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 5:18-19 (ESV)
re–con–cile (verb) the exchange of hostility for a friendly relationship.
What an incredible idea… What an incredible truth! God reconciled us to Himself. God exchanged the hostility he had toward us and toward our sin for a friendly relationship. Hostility for friendship. Hostility for relationship.
The extent of this truth makes it even more beautiful. Reconciliation is not reserved for our eternity. Reconciliation with God is not something that we can only experience after our death here on earth. No, reconciliation is now for those in Christ. We are able to live reconciled lives in Christ!
There is an older church song that we once sang together called “Friend of God.” Please understand, I mean no offense to any person who likes this song, but I have never really liked this song. I have always felt that it is a bit cheesy to sing lyrics like…
I am a friend of God,
I am a friend of God,
I am a friend of God,
He calls me friend.
But, as I consider the truth of 2 Corinthians, as I consider the truth of reconciliation, as I consider the fullness of the meaning of reconciliation, I realized how wrong I was. I realized that there are few more powerful lyrics that I could sing. Through Christ, I am a friend of God. Through Christ, God has called me friend. Reconciled through Christ.
However, the beauty of this scripture doesn’t end there because we are now given the ministry of reconciliation. In other words, God exchanged the hostility He had toward us and toward our sin for a friendly relationship, and He now gives us the ministry of exchanging hostility for friendship for our lost world.
Reconciled to reconcile. Shown grace to show grace. Redeemed to redeem. We are reconciled through Christ in order that we may be about the ministry of reconciliation in his name.
In this scripture we are given two things; we are given reconciliation and we are given a ministry. The call of the Christian life is to accept both of these gifts through Christ! To be a friend of God, and an ambassador for that friendship in order that others can know Christ. To be reconciled to God through Christ, and to give ourselves for a ministry of reconciliation so that our hostile world might know the incredible gift of friendship with God himself.
Reconciled to reconcile!