The ministry of reconciliation is the work of sharing what God has already accomplished in Christ so that a separated world can be brought back to Him.
God initiated reconciliation: He reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and then turned around and gave us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). That ministry is telling the world that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself and that everything needed has already been done. Believers are ambassadors who represent Heaven while living on earth.
2 Corinthians 5:18 — This verse explicitly says God reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:19 — This verse explains that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself and committing the word of reconciliation to believers.
2 Corinthians 5:20 — This verse tells believers they are ambassadors who plead with the world to be reconciled to God.
In 2 Corinthians 5, Scripture says that if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away and all things are become new. It then says that all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and He hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Believers are therefore ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech the world through them: they pray in Christ's stead, “Be ye reconciled to God.”
Les Feldick teaches that reconciliation is taking two parties that have been alienated and at odds with one another and bringing them back into fellowship. The world is set aside from God and at odds with Him, and God has done everything possible to reconcile them to Himself. Reconciliation is much like redemption: redemption is buying back something that was lost, while reconciliation brings separated parties back together. Les emphasizes that God was in Christ reconciling the world—not just a few believers. He maintains that when Christ died, He paid the sin debt for every human being who has ever lived, so that no one would ever be able to say God didn't supply their need. This does not mean the whole world will be saved; rather, it means everything needed for reconciliation has been accomplished and the good news has been committed to believers. Believers who have been reconciled are left on earth as ambassadors. Their citizenship is in Heaven while they live in a foreign land. As ambassadors, they represent the home government and are to tell a lost world that all things have been done for them to be reconciled to God. The ministry of reconciliation is, in short, God's reconciling work in Christ being announced through His people.
Les defines reconciliation as taking two parties that have been alienated and at odds with one another and bringing them back into fellowship. The world tonight is set aside from God and at odds with Him, and God has done everything possible to reconcile them to Himself. Reconciliation is much like redemption: redemption means buying back something that has been lost, while reconciliation brings separated parties back together. Through the work of the cross, the sinner who was separated from God is reconciled to God and makes peace with God.
Les teaches that God was in Christ reconciling the world—not just a few believers. He maintains that when Christ died, He paid the sin debt for every human being who has ever lived, so that no one can say God did not supply their need. Yet this does not mean everyone will be saved; it means the provision for reconciliation has been made. Believers have been given the ministry of reconciliation and the word of reconciliation so the world can know that everything has already been accomplished for them to be reconciled.
Because our citizenship is in Heaven while we live here on earth, believers are ambassadors—representatives of a home government in a foreign country. An ambassador carries out the designs, hopes, and aspirations of his homeland. As citizens of Heaven, we are to let a lost world know that everything has been done for them to be reconciled. God not only reconciled us to Himself, but He also turned around and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
A person makes peace with God the day he takes God's offer of salvation. That is reconciliation—the sinner who was separated from God is reconciled to God through the work of the cross. There is no longer that enmity, and the believer is no longer an outcast; he is now God's child. The peace of God can then be experienced as the believer walks the Christian life.
New Creation Set Free
Les uses being in Christ as a new creation to show that God has broken the spiritual web that held us and set us free from the shackles of Satan.
Defining Reconciliation
Les defines reconciliation as bringing two alienated parties back into fellowship and says God has done everything possible to reconcile the world to Himself.
Redemption and Reconciliation
Les compares reconciliation to redemption: redemption is buying back something lost, and reconciliation is bringing separated parties back together.
The Ministry Given to Us
Les quotes 2 Corinthians 5:18 to show that God reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
The Believer's Position
Les connects being in Christ to becoming a new creation and emphasizes that God reconciled us and then gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
Reconciling the Whole World
Les stresses that God was in Christ reconciling the world, not just a few believers, and that Christ paid the sin debt for every human being.
Ambassadors of Reconciliation
Les explains that believers are ambassadors, representatives of a heavenly government living in a foreign land, and are to carry out the designs of their homeland.
Peace Made at Salvation
Les teaches that reconciliation through the cross makes peace with God at the moment of salvation, ending the enmity and making the believer God's child.
2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
This sets the foundation for reconciliation: being in Christ makes someone a new creation.
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;
This is the central verse naming the ministry of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:19: 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.
This verse gives the content of the word of reconciliation: God was reconciling the world in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:20: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
This verse defines the believer's role as an ambassador who pleads with others to be reconciled to God.
No. Les is careful to say that God was reconciling the world, but that does not mean the whole world is going to be saved. Christ paid the sin debt for every human being, but actual reconciliation and peace with God happen when a person takes God's offer of salvation.
The word of reconciliation is the message that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses against them, and that He has committed this message to believers. Believers are to let the world know that everything has already been done for them to be reconciled.
Being in Christ makes you a new creature; old things are passed away. All of this is of God, who reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ and then gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Reconciliation and new creation are both part of what God has accomplished on our behalf.
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