BRAND NEW YOU (Pt.3)

Text: 2 Corinthians 5: 18-20:

[1 Corinthian show Christ as “Our LORD”] [2 Corinthian show Him as “Our 

All Sufficiency”]

 In Chapter 5 Apostle Paul speaks a unique gem of truth describing an entire new breed of man, the kind in which the world has never seen before. This truth is witnessed from a man who has lived this very experience and endured much suffering and persecution at the hands of the Jews for the cause of Christ.

This is the last of the three-part series of the Topic:   "A Brand New You" or a "Brand New Man"!

I have covered (Part 1) 2Corinthians 5:16 and (Part 2) verse 17.

Brand new indicates something that’s never been used, in the natural sense, as a car, furniture, etc. The same is true spiritually in reference to mankind when man is brand-new through the transforming power of Regeneration and Reconciliation.  

The Apostle tells the Church of Corinth in order to be one with or be in Christ, two conditions is necessary, meaning, it’s not optional, there’s no way around it, unavoidable, and they are “Regeneration” (two phases) and “Reconciliation.”

In part one, the first phase was spoken of in vs 16, scripture states, “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh:  yea though we have known Christ after the flesh, “yet now henceforth know we him no more.”  Meaning, from this point forward know we him (Christ) no more”, after the flesh.  Now we must know Him by the Spirit of revelation!  

In regeneration, there’s a contrast between the old man/nature vs the new man/nature.   A new-ness is clearly being presented in this phase and we (mankind) are the primary focus of God’s work of grace.

In part two the second phase vs 17: “Therefore, if any man “be in Christ, “he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  This is the phase of the “New Birth.” Wherein there is a contrasting of spiritual life vs spiritual death.

In Regeneration, God wants to do a” new” thing in our life and “mankind” is not only “mended” but he is “NEWLY-MADE”,  in which “all things have become new”, is the language of God’s perfect work, re-created work (Revelation 21:5). This is a creation which God Himself owns as his workmanship (work of art; masterpiece) in which He can look on and pronounce “very good.” It is His powerful creative work in us.

We have become Christians through God’s work of grace not because of our efforts, abilities, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part.  God’s intention is that our salvation will result in an act of service. We’re not saved merely for our own benefit, but to serve Christ and build up the church (Ephesians 4:11)) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  vs 12: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  vs 13: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Now in part three:  Text: 2 Corinthians 5:18: And all things are of God, “who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation:  vs 19: To wit, that “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.   Vs 20: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ.

Subtopic: Ministry of Reconciliation!!  (part three)

As Christians, once we like Paul have had an encounter with the light (Jesus) on our road to Damascus, then we too are a brand -new man on the inside. The Holy Spirit has given us new life and we are not the same.

You haven’t been reformed, rehabilitated, or re-educated, but you have been re-created, a new creation living in union with Christ. You weren’t created to just eat, breathe, and take up space. God created and designed you to make a difference with your life. At conversion, you were not merely turning over a new leaf you were beginning a new life under a new master.

I want to show you today, that God is not slothful in that, He has done His part which is, reconciling the world back to Himself.   Now, He’s making a pleading cry to us, His redeemed, His regenerated people the church, to come forth and serve Him, as His ambassadors. That’s our task.

Ministry of Reconciliation refers to the work believers have been given to do and the message they declare. This is, “you can have a restored relationship with God through Jesus, the Christ.” Why? Vs 18, says, “All things are of God, who hath (already done) reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ.” 

MINISTRY:  there’s much confusion about this word believing that it’s restricted only to pastors, priests, professional clergy, or as my niece Shawnda, would say, “The ones with the papers.”

Ministry is from the Greek word diakoni’a, meaning, rendering service.  See, servant and minister are synonyms to service/ministry.  Let’s be clear, if you have committed your life to Christ through your own personal repentance and you have faith in Christ, God’s plea and demand to you is to serve, and it’s not optional.

Scripture says, “All things are of God”.  Therefore He is the Source, the Author of the Divine plan of salvation because He and He alone initiated reconciliation so as to bring the creation back unto Himself through Christ.  Romans 11:36: For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things:  to whom be glory forever! Amen!

RECONCILIATION is the Greek word katallage’, meaning to exchange; adjust; restore / and from katallas’so, meaning to change from enmity to friendship; to reconcile, to bring back into friendship, as in a woman returning to her husband.

This act of reconciliation/reconciling was accomplished by God.  Man had no part in this.  We had nothing to do with it. It was done through Jesus Christ.  Reconciliation occurs between two parties wherein something has gone wrong in the relationship. Something has stood between God and man, something that has hindered the fellowship between them.

·         Isaiah 59:1: The LORD’S hand is not so short that it cannot save, nor his ear so impaired that it cannot hear.  Vs 2:  But your wickedness has separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

Need I say more? Clearly, that something is “SIN” standing in the way of man’s relationship with God. The thing is, you nor I can’t remove the barrier of sin on our own. Why? We are the cause of it in the first place! But God, in His great mercy stepped in with a plan to remove the barrier of sin. His plan was designed to make it possible for us to be reconciled to Him. He didn’t have to call in witnesses to approve or initiate His plan. He planned, approved it, initiated it, and stamped it with His seal as God Himself, and Creator. Then, personally, saw to it being fulfilled.

·         2 Corinthians 5:19: To wit (know), that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.

Check this out! He wasn’t guilty nor had He done anything wrong, but He didn’t set on the sideline waiting for the sinner to attempt reconciling themselves back to Him, but God, Himself, took the first step. It is here that God sets the pattern of true love, the basis for all love relationships.  John 3:16, “For God so loved the world”, He was motivated to give---“He gave His only begotten Son”--- then, made a promise, “whosoever, believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”.

God’s motivation didn’t stop there, 2 Corinthians 5:19, God was in Christ reconciling the world back to Himself, not imputing (didn't hold against) their trespasses unto them.  This enforced His plan when He sent His own Son into the world in human form to pay the death penalty for our sins. That debt was paid when Jesus gave His life on the cross.

·         Colossians 2:13: And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; vs 14: Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.

I came across this story and want to share it: There was a newspaper story about a young man who appeared in court for a moving violation in the state of California. The crimes were serious in nature, and the young man was fined severely. So severely, in fact, he couldn’t pay the fine on his own. After the judge fined the man, because the young man was his own son, he dismissed the court, took off his robe and escorted the young man to the bail’s office to pay the boy’s fine himself.

That’s just like God Himself, in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, when He paid the fine for us in the person of His own Son! Praise Almighty God! His plan was no failure! Our sin debt was placed on Jesus’ docket so He could pay it off on our behalf. He paid it and he didn’t use cash money, but paid with blood, and it wasn’t the blood of animals, but His own precious blood. What a sacrifice? What an exchange! What an exchange, I said. Our sins are no longer chargeable to our account, but guess what is charged on it now?  The righteousness of Jesus has been placed on our account instead.

·         2 Corinthians 5:21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him!!

·         Hebrews 9:11: But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; vs 12: Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.  Vs 22: For without shedding of blood is no remission.

We have now been reinstated and restored back into God’s grace through and by Jesus Christ.

Then God turns around in the latter part of 2 Corinthians 5:19, and commits to us, the church, “the word of reconciliation”, to spread to the world. Not only that but in verse 20, He gives you and me the church a new title because we are not the same since being reconciled with Christ, we are a “brand-new man” or a “brand new you”!   We are now ambassadors for Christ, because God did “beseech them” and is “beseeching us” that we pray God’s people in Christ’s stead, that we and those we minister to be reconciled to God!!  Beseech is the Greek root word parakele’o, meaning, to call to one’s side, call for, summon, advise, to beg.

This ministry is a big responsibility and God is making an appeal to you. This is an urgent call given to us to turn hearts toward God. It truly is a matter of life and death. The task of winning the unreconciled to God is not an easy task but, He has committed this ministry (service) to us the Church. It is a high call and a holy one, but supremely difficult, because the offending party (guilty) is the hardest to win over.

Jesus has paid for our reconciliation because God loves us (John 3:16), He loves His creation, His people so we must share this message in love and not only that, but our lives must reflect our message.  Ephesians 4:1: “Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.”

We the church, have been called as “Ambassadors for Christ”.  In other words, you and I are God’s special agents, representatives, called to proclaim, to direct people to obedience, and live lives full of testimonies, of faith, and commitment. This summons is not new, although it may be new to your (our) hearing, but God had ambassadors in the Old Testament:

He summoned Noah to proclaim God’s righteousness to unbelievers (Genesis 6---9).

Moses proclaimed God’s power and justice in Pharaoh’s courts (Exodus 3)

Daniel and Esther served in foreign government as ambassadors for Christ through word/action:  (the Book of Esther and the Book of Daniel).

The Apostle Paul was an ambassador for Christ (the Book of Acts) and so are you and I! What is an ambassador? In the words of Charles Hodge, a famous theologian:  An ambassador is at once a messenger and representative. He doesn’t speak in his own name. He doesn’t act on his own authority. What he communicates is not his own opinion or demands, but simply what he has been told or commissioned to say. His message derives no part of its importance or trustworthiness from him. At the same time, he is more than a mere messenger. He represents his sovereign (government). He speaks with authority, as accredited to act in the name of his master. Any neglect, contempt, or injury done to him and his official character is not a personal offense, but an offense to the sovereign or state by whom he is commissioned.  (Clarke)

Thank God for His mighty works and the call for our assistance on His behalf. It was His plan to include us as His ambassadors, and we are his mouthpiece to tell the good news to the guilty sinners, so they can come into the ark of safety.

To those who say that God doesn’t need us, it has come to light today, that God Himself summoned us, the redeemed as messengers to the world. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus commissioned the disciples to “Go ye therefore and teach all nations”,  causing or helping the people to learn of Me and believe in Me, and obey My word.  Now, whose report are you going to believe?  Yes God does need us because that’s how He manifests Himself in the earth in people (male/female)!

God has commissioned and committed us to His ministry of reconciliation and to deliver His message to a dying world, that they too can be reconciled unto God. Yes! Yes! You and I, are the ones who were formerly God’s enemies, but who have now been reconciled back to Him.  That’s who He is sending out because He trusts us to deliver this important, urgent message to His precious people whom He loves!  Oh, and by the way, for those who think that they have to have papers to “SERVE”, here’s some papers for you:  Every believer plays a part in this ministry of reconciliation:  one plants, one waters, and God brings the growth/increase!

Thank you Father for enabling us to walk and live reconciled back to you through Christ Jesus “brand new”!  Therefore if any man/woman be in Christ, he/she is a new creation, because old things are passed away and all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).  And thank you for trusting us with the “ministry of reconciling” others back to you!

Now, Father, thank you today, for those you have brought in our midst to hear your word and those that will read it. I ask that this word on today sink deep into the hearts of your people with roots to anchor them to you. So when the storms of life come and the winds blow Father, they may lean, but they will not fall, when the enemy comes to steal it.  Let there be no seed on the top of the ground for the enemy to eat. Father, I ask that you send your anointing as raindrops to saturate us within and without. Father I thank you, for your divine plan to create us in your image your likeness, so we can do what you have commissioned us to do.  I pray this In the matchless name of your Son Jesus, the Christ.

Evangelist Brenda Hansley