2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Today the class addressed the matter of reconciliation. We are taking a break from Hebrews/Leviticus

There were 2 points of commentary that I wanted to make.

1. In these days the message of the gospel is no longer redemptive. It is pragmatic. That is, that we preach a message that is intended to bring happiness and success in our lives both at home and at work. It fails to address the matter of our sin and our alienation with God.

2. In these days we "evangelicals" are more associated with Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell and a right-wing political agenda rather than being associated with Jesus Christ and a redemptive agenda. Isnt that sad? Why is that?


2 Corinthians 5:17-21 must cause us to re-focus our calling.


2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2Co 5:18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
2Co 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.


I want to make just a couple observations from this text:

1. Remember the first point that I made in this post about the nature of the gospel? Remember I mentioned that we want a pragmatic gospel and not redemptive gospel? Look at the nature of the gospel in this text. It is has to do with the forgiveness of sins. "Not counting their trespasses against them" its a matter of sin. We mentioned that reconciliation is predicated not on the fact that we are not happy and succesful but that we are enemies of God!

(Rom 5:10) For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

This is the message to a lost and perishing world. RECONCILIATION !! Not happiness and succes! This was one point of commentary in the class.

The second point of commentary was the nature of our calling and God ordained agenda. Why is it that we evangelicals are more associated with Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell and a political agenda? Could it be that in the world, thats what they have come to know us by ? Could it be that that is what we have made our priority in this society? Brothers and Sisters... we are not Embassadors for these men and their agenda... We are Embassadors for Christ.

2Co 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

We do have a God given Embassadorship and its not dictated by men and its not how to be happy and succesful! Its how we are right with our God and its how others are right with God.It has a goal, and that goal is not who is in the oval office. It is that we would be the righteousness of God in Christ.

2Co 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.