What Ministry is all About, Part 8
In our message, THE DOUBLE PLEA (2 Cor. 5:18-6:10), the ministry of the New Covenant is defined in one of the clearest passages in the Bible. Because Christians have been born of God with “all things” becoming new in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; John 3:7, etc.), the Lord has also “given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18). We are to declare the message of the Gospel- that God “in Christ [is] reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them” (2 Cor. 5:19; John 3:16, etc.).
God has done no wrong and needs no reconciliation; it is sinful man that needs to be restored to the Lord (Rom. 3:10, 23, etc.). Religion is humanity’s feeble effort to reach God… but no religious system can forgive sin (Prov. 14:12, etc.). Only being saved by grace through faith in Christ can (John 3:16, 14:6; Eph. 2:8-9; Acts 4:12, etc.). ‘Impute’ is a legal term which means to put to one’s account, so verse 19 shows us God is “NOT imputing” AKA ‘not counting’ people’s sins against them when they trust in His Son- the Savior of the world (2 Cor. 5:19; John 3:7, 16; 5:24, etc.).
When Jesus died in the cross, all of our sins were imputed to Him- put to Christ’s account (1 Cor. 15:3-4, etc.). He was treated by God as though He had actually committed those sins- the sin of the entire world (2 Cor 5:21; Isa. 53:10a, etc.). Because Jesus bore mankind’s sin on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24), He made peace possible with holy God (Eph. 2:11-19). No longer need people be the objects of God’s wrath (Rom. 5:9), but we can be saved by grace through faith becoming God’s child forever! (John 1:12-13; 3:7; Eph. 2:8-9, etc.). Christ is our substitute (2 Cor. 5:14; Rom. 5:10, etc.) and the only way to heaven (John 14:6; Acts 16:30-31; Rom. 8:1, etc.). But even though Jesus died for the sin of the entire world- past, present, and future (John 1:29b; Gen. 3:15, etc.)- people still have to receive the free gift of eternal life to be saved (Rom. 5:15-17; 6:23; Matt. 28:18-20; 2 Cor. 5:20, etc.).
Christians have been made “ambassadors for Christ… pleading” and imploring to those who have not trusted in Jesus to “be reconciled to God” so they can go to heaven (2 Cor. 5:20; Rom. 10:10-15, etc.). There is urgency to this message because PEOPLE ARE NOT OKAY THE WAY THEY ARE! (Rom. 5:12, 18-19; Eph. 2:1-3, etc.). While all people are made in God’s image and loved by their Creator (Gen. 1:27-28; John 3:16, etc.), the only way they can have their sin forgiven is to receive the gift of God’s Son- Jesus Christ- who “knew no sin… [yet became] sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21; Matt. 28:18-20, etc.).
Paul then makes a second “PLEA” to the Corinthian church as their “fellow worker” and “partner” in the faith (2 Cor. 6:1). Just like there is a “plea” for lost people (2 Cor. 5:20) to believe the gospel so their sins can be forgiven and they can go to heaven, there is also a “plea” for saved people (Christians/fellow workers, partners) “not to receive the grace of God in vain” in a present-day sanctification sense (2 Cor. 6:1b). Christians are called today to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7, 9; 1 Cor 4:1-2; Eph. 5:18; 2 Cor. 5:9-11; Rom. 12:1-2, etc.), so our lives do not “suffer loss” today and/or at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:13-15; 4:5; 2 John 8; 1 Cor. 15:58; Gal. 6:9-10; Phil. 2:16; 1 Thes. 3:5; Rom. 14:9-12, etc.). “Now is the accepted time”- the right time- to live for Him (2 Cor. 6:2; Eph. 5:9-21; Gal. 5:16-18, 25; Rom. 12:1-2; 1 John 1:9; 1 Cor. 11:31-32, etc.). Paul stated, when we do this, it helps to not put a stumbling block before people as we share the gospel, and also serves to keep the ministry from being blamed (2 Cor. 6:3). The enemy will always seek to accuse those who hold up the gospel (1 Pet. 2:12; 2 Tim. 2:8-9; Rev. 12:10, etc.), but Christians, because of God’s grace, should desire to live in such a way as “to be well pleasing to Him.” (2 Cor. 5:9-10, 15; Titus 2:11-14; 2 Tim. 2:1-7; 1 John 1:9, etc.). Paul then held up his life and the ministry of those with them as an example to follow (2 Cor. 6:4-10; 1 Cor. 11:1 NIV, etc.). *For more information on this message, please see SBFC’s March 23, 2025 sermon above.