The Ministry of Reconciliation

II Corinthians 2:16-21
"16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave 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 to us the message of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore 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."

What is the mission of those who follow Jesus Christ?
What are we supposed to do?
Who are we supposed to be?

The answer to all these questions can be found in, what many have called, the pinnacle of Scripture. Second Corinthians is a letter written to some very messed up people. The church in Corinth is infamous for its moral and theological problems. In the second letter, Paul exhorts the believers to be "Ambassadors of Christ". In this passage we see our mission, and the Mission of God in us.
We are first and foremost to discard those prejudices which we once held. Even as we once considered Christ as merely a man, before our regeneration, we must now regard all people in light of Christ as the God-Man. This means that we stop showing favoritism, we stop carrying around grudges against others, we show the love of Christ to others. We are now, in Christ new people.
As we have been changed so we must now live. The change wrought in us is complete, and as such our actions must conform to our new nature. He goes on to state that we have been tasked with the duty of reconciliation as our Ministry.
Because Christ came to reconcile men to himself, it falls to us his followers, to carry out the reconciling work of Christ. While we can not save men, we can present them with the Gospel. For God uses his church, his followers to plead for repentance. We are the ambassadors of Christ to the fallen world around us. It becomes our responsibility to present Christ as he is, not as the world wants to see him. Love others with the Love of Christ.

I hope to expand these thoughts at a later date.

Lucy Cole

Lucy Cole was 8 weeks old when she died on Sunday night.
As I have reflected over these past few hours about death, i was reminded of Lucy's eternal place, in heaven.
Several years ago Al Mohler and Danny Akin wrote a very insightful article on those who die in infancy. I have posted part of it for you're edification.

"We believe that Scripture does indeed teach that all persons who die in infancy are among the elect. This must not be based only in our hope that it is true, but in a careful reading of the Bible. We start with the biblical affirmations we have noted already. First, the Bible reveals that we are "brought forth in iniquity,"(1) and thus bear the stain of original sin from the moment of our conception. Thus, we face squarely the sin problem. Second, we acknowledge that God is absolutely sovereign in salvation. We do not deserve salvation, and can do nothing to earn our salvation, and thus it is all of grace. Further we understand that our salvation is established by God’s election of sinners to salvation through Christ. Third, we affirm that Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ is the sole and sufficient Savior, and that salvation comes only on the basis of His blood atonement. Fourth, we affirm that the Bible teaches a dual eternal destiny – the redeemed to Heaven, the unredeemed to Hell.

What, then is our basis for claiming that all those who die in infancy are among the elect? First, the Bible teaches that we are to be judged on the basis of our deeds committed "in the body."(2) That is, we will face the judgment seat of Christ and be judged, not on the basis of original sin, but for our sins committed during our own lifetimes. Each will answer "according to what he has done,"(3) and not for the sin of Adam. The imputation of Adam’s sin and guilt explains our inability to respond to God without regeneration, but the Bible does not teach that we will answer for Adam’s sin. We will answer for our own. But what about infants? Have those who die in infancy committed such sins in the body? We believe not."

May God receive Glory, even as the local church family grieves with John and Eva.