Ambassador
for Christ (continued) or
THE
GREAT EXCHANGE
II
Corinthians 5:18-21
In this pen pulpit we continue the subject of
Ambassadors for Christ. In our last pen
pulpit we looked at the PREPARATION for our ambassadorship. Today we will look at the PLAN for our
ambassadorship. First:
Our
Ministry vs. 18b-19a
*in verse 18 our commission from God is
stated
*in verse 19 we have an explanation of the
inner workings of reconciliation
1.
God
making the world able to be saved through providing a foundation for salvation.
2.
We
see the negative aspect of God’s work toward man: “not putting the world’s sins
to their account.” This is our
message: In reconciling the world to
Himself – God was not putting the world’s sins to their account – He was
putting the world’s sins to Christ’s account!
Our Message
vs.
19b- 21
Note that an ambassador is a
messenger or representative. He doesn’t
speak in his own name nor act on his own authority. He doesn’t communicate his own opinions or demands
(Matthew 28:19, 20).
• The content of the message (vs. 19b, 20) “be you reconciled to God.”
You can’t reconcile yourself to God.
This is what religion tries to do.
We can only accept what God has already accomplished.
• The basis for the message (v. .21)
Second Corinthians 5:21 is one of the great verses in the Word of God on the teaching of substitutionary atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. In verses 18,19 Paul writes that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Note carefully that God did this. He reconciled the world of sinners to Himself. This reconciling work did not automatically change the actual state or condition of the world. It changed the status of the world.
The word for reconcile means “to change thoroughly or completely.” The status of the world changed completely. It doesn’t mean that the entire world was saved by the death of Jesus Christ. It means that when the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross the entire world became savable.
Before Christ died there was no basis upon which anyone could be saved. Hebrews chapter 10 tells us that it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats can take away sin. In Christ God was turning His face to the world and saying “I love you this much.” That was all He could do. Now through His ambassadors He is saying, “Now you be reconciled to me.” This is best stated in I Thessalonians 1:9 where Paul said to the Thessalonian believers, “you turned to God from idols.” They were reconciled to God.
The basis for that reconciliation is II Corinthians. 5:21. “God made Christ to be sin for us.” He did not become a sinner – He became sin. What is the difference? Jesus always was and remained the sinless Son of God. Even on the cross that fact did not change. On the cross He became sin. He became the great sin offering (Lev. 4:1-35). He was made sin on the cross that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
In the Old Testament the individual put their hands on the sin offering and killed it, thus transferring in type their sins to that animal. Then the fire from God literally consumed that sacrifice outside the camp (Hebrews 13:11-13). Jesus Christ was taken outside the city of Jerusalem and crucified, thus fulfilling completely the Old Testament type.
Jesus knew no sin – we knew no righteousness – but on the cross He exchanged places with us. He became what we are, SIN - in order that we might become what He is, RIGHTEOUSNESS. Thus the GREAT EXCHANGE. This then, becomes the basis for God reconciling sinners to Himself. AMEN? God was doing this IN CHRIST.
Beloved I challenge you this week to think on this great truth. Let it permeate your thinking. God bless.
Love to you all,