Four Facts About Conversion

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 (NLT)

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

INTRODUCTION:

TS: Notice facts about what happens when we accept Christ as Lord and savior.

I- WE BECOME A NEW PERSON. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

A- When a person trusts in Christ, they are changed. (2 Corinthians 5:17a)

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

1- Old desires are changed.

2- old habits are broken.

3- Old attitudes die.

B- When a person trusts in Christ, the new person takes over. (2 Corinthians 5:17b)

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

1- We begin to desire to please Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:9)

2 Corinthians 5:9 (NLT)

9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.

2- We live in light of accounting day. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NLT)

10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

The Religious Saul of Tarsus Changed

The madman of Gadara changed

Gang member Nicky Cruze changed.

II- WE HAVE BEEN RECONCILED WITH GOD. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 (NLT)

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

A- God took the initiative to reconcile us to Himself in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:18)

2 Corinthians 5:18 (NLT)

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

1- By nature, we are enemies of God. (Romans 5:7-10)

Romans 5:7–10 (NLT)

7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.

10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.

(Colossians 1:21)

Colossians 1:21 (NLT)

21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.

2- We have all chosen to rebel against God.

(Isaiah 53:6)

Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)

6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

(Romans 3:23)

Romans 3:23 (NLT)

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

3- God sent Jesus to end our war.

(Romans 5:1)

Romans 5:11 (NLT)

11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

(John 3:16)

John 3:16 (NLT)

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

B- God did not want to let us die nin our sin and rebellion.

1- Because of the awful consequences.

(Romans 6:23)

Romans 6:23 (NLT)

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Revelation 20:11-15)

Revelation 20:11–15 (NLT)

11 And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide.

12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books.

13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds.

14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.

15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

III- WE HAVE ACCEPTED HIS AMAZING GIFT. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

A- Jesus was sinless. (2 Corinthians 5:21a)

2 Corinthians 5:21a (NLT)

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

1- Jesus was the spotless, sinless lamb of God.

(1 Peter 3:18)

1 Peter 3:18 (NLT)

18 Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

(Hebrews 9:14)

Hebrews 9:14 (NLT)

14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

B- Jesus took our sins upon himself on the cross. (2 Corinthians 5:21b)

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

1- It was our sins that held him on the cross!

(Isaiah 53:5)

Isaiah 53:5 (NLT)

5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

(Romans 5:8)

Romans 5:8 (NLT)

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

C- Jesus gives us His righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21c)

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

1- Jesus paid the price for our guilt so that he could give us his righteousness!

(Romans 3:25-26)

Romans 3:25–26 (NLT)

25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,

26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

IV- WE HAVE BECOME AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

2 Corinthians 5:20 (NLT)

20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

A- We are ambassadors of Christ’s Kingdom on Earth.(2 Corinthians 5:20a)

2 Corinthians 5:20 (NLT)

20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

1- We are to live for Him. (2 Corinthians 5:15)

2 Corinthians 5:15 (NLT)

15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

2- We are to share the message of Christ with other people. (2 Corinthians 5:20b)

2 Corinthians 5:20 (NLT)

20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

(Acts 1:8)

Acts 1:8 (NLT)

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

CONCLUSION:

WE BECOME A NEW PERSON.

WE HAVE BEEN RECONCILED WITH GOD.

WE HAVE ACCEPTED HIS AMAZING GIFT.

WE HAVE BECOME AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST.