Be Reconciled – 2 Corinthians 5:16-20 (CSB)
Now that we are in Christ, we are made new. We’re no longer as we were before—God has changed everything!
2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (CSB)
“From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective. Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective, yet now we no longer know him in this way. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”
In Christ, the glory of God dwells within us through the precious Holy Spirit. We’re no longer enemies of God, fearing His judgment, nor slaves to our sinful flesh. We’ve passed from darkness to light, from death to life, and now we’re in a relationship with the living God!
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (CSB)
“Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.”
Everything is from God! Through Christ’s death and resurrection, He reconciled us to Himself, bridging the gap our sin created. The phrase “not counting their trespasses against them” reveals the depth of God’s mercy—He doesn’t hold our sins against us as a record of debt we can never repay. Instead, Christ’s sacrifice cancels that debt entirely, wiping our slate clean. Every lie, every act of selfishness, every rebellion against God’s holy standard is forgiven, no longer a barrier between us and Him. This isn’t because we deserve it, but because Christ took our punishment, satisfying God’s justice so we could receive His grace. What a gift! But it doesn’t stop there. God has entrusted us with the ministry of reconciliation, a sacred calling to share this message with the world.
2 Corinthians 5:20 (CSB)
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, ‘Be reconciled to God.’”
We are ambassadors for Christ, carrying His appeal to the world: “Be reconciled to God!” What a privilege—to plead on Christ’s behalf, urging others to receive the same reconciliation we’ve experienced. Through us, God invites all to come into a restored relationship with Him, to know His mercy and love.
This ministry of reconciliation changes how we live. We no longer view others—or even Christ—from a worldly perspective, but through the lens of God’s redemptive work. As new creations, we’re called to reflect His love, to be agents of peace in a broken world. Let’s embrace our role as ambassadors, sharing the hope of reconciliation with those still in darkness. Are we actively pleading, “Be reconciled to God,” through our words and lives, drawing others to Him?
