The word “to reconcile” means literally to exchange, to bring into a changed relationship. Some maintain that it is only a change in the sinner that is intended, a laying aside of his enmity, and coming into peaceful relations with God. But that manifestly does not exhaust the meaning, nor is it in the great Pauline passages the primary and dominant meaning.

(Source; International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia)

A simple way to look at the primary and dominant meaning is that it takes a minimum of two to form a relationship. How this exchange comes about has to be our primary focus in bringing about this message of reconciliation because without Jesus and His atoning work on the cross we cannot have a change in our relationship with God the Father.

Romans 3:25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Propitiation:

The word is Latin and brings into its English use the atmosphere of heathen rites for winning the favor, or averting the anger, of the gods. In the Old Testament it represents a number of Hebrew words-ten, including derivatives-which are sufficiently discussed under ATONEMENT, of which propitiation is one aspect. It represents in Septuagint the Greek stems hilask- (hile-), and katallag-, with derivatives; in the New Testament only the latter, and is rarely used. Propitiation needs to be studied in connection with reconciliation, which is used frequently in some of the most strategic sentences of the New Testament, especially in the newer versions.

To say simply that we are changed, i.e. born again, cannot be separated from the source and actions of Jesus to whom we have access to God the Father by faith.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 4:22-25 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,  who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

All of this works together to bring about a change in our relationship with God the Father.

Hebrews 1:3 (English Standard Version)

 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Let’s talk about Jesus for a moment, not as Christians but in the context of Hebrews. This is written by a very Jewish man to a very Jewish community about the Son of Man which is the title in Daniel’s prophecy about God ruling and reigning. In some circles it is thought that is one of the reasons Jesus was crucified, because He declared Himself to be that Son of Man.

That was not acceptable at that time. This language was offered up to the Jewish community of a time long past. Will it take hold of the Jewish community in some near future event?

Romans 11:25-29 (ESV):

“For I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion; he will banish ungodliness from Jacob’; ‘and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’ As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

Zechariah 14 English Standard Version

The Coming Day of the Lord

14 Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. 5 And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

That is a day that has not been but will be. It shall not come until “the fulness of the Gentiles” is completed. For this purpose we have been given the ministry of reconciliation which is our duty to our God to bring about that end. 

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.