Reconciliation

In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.
2 Cor. 5:19-21

Christ died for us to live—and not just that we would live, but that we would live for him. A key characteristic of this life, Paul tells us, is our role as messengers of that which we have received.

But I question God’s method—at least at first glance. He wants us as ambassadors? Surely there are more adequate representatives than we, his erstwhile enemies—we, whose best thoughts, until Christ’s return, sin still stains. Surely someone represents God’s message better than we. Even my own arrogance in questioning God’s method indicates a lack of faith.

But I suppose that’s the point.

We did not reconcile ourselves. The Gospel represents not our goodness but Christ’s goodness on our behalf. It represents not our victory but his. God freed us, his enemies, in whose veins runs Adam’s envenomed blood. We, the undeserving, received.

This is what validates us as messengers. From our lack, we demonstrate his fullness. From even our stubborn sinfulness, we demonstrate his grace. We evidence reconciliation like nail-scars evidence Life.

Not wounds, but scars. By the grace of God through faith, by the work of the Spirit in his Church, death un-dies bit by bit. Our lives take on the character of the one to whom they belong.

So as long as we inhabit Death’s domain, until the king returns and puts Death to death, we bear the message of reconciliation both in our essence and in our action. For as Christ died on our behalf, we live on his.

God diverted us from rebellion into relationship. In the same way, our own ministry begins with relationship. With whom will you relate this week? In depending upon reconciliation, you represent the message. How might you reveal, or perhaps forgo concealing, your dependence? And beyond that, in what ways might you share the message, itself?

Go and do those things.