“That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20)
This passage is often thought of in terms of evangelism, but it struck me today that Paul was not writing to unbelievers, but to the church in Corinth, who were already Christians. Yet Paul writes “be reconciled to God.”
Why? Hasn’t a Christian, and the Corinthian church, already been reconciled to God? Puzzled by this realization, I went over to m-w.com, and Webster tells us reconcile means:
transitive verb:
1a : to restore to friendship or harmony <reconciled the factions b : settle, resolve <reconcile differences>
2 :to make consistent or congruous <reconcile an ideal with reality>3 : to cause to submit to or accept something unpleasant<was reconciled to hardship>
4: a : to check (a financial account) against another for accuracy
b : to account for
intransitive verb: to become reconciled
Today, gentle readers, lets ask ourselves:
Am I living today in harmony with God or fighting against him and going my own way?
Am I consistently living by the values and biblical truth I claim to believe?
Am I submitting to God even when following his word is unpleasant?
Am I accounting for God in my normal day to day living and checking my decisions against God’s word? Or am I simply going through the motions while blindly following the leading of the flesh? Am I reconciled to God and doing his will, or only saying the right words?
Would I be willing to be an ambassador of Christ implore my brother if I saw him not walking in reconciliation to God?
Lord, it is so easy for us to slip into the ways of the world and stop paying attention to you. Help us to keep watch and guard our steps in Christ as we seek to live our lives according to the law of love. By your grace, continue to complete your holy, on going work of reconciling our ways to yours today. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.