THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION
"NOW ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, AND HAS GIVEN US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION."
2 Corinthians 5:18 (NKJV)
Comment: According to the above passage of the Bible, two things took place when someone is born-again. The person is reconciled to God, and the ministry of reconciliation is given to the person.
The aspect of being reconciled to God is always emphasized, but that was at the detriment or disadvantage of the other aspect, the ministry of reconciliation given to the person.
The ministry of reconciliation simply means you are to tell others about the gospel, the good news of Christ Jesus that they might be reconciled or be restored to friendship or harmony with God:
19 THAT IS, THAT GOD WAS IN CHRIST RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIMSELF, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES TO THEM [no longer counting people’s sins against them], AND HAS COMMITTED TO US [believers] THE WORD OF RECONCILIATION. 20 NOW THEN, WE [believers] ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST, AS THOUGH GOD WERE PLEADING THROUGH US: WE IMPLORE YOU ON CHRIST'S BEHALF, BE RECONCILED TO GOD" (2 Corinthians 5:19,20 NKJV).
What is the good news? It is that Jesus Christ came into the world, died for the Sin of mankind: "THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTANCE, THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS, OF WHOM I AM CHIEF [the foremost]" (1 Timothy 1:15 NKJV).
READ: John 3:16
Jesus Christ died as a sacrifice or propitiation or appeasement for our sins. That through faith in Him—His substitutionary death and resurrection—whoever believes would be forgiven and justified or made right with God: "WHO WAS DELIVERED UP BECAUSE OF OUR OFFENSES, AND WAS RAISED BECAUSE OF OUR JUSTIFICATION [to make us right with God]" (Romans 4:25 NKJV).
HE [Jesus] HIMSELF IS THE SACRIFICE THAT ATONES [serves as reparation or compensation] FOR OUR SINS—AND NOT ONLY OUR SINS BUT THE SINS OF ALL THE WORLD."
1 John 2:1,2 (NLT)
READ: 2 Corinthians 5:21
This message, the good news or the gospel, should be shared by every believer, whoever has been saved or born-again (2 Corinthians 5:18).
This ministry of reconciliation is the first and foremost ministry of whoever is saved or born-again, every believer in Christ Jesus, and no one should shy away from it.
Peace.