2 Corinthians 5:19–20
“For God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God.”
To be reconciled with God means to live in complete, whole, and balanced fellowship with Him. This phrase is very important. The standard of reconciliation with God is not sufficiently met merely by believing that Jesus is Lord and Savior, becoming a Christian, and attending church. Many Christians feel they are already reconciled with God based on these standards, whereas in truth, they are not yet properly reconciled with Him. They have not been fully reconciled because there is no balance with God. In fact, it is time for a person to possess an adequate level of holiness and maturity to live in a state of reconciliation with God.
God declares in 1 Peter 1:13–17 that believers must live as obedient children of God, holy in all things. Therefore, in 1 Peter 1:16 God says, “Be holy, for I am holy.” And it continues, “If you call on Him as Father, live in reverent fear during your time of exile.” Behind these words, God desires balance between Himself and His people: “Be holy, for I am holy.”
In 2 Corinthians 6:17–18, the Word of God says, “Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. And I will be a Father to you. You will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” Believers must come out of corrupt associations, out of a sinful life, and must not touch what is unclean; only then will God welcome them. This is what is meant by “balance”: just as God is holy, so must we be holy. In this matter, it is not God who adjusts Himself to us, but we whom must adjust ourselves to God.
That is why, in Galatians 5:25, the Word of God says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” In Greek it is written ei zōmen Pneumati, Pneumati kai stoichōmen (Εἰ ζῶμεν Πνεύματι, Πνεύματι καὶ στοιχῶμεν), which in English is translated if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit, and in Latin, si vivimus Spiritu, Spiritu et ambulemus. This means that if we have been made alive by the Spirit, then we must live in harmony with the Spirit; we must align ourselves with God.
The word stoichōmen means to walk in step, like people marching in formation; their steps must be in harmony. We are the ones who must adjust ourselves to God, not the other way around. Indeed, when a child is not yet mature, parents do not demand balance. When a child is still small, parents adapt to the child. Likewise, when a Christian is still immature—both spiritually and biologically—God accommodates them with patience and understanding. However, when believers mature, God’s attitude changes. The Lord desires that believers grow into maturity so they can truly have fellowship with Him—this is called ideal reconciliation.
Theological knowledge alone is insufficient for reconciliation with God. Many can speak convincingly about salvation or reconciliation, but true reconciliation is evidenced in transformed living: conduct, attitudes, and inner character that please God. The main argument in 2 Corinthians 5 is that God seeks this genuine alignment, not just intellectual agreement.