The Ministry of Reconciliation

Perhaps more than in any other letter Paul wrote, he unveiled his
heart in his second letter to the church at Corinth. At first glance, we might
wonder why Paul continued to bother with this congregation. They had a
multitude of problems: pride, division, unchastity, and a penchant for listening
to boastful teachers who clouded their minds. And they consistently
undervalued their connection with Paul (the one who initially taught them
about Jesus!). It is interesting, though, that Paul was not primarily concerned
about repairing the rift between himself and the Corinthians. Why? Because
there was a relationship rift that was even more serious.

“We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians
5.20). He made this appeal because Jesus appointed him and the other
apostles as “ambassadors” to proclaim the new peace available between God
and man. !Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of
reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5.18). Reconciliation is the act of mending a
broken relationship. “In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not
counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of
reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5.19). Jesus suffered the pain of poor
relationships with many of the people around him, but he still accomplished
his work to bear the weight of our sins so that anyone who desires a renewed
connection with God can have it. “For our sake he made him to be sin who
knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2
Corinthians 5.21).

This message is what fueled Paul to continue working with the stubborn, self–
centered Corinthians, and it energized him to preach to those outside of
Jesus – “knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” (2 Corinthians.
5.11). Because Paul “regarded no one according to the flesh” (5.16), he did
not view others through a lens of worldly standards and values. He looked to
the eternal value of the people around him. This allowed him to keep serving
the very people who slighted him at Corinth. His goal was not his personal
comfort. His goal was helping others be with Christ.

This is also the message that forms the method and the goal of our work,
both inside and outside the church. For example, when two people are
fighting each other in a marriage or a congregation, the primary answer to
their problems is not better conversation tactics or love languages; Jesus’
gospel is the true answer because it addresses the root of the issue. If our
aim is reconciliation with God, our interactions with others will come into
proper focus. Because “one has died for all,” Paul concluded that “all have
died… that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who
for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5.14–15). May God make
that true of us all!
– Nathan Combs