One of the primary uses of the term reconciliation in our American culture comes from restoring a broken marriage. It’s being at peace with someone that you used to be at war with! That’s what we were with God –at war with him as enemies– when He chose to save us from our sin and death.
Another use of reconciliation comes from the accounting realm. At the end of a business-tax year a bookkeeper must balance the company’s financial books. That’s simply making the income and the outgo be equal; the money received must equal money spent. And that includes bad debts where a customer doesn’t pay for what he received. This describes what God did by paying our debt in full.
But God didn’t stop there with reconciling Himself to us; He goes on to tell us to also be reconciled to Him! That means to quit trying to pay back that debt that He already paid. Remember, on the cross He shouted out that “It is finished!” The debt was paid in full on that day.
Are you trying your best to be perfect –as your Father in heaven is perfect? Are you trying to live a holy life –being holy in all you do? Are you trying to live an acceptable life for Him? Are you striving to be a better Christian? Take a look at what He has already done for you.