WE ALL HAVE A MINISTRY

2 Cor 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2 Cor 5:18 - And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

2 Cor 5:19 - To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

2 Cor 5:20 - Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

2 Cor 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

CHRIST ON THE CROSS

WHAT IS OUR MINISTRY?

Having come to God through Jesus Christ we are new creatures¹⁷.  New creatures with a new nature and a new personality.

Old things¹⁷ are passed away.  Old works of self- righteousness, old works of keeping the law; old works of self-effort and old works of sin are put to an end.

All things are become new.  We are ‘born again righteous’ before God.  We are dead to sin and to the law.  We are not trying to gain God's approval; we are approved and accepted in Christ.  We are not seeking after sin anymore.  We have a new nature.

And all these things¹⁸ are the work of God and of not of ourselves.  It is by the grace and mercies of God and not by any effort on our part.  God initiated this in our life; it was not our idea, it was His.  We cannot take any credit for this transformation.

Having been 'born again righteous', we all now have a ministry.  This ministry is not limited to ministers, pastors, evangelists or someone special.  Every new creature in Christ has this ministry.  

Our ministry is a Ministry of Reconciliation¹⁸.

It is to bring reconciliation between God and man.  God is no more accusing man.  And man does not need to feel guilty for his sins.  He is free.  The charges against him have been dropped because Another took his place.

God reconciled man to Himself¹⁹ by Jesus Christ. He was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. God suffered with Christ to reconcile us to Himself.

God put upon Jesus Christ the sins of the world¹⁹.  God took all the sins of the world – past, present and future and laid them upon our Lord.  When Jesus Christ was slain, his blood was our propitiation.

He did not impute their sins on them¹⁹. God did not penalize us for our sins.  He took upon himself our sin so that we are counted sinless and righteous before Him.  

Therefore, we have the word (good news) of reconciliation.           

Since we have experienced this diving exchange, we have this message to communicate to the world that God is not angry with them anymore.  We need to let the world know, that they do not need to do anything to gain God’s acceptance. The world needs to know that they are no more enemies but friends to God.

We need to tell the world that God is seeking to be friends with man.  More than man seeking to be blessed, God is yearning to bless man and give him all things freely.

We are ambassadors of Christ²⁰ and we are on Christ’s behalf, tenderly pleading with people to turn back to God.  We are the voice of God to let people know that they are accepted in the beloved.  That is good news.

Because God made Jesus Christ who knew no sin to become sin, so that we who do not know righteousness, might become the righteousness of God²¹.

God took our sin and imputed it on Jesus Christ so that we can be sin-free.  God wants us to now have a 'righteousness conscience' hereafter.  Man is not a debtor to sin anymore.  

Man is made righteous so that he can live righteous.

You may ask "How can I be made righteous having done no right thing?".  And the answer is, "Just as Jesus Christ was made sin having committed no sin".

Remember, when you were an old creature, you had no choice but to sin.  It was in your nature to sin.  But now, as a new creature you are made righteous, your new nature enables you to live righteously. 

As a new creature you are not a sinner trying to live righteously; you are a saint trying to live saintly.  You are now focussed on living a godly life more than trying not to live an ungodly life.

Our ministry now is a ministry of reconciliation.  It is to bring man to God.  It is to let him know that God has forgiven him.  It is to tell him that he is the righteousness of God.  It is to inform him that God loves him and cares for him.

-Melchizedek