Please explain about the ministry of reconciliation. Who has this ministry?
Let’s read 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.”
A person becomes ‘in Christ’ once he accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and savior. He becomes a brand-new person. He is not an improved person…he is brand new! All the sins in his past are gone and he is a new creature before God. What a marvelous work that the Lord will take an old sinful person and make that person brand new with a standing before the Lord that is perfect.
This is a work of God. He has done the work of reconciling us to Himself. To reconcile literally means to ‘make peace’. It is through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross that we might have peace with God. We read in Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.” This truth is also given to us in Colossians 1:20-21, “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, YET NOW HATH HE RECONCILED.” God, in order to reconcile us to Himself, sent His only begotten Son to the earth to give His life a sacrifice for our sins. The Lord Jesus shed His precious blood for the remission of our sins and God judged that sacrifice great enough to reconcile every single person that comes to Him by faith.
It is to those who have been reconciled that the Lord has given the MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION! It is to those who have been saved, that the Lord has given the responsibility to “do the work of an evangelist.” (2 Timothy 4:5). It is to all of us who know the salvation that comes through faith in the Lord Jesus that we tell others. The instruction of the Lord Jesus to all believers is to, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15).
We read of the importance of this ministry of reconciliation in Romans 10:14, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER?” What is a preacher? It is a ‘proclaimer’; someone who tells others of the Lord Jesus.
Let’s also read 2 Corinthians 5:19-20, “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” In order to reconcile us to God, He worked in His Son to bring about this effectual work of salvation/reconciliation. Because of this gracious work, our sins are now gone and we are ‘in Christ.’ We further learn that, “There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are IN CHRIST JESUS.” (Romans 8:1). Colossians 1:21-22 tells us, “And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him.”
Having been reconciled to God, we are now ambassadors of God in this world. We should live to represent our blessed Lord. We should live to please Him. We should live to tell others about this gracious work of reconciliation that is available to all who will trust in the Lord Jesus. (CC) (496.4)