Verse 17 tells us what has happened in our lives: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things have become new." We have accepted Christ into our lives and He has not just renewed us, He has made us new. That's good. What happens after we become new "creatures"? Verses 18-21 answer the question in the title - then what?
I. We have been given a minstry of reconciliation. Vs. 18 "And all things are of God who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation." This means that we have been called by Christ to help others be reconciled to God. None of us is exempt! Every Christian is His witness of reconciliation. II. We have been given the word of reconciliation. Vs. 19 "To wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." He didn't call us to our ministry of reconciliation and say, "Now go out there and tell whatever you want to tell them." The word of reconciliation is the word of God - the Bible. That's why we need to read and study it and why we need to depend on His word in our witnessing and not our own wits. III. We have been made ambassadors for Christ. Vs. 20 "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's, be ye reconciled to God." What does an ambassador do? He does not go to another country with his own agenda. He goes with the agenda of his country's leader. We are ambassadors for Christ and we need to be about His business. We need to follow His agenda as we serve as His witnesses. Matthew 28:19-20: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." We have these ministries in our lives because of what God has done: "For He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."
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All of these materials are free of charge. There is no copyright on them and you are free to use them as you see fit. I am happy to be of assitance to you in your preaching/teaching minstry.
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