Reconciliation

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 2 Corinthians 5:11-15 ESV

“Fear of the Lord:” respect, reverence—for His person, for His plan, for His perfect provision of grace toward all mankind. Paul wants the Corinthian believers to be proud of him and his fellow teachers. He wants them to be prepared with accurate doctrine to refute the legalism and phony do-goodism being promoted by the Judaizers. So they are saying we’re crazy. Our exuberance is for God’s perfect plan. Our sober instruction, though, is for your benefit; for your advance to maturity. God knows all about our work and our motives. We believe you Corinthians do, too.

Here’s the message: one died for all, so all have died. Those who identify with His death receive eternal life, and that life belongs entirely to Him Who died for all, and now lives. It was OUR death He died. It is His life we now receive. This is not something we DID, brethren, but something we RECEIVED. It had already been done.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 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. 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 5:16-20

We Christians are no longer “of the flesh.” Paul had once regarded Jesus as just a man, but now knew Him to be God and Man in one person forever. Those who have received His life are now New Species. IN CHRIST. The old, fleshly life no longer defines who we are, but our lives are lived with the perspective of eternity, in the power and perception of the Holy Spirit. That Old Man is dead! We are reconciled to God. Not God to us. He doesn’t change, but we must, in order to qualify for life with Him. When our bank balance doesn’t match our checkbook record, the record must be reconciled. When two systems are in opposition, one must be reconciled. Jesus’ work took care of our reconciliation to God’s standard.

Reconciliation: Through the cross of Christ, humankind can now be saved. God can now see us as new creatures because of Jesus’ finished work. As new creatures with a permanent position IN CHRIST, we are now His ambassadors in the devil’s world. We are the conduits of the gospel message, and we extend the invitation: “be reconciled to God.” 

2 Corinthians 5:21:

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

“He,” God the Father made “Him,” God the Son (who had no sin of His own) to be (our) sin.

Why?

“So that IN HIM (Jesus) we (who have no righteousness of our own) might become THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.”