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We also noticed that because we are sinners we are separated from God. The salvation provided by the Lord

Jesus ends this separation. Read 1 Peter 3:18 :

`For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God'.

The sins which brought a separation between God and us, have been paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ. He has

brought us who believe to God. We noticed four ways in which we are looked upon as being separated from

God - because we are unrighteous; enemies of God; servants of sin; and debtors. The Lord Jesus has dealt with

each one of these as we shall see.

Firstly we are looked upon as being separated from God because we are unrighteous. In 1 Peter 3:18 we are

called `the unjust', which means the same thing. God's remedy through the Lord Jesus is justification. This

means that if we believe in the Lord Jesus, He looks upon us as though we are righteous. It may help us to

think of it like this. When I am justified it is JUST-AS-IF-I'D never sinned.

We must be clear about this. Justification does not mean that God has made us righteous, but that He counts

us righteous. If God had made us righteous then we could no longer sin, but we are still able to do wrong, so we

cannot have been made righteous. It is because God looks at us through the Lord Jesus Christ that He can count

us righteous, and our faith in Him is very important in order that He can do this. In Romans chapter 4 we have

an example of a man who was looked upon by God as righteous. Read verse 3:

`Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness'.

Now read verse 5 and notice especially the words:

`his faith is counted for righteousness'.

Abraham was a sinner just like us, but because of his faith (he believed God) he was looked upon as righteous.

His faith was counted for righteousness. Verses 23 and 24 tell us that the same can be true of us:

`Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed (counted) to him; but for us also, to whom it

shall be imputed (counted), if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead'.

Abraham believed in the God Who can bring life out of death. When we believe in Him as the One Who raised

the Lord Jesus from the dead, then He counts that faith of ours for righteousness. He looks at us as though we

are righteous. Now read Romans 5:1 :

`Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ'.

This verse suggests the second way in which we are looked upon as separated from God, and God's remedy.

We are by nature enemies of God. Notice the words in Romans 5:10 :

`when we were enemies'.

We were enemies because the things we did hurt God; they were wicked works. Read Colossians 1:21 and note

the words:

`you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works'.

God's remedy, provided in the Lord Jesus, is reconciliation. Peace has been made with God, and believers are

no longer separated in this way. Romans 5:10 tells us how God has done this :

`When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son'.

How important are the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has reconciled believers to God, so

that they are no longer His enemies, separated from Him. Read the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-24

which gives some idea of the meaning of reconciliation.