Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 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. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us…. (2 Cor 5:17-21, NIV)
The group I typically play golf with plays entirely for fun. On rare occasions, there may be a wager of some kind, but by the time we’ve played 18, who knows if we will remember the original bet? It’s that relaxed.
Although we play mostly for the fellowship, occasionally, one may feel compelled to offer advice regarding another’s game. Especially if that person is struggling and in need of help.
Unsolicited advice on the golf course can be a touchy subject, but aren’t we all compelled to speak up, particularly if we believe we can help?
Suppose we are persuaded to share advice on the golf course for insignificant matters. Do we also find ourselves longing for opportunities to share things of eternal significance—such as God’s reconciliation plan through faith in Christ?
In today’s verse, Paul is reminding the believers in Corinth, and all followers of Christ, that God has committed us to the ministry and message of reconciliation. We are, according to Paul, God’s ambassadors.
One dictionary defines an ambassador as follows: A diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by a government to represent it on a temporary mission….
As ambassadors on a temporary mission, we have a message to share. Paul says it is “as though God was making his appeal through us.” Does that grab your attention as an immense responsibility? It does mine. What is a part of this message? People’s sins must be forgiven to be reconciled to God. There is a second part of this message that God wants to speak through us, and it is critical—the only one capable of “forgiving sin” is the one “who had no sin,” Jesus Christ.
I can’t think of a more important message to share with others: they can and must be reconciled to God. How does this happen, some may ask? This occurs when a person, moved by the Holy Spirit, has an effectual encounter with the risen Lord Jesus Christ.
It is described as a spiritual birth by Jesus that awakens a change in our hearts and minds. (see John 3:1-8) This expresses itself in a life lived with total allegiance to Jesus Christ.
If you have never accepted God’s tremendous love, I hope it will penetrate your heart today. Call out to the only one who can forgive you of your sin and reconcile you to himself. Receive Christ today!
Prayer: Spirit of the living God, move in hearts today and draw people to yourself.