Reconciled to God

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: 2 Corinthians 5:9-21

 

2 Corinthians 5:21

 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

(NKJV)

 

Reconciliation with God means one lives in alignment with God’s laws. The narrative of the Bible shows this is not possible through one’s efforts and why God sent his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for humanity’s sins even though he did not sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). While there is a death penalty for sin and all have sinned (Romans 3:23, 6:23), one has a choice by accepting the gift of God, of receiving forgiveness of sins through God’s grace and not one’s efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23b, 10:9-10).

 

Paul’s objective in ministry to the Corinthians is to please God, whether present or absent from them (2 Corinthians 5:9). The reason for this is that all believers will sit at the Judgment seat of Christ where believers are rewarded for the things done in their lives as believers, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10). Out of his fear of the Lord, Paul views his ministry as one persuading men to come to Christ, something well known to God and Paul hopes well known to the consciences of the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 5:11).

 

Paul’s persuasion of men is that they receive reconciliation with God. Paul has no intention of commending himself again but desires to have the Corinthians boast on his behalf, having an answer for those that boast in appearance and not in heart (2 Corinthians 5:12). Paul and those with him are beside themselves for God and of sound mind for the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 5:13). Paul and those with him are compelled by the love of Christ who died for all so that those who live would no longer live for self but for Jesus who died and rose again (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

 

From this point forward, Paul and those with him will no longer regard anyone according to the flesh, because while they once knew Christ in the flesh, they no longer know Him that way (2 Corinthians 5:16). When we know Christ, we become a new creation in spirit and not according to the flesh through new birth in the spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17; John 3:3-8). All things are now of God because God has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, giving us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). Jesus was God (John 1:1) and reconciled humanity to Himself through His death, giving humanity the word of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19).

 

Although reconciled to God, we still live in fleshly bodies as ambassadors for Christ who plead for others to experience reconciliation with God (2 Corinthians 5:20). Jesus, who is God and knew no sin, became sin for humanity on the cross, giving all the opportunity for reconciliation with God, becoming the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Humanity now has a choice of reconciliation with God, or separation from God (John 3:16-18).

 

All who believe in Jesus as his or her savior will face the judgement seat of Christ where they receive rewards for their works for Christ. All believers have reconciliation with God through Christ, but we must not mistake the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:9-11) with the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). The Judgement Seat of Christ is a judgment of deeds not the doer of the deeds. The Great White Throne Judgment is the judgment of individuals with those whose names are in the Book of Life spending eternity with God through reconciliation through Christ and those not found cast into the lake of fire. On the cross Jesus took the judgment of the doer, giving them a choice to escape the penalty of death for sin through acceptance of the gift of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23) or spend eternity separated from God through rejection of reconciliation with God through the cross (John 3:18).

 

Believers in Jesus as Savior serve as ambassadors for Christ on the earth with the mission of telling people about reconciliation with God through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20; Matthew 28:19-20). The rewards received at the judgment seat of Christ are in accordance with how well one served as an ambassador for Christ. To accomplish this, the Church must come out of its present lukewarm and self-centered state and return to its mission as ambassadors for Christ in a foreign and evil world. Jesus told His followers that in this world they would experience persecution and not freedom from problems and struggle with the promise that Jesus overcame the world and death through His resurrection (John 16:33). Believers in Jesus as Savior serve as ambassadors for Christ in the earth with the mission of telling people to receive reconciliation with God. The rewards received at the judgment seat of Christ are in accordance with how well we served as ambassadors for Christ. The Church needs an infusion of the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) to go from lukewarm to on fire for Christ as Peter experienced at Pentecost (Acts 2:14-39).

 

Join me in praying for an infusion of the power of the Holy Spirit in your life so the Church can once again turn this evil world upside down for Christ (Acts 17:6). To receive this infusion of power, one must first pray for forgiveness of sins in their lives and to make Jesus Christ the Lord of their lives. If you have never done so, I invite you to pray with me now,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge, convict, and bless everyone reading this post.