"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
II Corinthians 5:18-20
The ministry of reconciliation is actually God's call to lost people everywhere to come to Him with all their sins, all their burdens, all their problems, all their difficulties, and to be reconciled to God. Now, reconciliation is not the same as salvation. Reconciliation goes a step further! It is more than having our sins forgiven and divine justice being satisfied. Reconciliation involves a changed relationship ~ completely changed! It means to change something inside out and upside down and right side up! "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." Reconciliation is the ministry of changing completely. But who is changing completely? God is never-changing ~ He is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever! It says that God has reconciled us to Himself. "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." It is the world that has been reconciled. God has reconciled the world! As we look at the world, we can see that it is going on its sinful way. "We have turned everyone to his own way" (see Isaiah 53:6). But it is through Christ that the world is reconciled to God, through the death of Christ. This marvelous ministry of reconciliation is the work that Christ has done.
Since the death of Christ, position of the world has been changed. Today, God has His arms outstretched to a lost and dying world. He says to a lost world, "You can come to me!" The worst sinner in the world can come to Him. Today it doesn't make any difference who you are, or what you have done. You can come to Him! Because Christ died, a holy God no longer deals with us in judgment, but He reaches down to save all those who will come to Him. Jesus Christ bore all that judgment on Himself so that now the world is reconciled to God. You don't have to do anything to win God over. He is not waiting around the corner to knock you in the head with a baseball bat. God is not angry with you, He does not hate you. God LOVES you. Christ did not come to charge man's sins against him but to pay the debt.
I will end this devotional today by saying this:
Whoever you are, wherever you are, what are you doing to get this wonderful Word of reconciliation out to a lost world? God is reconciled ~ He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He feels toward you just as He did the day Christ died on the cross for you and for all mankind. This is what the world needs to hear from you ~ today! The world is reconciled to Him but they will have to turn around and by faith come to Him. Let's go saints! We have the Word to share with others! They won't listen if they can't hear anything!
May your day be wonderfully blessed in the Lord.
Love in Christ Jesus, Sandy |
