Today's Scripture
THE ULTIMATE DO-OVER – 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17-21
17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
RJ's Devotion
WHAT DOES THE PASSAGE SAY?
V. 17-19 We are a new being in Christ. Not because of what we did, but because of what Christ did for the world.
V. 20-21 So, for us called to be an ‘Ambassador of God,’ should help the people become reconciled with our Lord.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME/US?
In v. 16, the Message Bible says, “Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look” (v. 16 The Message). We have a tendency to look at the outside of the people and judge them according to their appearances.
Paul says, don’t look at the outside, but rather look inside.
Look and see how God is working in their lives. Because, we know, as reconciled people, that by the grace of God we are reconciled.
By being reconciled, we believe that we are a new being in Christ. Of course, the transformation that occurred inside might take time to show on the outside. It doesn’t change the mighty act of God’s reconciliation in our life.
We are called to share what we are experiencing, as ambassadors of God, so people can experience the ‘transformation in their world.’
PRAYER
Lord, continue your work of reconciliation in our lives and through us. Help us to become an ambassador of your name.
In Christ Name, AMEN.
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