The testimony of Scripture is as distinct as possible—it never speaks of God's being reconciled to us, but "when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son." The death of Christ was essential to the reconciliation but man was the enemy of God and needed to be reconciled. We read in Col. 1:2121And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (Colossians 1:21), "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled." The ground of this is stated, in the previous verse, to be "the blood of His cross." So also in 2 Cor. 5, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself." It does not say, "reconciling Himself to the world.”
Thus to anyone who bows to Scripture the truth is as clear as can be, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son." "It pleased the LORD to bruise Him.” It is of the utmost importance to maintain the true aspect of God's nature and character in the presentation of the gospel. To say that Christ died to reconcile the Father to us is to falsify the divine character as seen in the mission and death of His Son. God was not man's enemy but his friend.
It is true that sin had to be condemned; God's holiness, truth, and majesty had to be vindicated. All this was done in a divine way at the cross, where we read both God's hatred of sin, and His love to the sinner. Atonement is the necessary basis of reconciliation, but it is of the very greatest importance to see that it is God who reconciles us to Himself. This He does, blessed be His name, at no less a cost than the death of His Son. Such was His love to man—His kindness—His goodness—His deep compassion, that when there was no other way possible in which man, the guilty enemy and rebel, could be reconciled to Him, He gave His Son from His bosom and bruised Him on Calvary's cross. Eternal and universal praise to His name!