THE URGENT AMBASSADOR
Opening Prayer
You are welcome here with me, loving Father.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:11—6:2
The Ministry of Reconciliation
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 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. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
6 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”[c]
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Footnotes:
a 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or Christ, that person is a new creation.
b 2 Corinthians 5:21 Or be a sin offering
c 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Do you have any relationships that may be strained, broken or distant?Reconciliation is the purpose of the whole of this letter. Paul’s relationship with the church at Corinth is in need of repair and this is a source of great pain (6:11–13). There are hints of previous correspondence in which the Corinthians have described Paul as “out of his mind” (13).
Sometimes a spiritual issue underlies strained human relationships. Here, a deeper reconciliation between the church and God is required. A relationship can remain unrepaired even when one party offers unconditional reconciliation. Despite all that God has done (14,18,19,21), there still has to be movement from the church’s side, a desire to be reconciled (20).
As far as Paul is concerned, it amounts to the same thing for the church at Corinth to be reconciled to God and for its relationship with him as apostle to be repaired. Reconciliation is the outworking of the sacrificial death of Christ, living out a new identity in him (17).
Resistance to being reconciled is an affront to the Gospel. Paul’s urgency in calling for reconciliation reflects Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:23,24: “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” The time for reconciliation is always “now” (6:1,2). It is not possible to continue with “business as usual” in our relationship with God if a human relationship needs to be repaired.
Apply
Hear God’s heart in this passage. Do you need to be reconciled to him, or to someone else? Is he calling you to be his ambassador, inviting others to be reconciled?
Closing prayer
Thank You, Jesus, for reconciling me to God. May I share this great news of restored relationship with those around me.
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