The short and simple answer to this question is that it doesn’t. But for the sake of clarification, let us get into it and see what the word of God actually says about this.
The word “Restitution” is only mentioned 6 times in the entire Bible; 5 times in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament. It is also gotten from the Hebrew word ‘shalom’ which means to be at peace. It is the restoration of something stolen or lost back to the proper owner. It can also be defined as the recompense for injury or loss by the person responsible for the injury or loss. This practice of restitution was done in the Old Testament for the sole purpose of making amends.
In the Old Testament, the law mandated the people to make restitution before their guilt offering could be accepted and the matter settled with God and man. However, when we see the word being mentioned in the New Testament in Acts chapter 3, it is entirely different from the practice of restitution done in the Old Testament. In fact, it wasn’t even taught as a practice to be done in Acts chapter 3. As we now have peace with God, we are not seeking or trying to appease Him with any practice of restitution. The book of Romans 5:1 says ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’.
That peace which they sought with God and man is now made available in Christ. Hence, the believer has been forgiven not by restitution but by the blood of Jesus Christ. There’s no amount of restitution whether of material or immaterial things that can be compared with the sacrifice of Jesus. We must understand that no amount of ‘restitution’ can make us right with God. It is only by the sacrifice of His Son. Romans 5:8 says ‘But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us’. This simply means He died for us while we were still sinners. If He had died for only the repentant, this would have amounted to a reward for their conduct which it isn’t.
Interestingly from the Scriptures, we do not see restitution as a criterion for salvation or a necessity after salvation. Jesus didn’t teach about it and neither did any of the other disciples. More than 80% of the writers of the Epistles were silent on this subject matter so it is safe to say that it adds nothing to your salvation. It doesn’t make you more righteous or accepted than you already are. We have been accepted because we believe in Jesus Christ.
You might then ask why, as a believer, you feel compelled to make right on your wrongs. The simple answer to this is that you feel compelled to do those things because that is what Christ would do. As a believer, you have a new nature in Christ and the Holy Spirit lives in you to teach and guide you. So when you find yourself being compelled to make amends with someone you have wronged or someone that has wronged you, this is simply because you are growing into the nature of Christ that you have now been called to live by.
Till next time,
Remember that you are already at peace with God.
Shalom.