The lesson this morning is in
2 Corinthians chapter 5. I'm going to attempt to cover
verses 18 through 21. The subject is the ministry of reconciliation. I hear a lot of talk on the television
and radio about ministries. I read them on the church signs.
I read them on the sides of vehicles. I have conversations with people
on the phone who tell me they're music ministers. I hear a lot
of talk about the ministry, the call to the ministry. I heard
that discussed a lot on this last trip. the qualifications
of the ministry, the type of ministry, bus ministries, music
ministry, camp ministries, foreign ministries, and on and on. But in the Scriptures, there
is but one ministry given to the church of the living God,
and that is the ministry of reconciliation. And that's what we're going to
look at here in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. What is the ministry
of reconciliation? What is this one ministry to
which God has put us to task? What is this ministry? The ministry
of reconciliation is to preach to lost sinners that reconciliation
purposed, prophesied, accomplished, and made sure by God the Father,
by God the Son, and by the presence and power of the Holy Ghost. That's the ministry of reconciliation. Now look here in 2 Corinthians
chapter 5, and let's begin here in verse 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." I wonder this morning, as I look
around the room, do we really believe that? Do we really believe that? The ministry given to the Church
of God is not to minister to this world's physical needs.
It's not really even to minister to this world's moral character. It is to set before them the
reconciliation, purpose, promises, promised and procured by God
through the person and work of His dear sons. That's what it
is. Now having said that, if we see
someone hungry, of course we're going to feed them. I don't have
to stand up here every Sunday and tell you all to feed the
hungry. If you see somebody hungry, you're going to feed them. I
have neighbors who never don the door of a church, and I guarantee
you if they see somebody hungry, they're going to feed them. We
know that. We know to do that. I don't need
a ministry to do that. If I see a need, I'm going to
try my best to take care of it, aren't you? I'm not going to
ignore a man standing out in the rain with no house, no roof
above his head, and he's just standing there and he's got nowhere
to go and no money to do it. He's destitute. Of course I'm
going to help him if I can, if he'll let me. But my friend,
Destruction and misery are in the ways of this world. That's just so. That's just so. I was listening to a sermon by
Henry Mahan yesterday while I was working on the church. And he
made this statement, and later on Winston came up and we were
talking about it. He said, if they can. They're
going to do everything in their power to go to hell if they can,
if God lets them. They're going to do everything
in their power to go to hell. Destruction and misery are in
their ways. They're bent on it. And the only
thing that will have any permanent effect on fallen man is this
reconciling work accomplished by Jesus Christ, purposed by
God the Father, and applied by God the Holy Spirit. Our one
task, our one purpose for being here in this world is to minister
this reconciliation to this fallen world. That's why we're here. I've got nothing else to say
to them. I can teach anybody, old or young,
how to dress, how to wear their hair, how to do their daily duties,
how to pray, read, attend service, and care for their families.
I can teach that. I can show that to you in the
Scriptures. We've already covered 99% of that going through the
book of the Corinthians. But I can't make them new creatures.
I can't make them new creatures. And being made new creatures
is how God reconciles lost sinners. How does God make us new creatures? Now, I'd say a large percentage
that are sitting here in these pews this morning profess to
be saved, profess a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. You're professing to be new creatures. How are you a new creature? How
are you a new creature? What makes you any different
from that other fellow out here that fell in at him. How come
you're a new creature and he ain't? This reconciling work's
already done, it's already accomplished. How come you're a new creature
and he ain't? What constitutes us being new
creatures? Listen to the Scriptures. If
any man be in Christ, He's a new creature. If any man be in Christ, how
does a man get in Christ? God put him there. God put him
there. He can't put himself there. That's
my rub with this world's religion. This is what goes against my
grain with what's being preached out there today. They're preaching
that a man puts himself in Christ, and I'm trying to tell you the
Scripture says he didn't. The Scripture says there's none
that seeketh after God. They're all gone astray. They
have together become unprofitable. There's none that doeth good.
There's none that understandeth. Man don't put himself in Christ.
God puts him in Christ. And because He put him in Christ,
in time He calls him. He calls him. And when He calls
him, He lets him in on this reconciling work. And that's what we're here
for. He makes us new creatures, putting
us in His Son. Verse 17, 2 Corinthians chapter
5, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. Old things are
passed away. What old things? That old curse
passed away. That old position that you held
according to your father Adam passed away. Old things passed
away. Old limitations, they passed
away. God enables us, makes us meet
to be partakers with the saints in light. He gives us that ability. We're not under those old limitations. God gives us new abilities. Our
old understanding passed away in Christ. We have a new understanding. Well, how does a man get in Christ?
Well, he gets in Christ by eternal election. Turn with me to 2 Thessalonians
chapter 2. Contrary to popular opinion and
the preaching of almost all the religion of this world, God does
not add to the numbers or subtract from the numbers. The numbers
are fixed. They're fixed. But you say the scripture says
he added to the church daily. Scripture does say that. And
he does daily in the visible church. We've got several in here this
morning. God added to His church when it pleased Him. Added them
to the church. But He didn't add them to His
elect. They were always His elect. In
Acts 13 it says, the Gentiles heard Paul preach and glorified
the Word of the Lord. Now watch this. And as many as
were ordained to eternal life believed. They believed. Then in Acts 2.47 it says, and
the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved.
God has a people He chose in Christ, and all those the Father
chose He put in Christ, and they, every one, shall believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ. In John 6, our Lord said, and
I preached on this many times, all that the Father giveth me
shall come to me. And him that cometh to me, I
will in no wise cast out." Now look here at this verse in 2
Thessalonians chapter 2. He's talking about the apostasy
of this world in these first several verses. Talking about
that great falling away. Men being led astray. Men being
deceived by the Antichrist, that spirit of Antichrist. But, he
says in verse 13, we are bound to give thanks always to God
for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from
the beginning, now listen, chosen you to salvation. Ain't that what it says? He didn't
choose them to the possibility of salvation. He chose them to
salvation. Any old way? No. No. Read on. He chose him unto salvation through sanctification of the
Spirit and belief of the truth. Now just hold your place there.
I'll finish that verse in just a second. How does a man become one of
these new creatures? He becomes one of these new creatures
by an act of divine election. And by this act of election,
God has set us apart from every other son of Adam, appointing
for us, before Adam was ever created, another federal head
and representative. The reason why God did not burn
this world to cinders at the fall of Adam, He's a holy God,
a just God, a righteous God. And the reason He didn't burn
this world to cinders, which is what He's going to get That's
exactly what he's going to do when he gets done doing what
he's doing. But the reason he didn't do it
then is because he chose a people in Christ. In Christ. And Adam was one of them. He
was one of them. Listen to this statement in Colossians
1.17. And he is before all things, and by him All things consist. He is the
head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn
from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence.
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." Yes, the fall of Adam had an
effect on us. Yes, we bear his image and live
in his fallen nature. Yes, we were before our calling
children of wrath, even as others, but were not eternally bound
in chains of darkness with no hope because God appointed for
us a Savior. Our great Heavenly Father made
provision for us by putting us in His Son, and He put us there
by covenant union in Christ. and appointed Him as our federal
head and representative, and by appointing Him as our substitute. And He saved us by ordaining
the means to recover His banished. And sin, with all of its power
and its damning effect, has no dominion over God's sheep, because
they are not under the law, but under grace. When did that happen? God chose
you and put you in Christ and made provision for you. That's
what it is. Now go back to 2 Thessalonians
2.14. God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the
truth. Every child of God predestinated to the adoption of children by
Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of God's will shall
be called. They shall be called. They shall
be taught. Isn't that what it says there
in John chapter 6? He told them, don't murmur. Don't murmur. No
man can come unto Him except my Father draw him. as it's written
in the prophets, and they shall all be taught of God." Well, now, all mankind is not
taught of God. It never entered into their mind,
never entered into their heart, the things which God has prepared
for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto
us by His Spirit. Alright? How does this sanctification
take place? Is it just random? Is a man just
out in a boat or up on the mountainside or in his closet or driving down
the road and suddenly he's regenerated? Suddenly the truth pops into
his mind and suddenly he understands all things? How does this sanctification
take place? This sanctification of the Spirit?
Is this regeneration a ward for his decisions or for his seeking? How does this sanctification
work? 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 14, Whereunto he called you by
our gospel. That's how it takes place. To the obtaining of the glory
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Turn with me to Titus chapter
3. The work of the Holy Spirit in
the hearts of chosen sinners is one of the great controversies
of this world. But it's not a controversy to
those who are called of God. He is, in fact, their experience
of grace. Look here in Titus chapter 3,
verse 3. He said, for we ourselves also
were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts
and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one
another. But after that, the kindness
and love of God our Savior toward man appeared. How did it appear? Did it appear like a little soap
bubble in a cartoon? This little outline came up with
words in it? I mean, how did it appear? It appeared through the preaching
of the Gospel. It appeared in that Gospel through
the Word of God. And it appeared because the Holy
Spirit of God revealed it to you. Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. Now watch this. By the washing
of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. What did He
wash? Think about what you're reading
here in the Word of God. What did He wash? What does the
Holy Spirit wash when He regenerates a man? He washes his mind. He washes his understanding.
He washes his heart. Right. The washing of regeneration
and renewing of the Holy Ghost. which He shed on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Savior. But how did this come to be?
Titus chapter 1 verse 2. Paul writes to these people and
he said, "...in hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie
promised before the world began." You mean He promised before there
was anybody to promise to? Yeah. Yes, He did. Well, how can He promise something
to us when we weren't there? Oh, we were there. We were in
His Son. We were in His Son. That's where
the promises were made. Promised before the world began,
but hath in these last times manifested His Word. What's that
say? Through preaching. And guess
what this is? Through preaching, which is committed
unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior. We become
new creatures in Christ as God calls us by His gospel to the
obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now go back
with me to 2 Corinthians 5. Let's read verse 17, and then
I'll add verse 18 to it. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
due to his election, due to his covenant union, due to his redemption
accomplished by Christ, if any man be in Christ, he's a new
creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. And all things are of God, who
hath reconciled us unto Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given
to us the ministry of reconciliation. He reconciled us to Himself by
the person and work of His Son, and He taught us through the
gospel what this reconciling work is, and who accomplished
it. And why? And has graciously given
to us this ministry. Made us to be fellow laborers,
Paul said, with God. What is this ministry? Verse
19. Now watch this. To wit. To wit. That is, in this sense. I looked that word up. I wanted
to know what it meant. To wit. You ever just get curious
about a word and look it up? The word wit here means the association
of ideas in a manner natural but unusual. Natural but unusual
and striking. So as to produce surprise joined
with pleasure. That's what the dictionary said
this word meant. to with," listen to what Paul says here, "...that
God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing,"
that word is charging, "...their trespasses unto them." And there's
another word here I feel it's necessary to deal with, world. The word is often used in the
Scriptures to speak of the bulk of its heathen inhabitants, called
in the Scriptures Gentiles. Often he uses the word world
when he's talking about the Gentile people out there. Often when
he's talking to the believer, he said, the world, if the world
loves you, then you'd be one of their own. But because you're
not of the world, but I've chosen you out of the world, therefore
the world hateth you. If the world hates you, he said,
you know that it hated me before it hated you. The word world is often used
to describe the unbelieving heathens, filled with darkness, alienated
from the life of God through the ignorance that's in them
because of the blindness of their hearts. Paul said, unto me who am less
than the least of all saints is this grace given that I should
preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. The great mystery, Paul said,
which from the beginning of the world has been hid, hid in whom
and who created all things by Jesus Christ, it might be known
by the church this manifold wisdom of God. What does that mean? It's often
used. It's used in John 3.16 for no
other reason than the bias of the Jews who thought they were
the only ones on God's earth who were ever going to believe.
They thought they were the only ones to whom the prophet spoke
to Israel, not to Gentiles. And John and the rest of the
apostles used that word often because of that Jewish prejudice
to the word. And so when he's talking about
world here, he's not talking about every man, woman, and child
born into it, but he's talking about those he chose out of every
nation, kindred, tribe, and people under heaven. World. World. God's people, they thought for
thousands of years, was the Jews only. And they knew not that God had
a people. out of every tribe, kindred,
tongue, and people under heaven. His death, His life, His resurrection,
His eternal appointments as well as His present reign in glory
is for a world of chosen sinners. Not just so. Not just so. The word world is often used
by the apostles because of that bias. And when John said, for
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, He
did not mean that God loved everyone in this world indiscriminately.
He told us long before John ever penned those words, Jacob have
I loved, Esau have I hated. And if you want to define God's
love for Pharaoh, you need to look at him drowned in the sea.
He don't love every individual in this world He loves a people,
and He loves them by sovereign grace, by His choice, according
to His good pleasure. You can't find any other reason.
There ain't no reason in you. There ain't no reason in me.
The reason's in Him. The reason's in Him. Christ died
for his sheep, his elect, his church, his bride, or whatever
else you want to call them. The good shepherd giveth his
life for the sheep. And all of God's elect are reconciled
by their union with Christ, their representative, and their substitute. And to those he put in Christ,
now listen to me, God did not impute their sins unto them. That's the most amazing. If God
ever gives you an understanding of what I just said, that would
be the most amazing statement you've ever read. God was in Christ, reconciling
the world, these heathen idolaters, reconciling them unto himself,
not charging their trespasses unto them. God did not charge or attribute
to them their trespasses. Why not? Why not? Why did God, who is infinitely
holy, righteous, and just, not charge His people with their
sins? They committed them. They are
truly sinners by choice and practice. They fell in their father Adam.
They were by nature children of wrath, even as others. He
charged a world full of men and women who died in the flood.
He charged them. He charged Corrie Dathan and
a buyer, took them to hell with their shoes on. He charged the
angels who kept not their first estate and reserved them in chains
of darkness under the day of judgment. He charged Esau for
his crimes and ignored his repentance. He charged Pharaoh and drowned
him in a sea, and millions shall stand before him and be judged
out of those things written in his books according to their
works, and be cast into a lake of fire." Why did this God not
charge His people with their sins? Because He charged them
to His Son. He charged them. That's the only
way God could save them, the only way God could reconcile
them. Sin has to be paid for. And sin was paid for in His Son. He put these people in His Son
before the foundation of the world, and by way of that holy
union, our sins become His, and His righteousness become ours.
Now then, he says, verse 20, 2 Corinthians 5, we are ambassadors
for Christ. As though God did beseech you
by us, we pray you and Christ did be you reconciled to God. Why wouldn't you be? What is it about this reconciling
work that you disapprove of? Is there some merit in you? Is there some reason in you?
Is there some glory in you? Some profit in you? No. Then why do you fight it? That's ministry of reconciliation. We're ambassadors for Christ
as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's
name, be you reconciled to God. By way of our union with Him,
He hath made Christ to be sin for us who knew no sin, that
we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. I'm going to tell
you something, and I pray God the Holy Spirit will give you
some understanding of it. Proverbs 17.15 reads, "...he
that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just,
even they both are an abomination before the Lord." But isn't that
exactly what the Scriptures declare concerning the salvation of God's
elect? He justified the heathen. He
condemned the righteous. But that's an abomination. Proverbs 17, 15. He that justifies
the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are
abomination to the Lord. Scripture said we are justified
freely by His grace. Justified? Before He made that
statement, He said, and all have sinned and come short of the
glory of God. Being justified freely by His grace. through
that redemption that's in Christ. And he condemned the just. Christ
is the just one. Pilate said, I find no fault
in it. The Scripture says he offered himself without spot
to God. He was just. But to condemn a
just man or justify a wicked man is abomination. How then
can these things be so? How can God be just and justify
sinners? By way of our eternal union in
Christ. Christ stood before God in the
place of His elect, as His elect, and opened not His mouth. You
ever wonder about that? Why didn't He open His mouth?
The one man in all eternity who had something to say before God
said nothing. Said nothing. How come? How come? Because He stood there as you
and me. That's why. And He was guilty. Guilty. How was Christ made sin? By eternal union. God didn't impart sin to Him. That's ridiculous. But He stood
there as me before God. and was made sin. Faith bears, believes, understands,
and rests in a holy and divine union in Christ, seeing their
sins justly put away and their righteousness fully accomplished.
Someone foolishly charged one of God's ambassadors of making
this, the whole of his ministry. He said, you just made this the
whole of your ministry. This is the ministry. Ain't that
what Paul said? Too wit? This is it. There ain't any hope anywhere
else. May God give you an understanding of that.