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Reconciliation

 Reconciliation

Borrowed from my friend Isaac Ball.
2 Cor 5:15-21
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:fn 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 sinfn for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
This is one of my favorite passages, (especially verse 21.)
As I read it it this time,I was marveling at reconciliation. When forgiveness is complete, 2 parties are affected and reconciliation results.
One party can forgive another but unless party number two reciprocates the power of reconciliation is not fully demonstrated.
When two people here on earth experience legitimate reconciliation the powerful result cannot be denied.
Even though our earthly examples of reconciliations between ourselves are powerful and valuable they pale in comparison to the reconciliation we can have with God because of Christ’s sacrifice
The earthly examples of reconciliation between human relationships are a beautiful reflection of God’s design pointing to the ultimate reconciliation of the relationship he desires between man and Himself.
Knowing these things helps us better understand our role to be effective ambassadors for Christ!
Isaac Ball 6/19/23
I would add to Isaac’s thoughts from verses 18 and 19. We, as believers, have been given the ministry of reconciliation and the message of reconciliation had been committed to us.
Every born again believer at salvation was called and commissioned, ordained if you will, into this ministry.

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