30/10/2013 - RECONCILED BY THE LORD HIMSELF

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Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

II Corinthians 5:18

After giving us the good news that he who is in Christ is a new creation, that old things have passed away and all things have become new (II Corinthians 5:17), the Holy Spirit used the apostle Paul to say that these blessings come from God. This is because He has reconciled us through the Lord Jesus in the work He did on the cross, and then all things have become new. Thus, he who converts is born again and no longer has to suffer for past sins.

The word of reconciliation compels us to announce to everyone that just as the Father was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself without imputing its trespasses unto it, He is in us to do the same work. Therefore, we cannot preach another message because it would be false. The Good News that we must proclaim to the lost is the same the apostles announced. People need to learn that it is easy to be saved; they just need to enter by the Door, which is the Lord Jesus (John 10:7-9).

The Almighty has commissioned us as His ambassadors, using us to urge the lost about the risk they run without salvation. Our mission, therefore, is to entreat them to be reconciled to God. But everything should be done by faith, without any suffering, for He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (II Corinthians 5:21).

Our concern should be to plead people not to receive the grace of God in vain. By doing so, we become fellow workers with God (II Corinthians 6:1). This task is very important because it is the opportunity the unsaved have to get rid of the wrath to come – the day of salvation, in which no children of God will be rejected (II Corinthians 6:2). So there is no better time than this to be delivered from all evil operations.

Because we are God’s ministers, we must commend ourselves in all things. We cannot lose patience nor escape the tribulations. So, if we have to go through hardships and distresses or suffer beatings and go to prison for the sake of God’s work, we should not back down. Our behavior should be exemplary in tumults, in the work that we must do to bring light to the lost, in sleeplessness and in prayers and fasting so that our lives glorify the Lord at all times.

Moreover, our conduct should always be marked by purity, wisdom, patience, kindness and sincere love, guided by the Holy Spirit. You need to speak the Word of truth, using the power of God to fight with the weapons of righteousness (II Corinthians 10:4), both the offensive and defensive ones. In this way it will not matter whether people consider us honest or not, famous or infamous, for we will be truthful before the Father, giving no offense in anything.

In Christ with Love,

R. R. Soares