciliation (“There be Light!”; Christ). 20 So we are ambassadors of Christ, as if God were calling you to Himself through us (idem) and begging for Christ’s sake: be reconciled to God.“
Paul is talking in verse 18 about people who have been reconciled to God through Christ (the Light in us). They – like Jesus of Nazareth – had become Christ-conscious. Because they were already reconciled, the ministry of reconciliation was given to them. They were made responsible for the reconciliation of the world to God to be accomplished through Christ (who is in all). In verse 19, the verb ’to reconcile’ is in the imperfect present tense. The process of reconciliation is still ongoing and will continue until the whole world (cosmos) is reconciled to God. Jesus did not bring about reconciliation with a one-time act on the cross! The reconciliation is brought about by Christ in us. Therefore, Christ (the anointing of God’s Spirit) is in us the hope of glory. And those who have become Christ-conscious (who have already been reconciled to God) have received the Word of reconciliation (the logos; “There be Light!“) within them; the Light of Christ has entered into them. Therefore, they are the ones who, as ambassadors of Christ, may bring other people to reconciliation with God (to Christ-consciousness). Just until the whole world is reconciled to God.
“So let your (Christ-) light shine before men.” (Matthew 5:16)
“That ye may be blameless and undefiled, undefiled children of God in the midst of a degenerate and wrong generation, among whom ye shine as shining stars (as Christ) in the world.” (Philippians 2:15)