Reconciling the World
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Key Verse: “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” Selected Scripture: |
THE BASIC WORK TO effect a reconciliation of the world to God was performed by Jesus when he willingly gave his life for the world. As the Apostle John wrote of Jesus, “He is the propitiation [satisfaction] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (I John 2:2) At the present time, God is selecting a special “people for his name” (Acts 15:14), and these receive the merit of Christ’s blood to cover their sins. They are being developed and trained to be ministers of reconciliation.—II Cor. 5:18
It was the harsh letter Paul had written before to the church at Corinth (first epistle) that may have prompted Paul to write on this subject. He was critical of their failure to deal with problems in that church, and now he was concerned that he might have been too harsh, causing some in Corinth to leave the church. For this reason, he sent Titus with this second epistle, and waited pensively to learn how they had received his letters. He wanted to be reconciled with them. This explains the words of verses 11 to 13, as he introduces the reconciliation work God has planned.
Foremost in that work is the love of Christ which compels us to consecration in his service. Because of this great love, we no longer live to ourselves, but instead to Christ. The great transforming work that occurs in us is for the purpose of developing the New Creation, or as Paul writes, “If any one be in Christ, he is a New Creation; the old things have passed away; behold! they have become new.”—II Cor. 5:17 (Wilson’s Emphatic Diaglott)
Those who are ‘in Christ’ during the Gospel Age are the first from the world of mankind to be reconciled to God. These hold forth the word of reconciliation to any who will hear, and are in training to be reconcilers of the world for God.
In Corinth there were some who needed to be reconciled to God, and this became a first work with Paul. He calls himself an “ambassador for Christ,” as though God was making this appeal to them for reconciliation through him. On behalf of Christ, he implored them to be reconciled to God.—vs. 20
What Paul wanted to impress on the minds of his Corinthian brethren was that God’s plan would bring the reconciliation of the world through those being called and chosen now. All of this was made possible by Jesus becoming ‘a sin offering’ for us. We read: “He [God] hath made him to be sin [sin offering] for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”—vs. 21
The development of the character necessary to serve as ministers of reconciliation can only be done through the ransom merit of Jesus. Once the called, chosen, and faithful have completed this task, then the work of reconciling the world with God can proceed. The church, having received the word of reconciliation, will use it to help lift mankind to perfection and to become reconciled to God.