The Ministry of Reconciliation
By David J. Stewart
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.”
—2nd Corinthians 5:17,18
The Bible teaches in 2nd Corinthians 5:17 that God has RECONCILED us to Himself by Jesus Christ. It is tragic that so many false ministers nowadays are teaching a perverted gospel that requires people to be willing to change their life, stop sinning or commit their life to God in order to be saved. The Bible says that God reconciles us by Jesus Christ; and not by our own self-righteousness.
Likewise, the Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 5:18 that God has given to us, i.e., to believers, the MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION. What a beautiful truth. The word “reconciliation” here is the Greek word katallage and means “to restore (to divine) favor.” Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can do this, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth...” As believers, God has entrusted to us the wonderful responsibility of partaking in the ministry of reconciling lost sinners with their Creator by way of the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This is why every born-again believer ought to be aggressive concerning soulwinning, so lost sinners can be reconciled with God.
Wolves in Sheep's Clothing
The world is going to Hell. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-15...
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
Very few people are going to Heaven; yet ironically, most people are religious. What a disturbing paradox! Many people have been deceived into thinking that the Catholic Church (which is no church at all) can reconcile them to God by way of the Sacraments; but the Sacraments are a dirty lie of the Devil rooted in self-righteousness...
“For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
The idea that the Virgin Mary can give eternal life to those who come to her by way of reciting the Rosary is damnable heresy. Mary was a dirty, rotten sinner just like you and me. We are all horrible sinners (Romans 3:10,19-23; James 2:10). Mary could not even reconcile herself with God, let alone anyone else. The Catholic Church is a fraud, a house of sin and prisonhouse of religion. Romans 10:4 tells us that Jesus Christ is the end of the Law FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS to every one that believeth. Salvation is NOT found in any religion; but rather, in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Believers with Beautiful Feet
Romans 10:15 states...
“And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
Romans 10:15 is a quote from Isaiah 52:7 in the Old Testament...
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”
There is nothing any more beautiful in this world than the preaching of the Gospel. The world needs to hear about God's gift of eternal life, made possible only by way of the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ...
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
Oh how the world needs to hear the Good News of the gift of eternal life found only in Jesus Christ. Many people know about the historical figure of Jesus Christ; but they've never heard of the the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. Jesus is far more than a mere man or prophet; He is God Almighty, the Christ, the Godhead incarnate... “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Literally, the Godhead walked this earth in the flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a wonderful Savior!
Sadly, most believers today have ugly feet. They sit in their church-pew every Sunday, never doing anything to reach the lost for Christ with the Gospel. God deliver us from church-pew Christianity!
A man once sent me a video of himself dressed-up and preaching like Billy Sunday. He asked for my opinion. I wrote back and told him it was great except for one big problem... he was preaching in an empty church building with stained glass windows in the background. I told him to preach the same sermon on a busy street-corner to a hundred people and then I'd be impressed. He never wrote back. This is what's wrong with the Church today. America's churches are saturated with carnal believers who sit on the sidelines, criticizing but never getting off their blessed assurance to make something happen for God. There is much we can all do to preach the Gospel message to this sick and sinful world. Look what Raymond Rogers did.
The Ministry of Reconciliation
2nd Corinthians 5:18 says that every believer has been given the Ministry of Reconciliation. Proverb 11:30 states, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” What an opportunity God has given to us to partake of reconciling sinners with their God by sharing the Gospel with them. There is no greater duty nor privilege for the Christian than soulwinning.
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