The Ministry Of Reconciliation

As Christians, we have a purpose and a duty. We have been given a charge during our life here on earth. We are to minister before God.

How many believers understand what our ministry consists of?

Apostle Paul told Corinth they were to be ministers of reconciliation. Since we have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, God has made us ministers of reconciliation to the world.

Jesus commanded his disciples, of which we are also disciples, 15 …Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

In this passage, we see the command to preach reconciliation and to reconcile believers by baptism into Christ.

Gal. 3:27 says, 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Putting on Christ reconciled one to God. It has brought man into favor with God having been alienated by sin. That is the definition of reconciliation–brought into favor with. When two or more are at odds with one another, to return to being in favor with each other, is to be reconciled one to another, again.

As ministers of reconciliation–teaching the way to be restored in the favor of God to sinners who repent–we fulfill the command of Jesus Christ to his disciples. Being ministers and teachers of the life and purpose of Jesus, we convert a sinner from destruction in a painful hell–we change their plight (direction).

Why do we have to be these ministers?

All have sinned and fallen from God. (Romans 3:23; 5:12) Because of the sin of Adam, all now sin. When one sins, their sin separates them from God. Therefore, reconciliation is necessary to rejoin man with God.

Notice the ways of man. Man has separated himself from God and wonders why he does not hear their cries. God can hear; he has turned from their iniquity and refuses to hear unless they repent. Isaiah 59:1-8. 59 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. 4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 5 They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. 6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. 7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

Isaiah 59:2 said your iniquities have separated you from God. Thus God has hid his face.

Those who do not believe in God are ‘the children of wrath’; estranged from God. (Eph. 2:3)

Preachers (ministers) are to warn sinners of their plight and turn them from the wrath of God, if they can.

Romans 10:12-14. …the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Man must be taught about the Lord (hear the Word); they must believe in the Lord and recognize their sin; they must confess the Lord (call upon the Lord); they must repent (Stop doing sinful acts of unrighteousness); the believer should strongly desire to complete the salvation process by putting their faith into action–become baptized into Christ to wash away their sin. (Acts 22:16).

None of this is possible without a preacher. (How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Vs. 15)

Who is sent? Ministers of reconciliation; ambassadors of Christ; members of the body of Christ. No righteous saint is exempt from being a minister of reconciliation. Yes, that means women can be examples of reconciliation. No, that does not mean a woman can be a public preacher in the assembly. (1 Cor. 14:34-35; Titus 2:3-5; 1 Tim. 1:11-12) But, women can minister to children and women as written in Titus 2.