03-19-06 the love of God controls us
3 main points…..
We are not what we were
We are to have a new perspective toward the world and each other
We have a new job description and duties
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;
15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Pray
I. God’s Part special ministry Reconciling Man (5:14-15, 18-19, 21a)
A. Jesus has reconciled all sinners (5:14-15):
14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;
15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
1. The love of Christ compels us…constrains us, “overwhelms” verse 14
a) The love of Christ works on us, to compress forcibly
b) The verb “compels” (synechein) only appears elsewhere in the New Testament in Phil 1:23
c) “To hold together,” “to enclose,” “to hold fast,”
d) This gives us faith when we speak to unbelievers and the people in the world….
2. Jesus has accomplished by His death on the cross
a) Jesus controls us, because we are lovingly indebted to Him, and serve him out of that love
b) “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19)
c) Therefore, the old life should, and actually has, no hold on us today. “I am crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20)
d) We no longer live for ourselves….how are we doing on that one…
B. Jesus has regenerated, recreated, all repenting sinners
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
1. He reconciled, prepared us to be acceptable to the Father….
2. He turned the ministry over to us to do the same thing….18b
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
3. Not counting the trespasses against the world,
a) This is the term logizomai
b) God changes the righteousness logs
(1) He imputes or adds the righteousness of Jesus into our account (v. 21)
(2) He Also does not count or impute sin to our account
(3) What an amazing God! What an effective Savior!
4. The father has entrusted us, & committed us to the word of reconciliation
5. Why would we do this…?
21a He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf
C. Each new believer receives a new nature
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
1. We are a new creature
2. Old things passed away, they are dead….
D. New things have come….
Ephesians 2:8
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
II. Those in Christ are changed people.
A. Paul used the Greek word kainḗ, which means qualitatively new
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
B. No one can be in Christ without being radically changed.
1. This transformation is also called katallagḗ, “reconciliation”
Romans 5:10
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God
C. We change from being an enemy of God to becoming a friend
Romans 5:10
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
D. The old nature is being “crucified” or put to death
Romans 6:6
6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin
III.“Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Verse 17b
1. The word used for “old” is archaía, “original,” and not simply palaiá, “old.” Original sin has been done away with by Christ’s death on the cross
Hebrews 10:10
10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. .
2. The verb “passed away” is parḗlthen, meaning “gone forever.”
3. Then the exclamation “behold” indicates surprise and delight at the total change which has taken place in the believer.
17 “Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Verse 17b
4. The Greek Katallasson “become” implies “changing” or altering the judicial status from one of condemnation to one of justification
5. “All things are become “new.” The verb gégonen is in the perfect tense which indicates that
a) Things not only became new in the past, but continue to become new in the present.
b) Furthermore, the change is all–inclusive (tá pánta),
(1) Each individual thing and all of them collectively become new in the life of the Christian
(2) As we see things in relation to Jesus as his Savior and Lord
c) The OT prophets spoke of this new age.
(1) “New things” (cf. Isa. 42:9; 43:19; Jer. 31:22)
(2) “New covenant” (cf. Jer. 31:31–34)
(3) “New heart, new spirit” (Ezek. 11:19; 18:31; 36:26)
(4) “New name” (cf. Isa. 62:2; 56:5; 65:15)
(5) “New song” (cf. Ps. 96:1; Isa. 42:10)
(6) “New heavens and new earth” (cf. Isa. 65:17; 66:22)
With this new thing comes a change in responsibility
IV.We are to have new vision and perspective (5:16)
16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
A. To accomplish it ……we have some prequalification’s or requirements
1. Recognize no one according to the flesh
a) We recognize no one according to their pre-state in Christ
(1) Not the Gideon the man hiding out in the wine press
(a) But GIDEON the mighty man of valor who was the deliver of Israel
(2) Not Moses the baby in the Nile
(a) But MOSES the deliverer of Egypt
(3) Paul who switched from a persecutor of Christ
(a) Paul a proclaimer of Christ (Acts 9:5, 20-22)
2. We not to evaluate people on the basis of externals
3. We not to evaluate people according to worldly and external relations
NRSV
“we regard no one from a human point of view”
NJB
“we will not consider anyone by human standards”
4. Mere information about Jesus cannot transform a person from self-centeredness to selflessness
5. We do not glory in what we were, what is now dead….
a) But we glory in what he has called us to be and who we are….
b) “We know Christ no more after the flesh.” Christ entered His new heavenly life by His death, resurrection and ascension, so all who are “in Christ”
V. We have a new title, and responsibilities
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Say yellow highlight only
A. Ambassador appointments have some things in common….
1. Called by a sovereign God Ex 28:1; Heb 5:4
2. Qualified by sovereign God Isa 6:5-7; 2Co 3:5-6
3. Commissioned by sovereign Christ Mt 28:19
4. We do not act on our own authority, “As the Father has sent me, also I send you,” said Christ (John 20:21, NKJV)
5. Sent by the sovereign Holy Spirit Ac 13:2&4
6. Have delegated authority from a sovereign God 2Co 10:8; 2Co 13:10
7. Entrusted with a message to deliver the gospel 1Th 2:4
8. Stewards of the mysteries of God 1Co 4:1
9. Servants of Christ’s people 2Co 4:5
Repeat full
B. Duties of an ambassador
a) We are to make our Father & King’s position clear to the inhabitants of the county we dwell in
b) We are His spokesman….
c) Paul was an ambassador in chains (Eph 6:20)
(1) It is an egregious act to imprison or arrest an ambassador
d) We have diplomatic immunity of the laws of this worlds sovereign and his presumed authority do not apply to us
e) Ambassadors were usually sent to others as a sign of friendship and good will, to establish a relationship, to renew friendly relations, or to make an alliance
(1) Our purpose is to renew or establish “goodwill,” “friendship,” and “alliances.”
(2) To put an end to hostilities and to bring about a reconciliation
f) We are to announce to the world God’s terms for peace
g) We are called home before the war breaks out 1 Thes. 5:1-10
VI.(21b): We have been given the ministry of reconciliation
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.