Scripture Text (NRSV)
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
5:16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of
view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we
know him no longer in that way.
5:17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything
old has passed away; see, everything has become new!
5:18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through
Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation;
5:19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,
not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message
of reconciliation to us.
5:20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his
appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled
to God.
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.
Comments:
Paul calls us to see others as God sees us: through the lens of love
and reconciliation. This is a call to participate with God in the new
creation, welcoming all without counting the cost.
In Jesus' death on the cross, God works to persuade us of divine love,
so that we might be reconciled to God. As part of God's new creation,
we are challenged to share with others the good news of our reconciled
relationship to God.
Great text in relation to the Prodigal Son parable this week. "We
regard no one from a human point of view." This was the problem many
of us Elder Sons have. We evaluated the Prodigal Sons through a human
point of view and not the Father's point of view.
The cost of the cruxifiction was so great: there were no mere man
dying for another man's sin on the cross; but it was God himself
loving his creatures to the point of forsaking everything on the
cross. Therefore, once we understood the price He paid, perhaps we
could regard other's people worthiness from His point of view.
But the redeemed people are not just worthwhile because of the cost
Jesus paid for them (a rag paid for with $100 is still intrinsically
the same as its true throw-away value). So here Paul said that the
redeemed people are "new creations, everything has passed away,
everything has become new!" There is a new sense of intrinsic worth
being "imputed" on to the people of God. And yet, we are still
regarding them from a human point of view!
Oh God, I need to repent of my sin. There are people I look down upon,
thinking that they are "useless" for the Kingdom of God. I was looking
at them from a human point of view, and not as your perspective! I shy
away from reconciling people to you, because my human perspectives see
them as "no hope". I counted their lifestyle against them, while you
didn't count that against them, and still reconcile them to
yourselves. I may live in the church, but as v.20 said, I also need to
be reconciled to You. Forgive me, forgive us, and renew us, enable us
to be agents of reconciliation, be your ambassador, with your
perspective, not ours.
Coho, Midway City
What is the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation? Is
reconciliation one step beyond forgiveness, leading to restoring the
person to the same relationship they had before?
Our human point of view may lead us to forgiveness , but maybe cannot
get us to be reconciled. Maybe that is God's gift in Jesus Christ.
Tom from MO
Tom: Reconciliation-to restore to friendship or harmony Settle,
resolve. Forgiveness-to give up resentment of or claim requital for;
to grant relief from payment, to cease to feel resentment against.
Mext question, which comes first, forgiveness or reconciliation?
Ambassador-a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a
foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of his
own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often
temporary diplomatic assignment Paraphrased: going into the world for
Christ without becoming a part of the world. Because of the
forgiveness/reconciliation, we are changed and the change sends us
out.
Can you tell I am working with this one?
Blessings! Toni
