“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 5:20 ESV
Reflection: What are we willing to do to bring the lost souls back to God?
Paul was a man on a mission. I don’t think anyone would dispute that he was committed to his mission, his ministry of spreading the gospel of Christ. He went through a lot of hardships personally. He tells the Corinthian church “Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.” 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 ESV
In today’s focus verse, we see Paul’s note to the Corinthians, “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20b ESV. The word “implore” really means to “desperately plead”, to beg. But what was so important that Paul had to plead with them? He is pleading with them to be “reconciled to God”. And notice that he is making this plea “on behalf of Christ.” If it was that important, we should probably pay attention, right? The word “reconcile” is often used in more of a business or accounting context, to reconcile an account. To bring it into balance. So then what does it mean to be “reconciled to God”? It turns out that this word reconcile is only used 6 times in the Bible; all by Paul. And if you read various sources for the biblical context, it really refers to the act of coming into harmony, alignment or in favor with.
In the previous verses, Paul writes “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 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.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ESV. So to be “reconciled to God” is work done by God, as we choose to be aligned to God. In harmony with God and His will for our lives. It starts by fully surrendering our lives, ourselves to God, Nothing held back.
Clearly, if we say we receive Christ, the gift of salvation, but continue to follow the world and our own flesh, we are not reconciled to God. We would only be fooling ourselves, which I am afraid many are even today. They have said the sinner’s prayer, but there is no receiving and building of the new life in Christ. With no food, no nutrition, we all know what happens to life. And this is probably why Paul was so desperate in telling the believers that they needed to be aligned to, in harmony with God and His will. To actually follow Jesus who they proclaimed they believed in.
As I read this today, I was really struck by Paul’s use of strong language here. His desperate plea to the church members. And we know that it was not just words. Paul demonstrated through his actions that he truly meant what he said. And here comes the challenge for each of us. How desperate are we for those around us who God puts in our way, to help Him reach them?
What are we willing do say or do to rescue people from eternal separation from God?