THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION

Passage: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Key verse: 19

NIV

The Ministry of Reconciliation

11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord,(A) we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.(B) 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again,(C) but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us,(D) 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,”(E) 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.(F) 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves(G) but for him who died for them(H) and was raised again.

16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly(I) point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,(J) the new creation(K) has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!(L) 18 All this is from God,(M) who reconciled us to himself through Christ(N) 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.(O) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,(P) as though God were making his appeal through us.(Q) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.(R) 21 God made him who had no sin(S) to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.(T)

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or Christ, that person is a new creation.
  2. 2 Corinthians 5:21 Or be a sin offering
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Ministry of Reconciliation

11 Therefore, knowing (A)the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But (B)what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 (C)We are not commending ourselves to you again but (D)giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we (E)are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ (F)controls us, because we have concluded this: that (G)one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, (H)that those who live might no longer live for themselves but (I)for him who for their sake died and was raised.

16 From now on, therefore, (J)we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is (K)in Christ, he is (L)a new creation.[a] (M)The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, (N)who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us (O)the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling[b] the world to himself, (P)not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us (Q)the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, (R)we are ambassadors for Christ, (S)God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 (T)For our sake he made him to be sin (U)who knew no sin, so that in him we might become (V)the righteousness of God.

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or creature
  2. 2 Corinthians 5:19 Or God was in Christ, reconciling
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Paul has been earnestly defending his ministry to the Corinthian Christians. He shows that everything he does is before God, whether people judge him as being in his right mind or out of his mind. He lives the way he does because he is compelled by the love of Christ to no longer live for himself. Paul himself is an example of how Christ makes people a new creation (17). Since we are new creations in Christ, we should not judge people from a worldly perspective but learn to live before God, as Paul did. (16)

Paul reveals that the gospel ministry is essentially a ministry of reconciliation (18). To reconcile means to restore a broken relationship. On the cross, our sin was put on Jesus, making it possible for sinners to have a restored relationship with the holy God (21). Our message is that reconciliation is possible in Jesus, both with God and with people. When we understand what Christ did, we can overcome human differences, being reconciled to each other through forgiveness.

Prayer: Father, thank you for your great love in Jesus that gives me a new way to live. May we see a great work of reconciliation in our time.

One Word: We have the message of reconciliation