Humanity strives for connectivity. Consider the innovations we have made in just the last 250 years: the postal service, telegraph, trans-continental railroad, telephones, flight, the interstate highway system, satellites, the internet, social media, and instant language translation. All these things connect us together, but not at the soul level.

The result of the immigration of God and the investment of Jesus is the integration of life. Jesus integrates life into our community, our world, our existence. Theologically this is Reconciliation. The story of the fall of humanity in Genesis 3-4 tells us how humanity is disconnected, but Jesus restores all things.

• Rebellion against God broke the relationship between God and humanity, but Jesus reconciled us to God. He reconnected us to God, and we again have community with God. (2 Corinthians 5:18).
• Blame and shame separate people  from each other, but Jesus breaks down the walls making us one. He heals our relationships with each other. (Ephesians 2:14, Galatians 3:28).
• Humanity was separated from the tree of life, but the cross of Jesus became our new tree of life. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He rose from the dead, reuniting his body and spirit, and that is now a promise for those who believe (Galatians 3:13; John 11:24-25; Acts 2:23-24).
• Humanity has enemies in the spiritual realm, but Jesus had defeated them (Colossians 2:15; 1 Corinthians 15:24-26)
• Humanity had to strive against creation to survive, but Jesus will make all things new. One day instead of simply being God’s community on the earth, Jesus will reconcile all of creation to God. (Acts 3:21; Revelation 21:1, 5).

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20). Through Jesus we cultivate a maturity that is the integration of life, our life with God, each other, and all of creation. In Jesus, all that is broken and separated can be restored.

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because offn your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— (Colossians 1:17-22)

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