Reconciliation

Introduction:

In recent weeks, we have used Paul’s letters to understand his mindset about his apostleship.

We will consider Paul’s presentation of his apostleship and use it as the foundation for taking communion in our evening service.

What will we remember? (commemorate?).

What is our message?

How important is the message as well as the historical events it articulates?

Overview

Beginning in 2 Corinthians 3, Paul raises the following points:

Preaching the truth differs from peddling ideas or goods.

It is possible to undergo the greatest suffering without bitterness toward God or man.

The reality of the resurrection enables such clarity of thought and purpose.

God has intervened in the world, through Christ, to reconcile us to himself.

Paul builds upon the great theological truth of the incarnation and reconciliation.

The historical fact of the incarnation imposes upon us the responsibility to live in obedience to God.

Notice, that Paul moves from himself to the way the Corinthians should live in the next section.

So, what he says in these passages isn’t limited to himself.

Ought we think of ourselves and ought we to live in a certain way?

Ministry as the Highest Responsibility

Paul saw his own ministry as continuing the work of God through Christ in the world.

Colossians 1:24

2 Cor. 5:18-19 establishes that the creator of the universe (ta panta) is the one who “reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave to us the service of reconciliation.”

Reconciliation:to reestablish proper friendly interpersonal relations after these have been disrupted or broken (the componential features of this series of meanings involve (1) disruption of friendly relations because of (2) presumed or real provocation, (3) overt behavior designed to remove hostility, and (4) restoration of original friendly relations)—‘to reconcile, to make things right with one another, reconciliation (Louw and Nida)

The Message of the Ministry

Paul defines “the ministry of reconciliation” for the Corinthians starting in 2 Cor. 5:19.

“God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ.”

He did that “not accounting to them their transgressions.”

The weighty theology occurs in 2 Cor. 5:21.

Christ is our substitution.

God made him who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf.

He has already expressed one aspect of this in 2 Cor. 5:19.

Jesus became the propitiatory sacrifice for sin.

He atoned for us.

God “made him” this.

But the incarnation had a purpose or a goal that affects us now.

So that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Paul might be thinking of imputed righteousness here.

But, based upon the development in the chapter which follows, he also has the lifestyle in mind.