Ministry of Reconciliation

Let’s turn our Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. What we will discuss today is the commission—what the Lord has appointed for us to do in relation to the souls of men. I will read 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verses 18 through 21. Please follow along:

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 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. 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. 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.”

Here in this passage, we are given the ministry we have concerning the soul of man, particularly the salvation of a person, and that is the ministry of reconciliation. That is the term the word of God gives us. Verse 18 says He “hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.”

These books, from Romans to Philemon, are letters to churches and to individuals. Timothy, Titus, and Philemon are written to individuals; Romans through Thessalonians are written to local churches. But the general theme is that all these people and churches are part of the body of Christ. All who have believed in Christ Jesus are saved and have obtained eternal life in Him. And as saved people, God has something for us to do. This ministry is called the ministry of reconciliation.

Most commonly, the marching order for many churches—the command from the Lord that they follow—is what is found in Matthew 28. Let’s turn there. Matthew chapter 28, verse number 18: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Then comes the verse that many churches have posted on their walls: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

That is the marching order for many churches today. But if you go to its cross-reference in Mark chapter 16, we see another side of what Jesus Christ was referring to. I do not intend to expound on this at length this morning, but I want to create a contrast between the ministry of reconciliation and the so-called Great Commission found in Matthew 28 and Mark 16.

In Mark chapter 16, verse 15, the Bible reads, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Verse 16 continues, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Is that what we teach? Is that what we preach? Is that what we have been taught from the word of God? Of course, this is the word of God, yes, but is it to you? Was it written for you that you must believe and be baptized to be saved? “But he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Note what follows in verse 17, for Matthew 28 and Mark 16 are cross-references. “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” This is why many Pentecostal and Charismatic churches do this. Some even have snakes in their services, picking up venomous snakes and claiming this is their commission, believing that if they pick up a snake, they will not be harmed or poisoned. It is clear that this is what the passage teaches.

However, many who claim this so-called Great Commission omit what follows. They do not follow verses 17 and 18. It is rare to find a Baptist who practices this. Few Baptists believe in tongues; few cast out devils; few speak with new tongues. And I know of very few Baptists who take up serpents. If they drink any deadly thing, whether formalin or muriatic acid, it shall not hurt them. This is why so many problems can arise when you pick up the wrong command. You must clearly know where to find the command that is for you. Because if you do not take up the command meant for you, you will neglect it and fail to obey it.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 shines the clear light of what the Lord’s command is for us. We are engaged in a ministry; we are included in this ministry that the Bible refers to as the ministry of reconciliation. This is why I introduced our study with “grace and peace,” because that is the ministry of reconciliation. Today, God is offering grace and peace to man. He is extending His hand of grace and peace to all people.

Before delving into these passages, let us define what reconciliation is. In our passage, a few related terms are used: “reconciled,” which is past tense, and “reconciling,” which is present tense. I will simply define the main term. I am taking these definitions from the Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary. Why the 1828 edition? Because Noah Webster largely derived his definitions from the Bible; he was a Christian.

The act of reconciling parties at variance; renewal of friendship after disagreement or enmity.

In scripture, the means by which sinners are brought into a state of favor with God, after natural estrangement or enmity; the atonement; expiation.

Agreement of things seemingly opposite, different, or inconsistent.

To define the word reconciliation, the dictionary first tells us it is the act of reconciling parties at variance. This means there is a variance, a disagreement, a conflict. Reconciliation is the process of making them okay with each other again. There is a problem, a disagreement, or a fight between them, which is why reconciliation is needed. If there were no issue, you would not need to be reconciled. If two parties are on good terms, they do not need to reconcile. But if there is a rift or division, then there is a need for reconciliation.

Second, in Scripture, our context for reconciliation is how man can be reconciled to God. Why does man need to be reconciled to God? Because there is a problem. There is a flaw in the relationship between God and man, and that is sin. That is why there is a need to be reconciled—for God and man to be brought into agreement. And it was not God who started the fight with man; it was man who fought with God when he declared rebellion and disobeyed God's command.

Third, the term is used for the agreement of things seemingly opposite. Sometimes this is used in doctrine. You might say, “I can’t reconcile this verse with that one.” When two passages seem contradictory, you think, “How can I reconcile these?” This is the idea of bringing into agreement things that seem opposite, different, or inconsistent.

From these definitions, we should get the idea that this is our ministry: the ministry of reconciliation. It is about how God and a sinner, God and a person separated from Him, can be brought back into agreement. But before that, let us understand the origin of this enmity—where this conflict began. Let us study the origin of the disagreement between God and man. I will lay out a simple timeline with just two sides for us to understand this morning: before the cross and after the cross. The times past, and the “but now.”

Let’s turn to Romans 5:12. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Through one man, sin entered the world, and death by sin. There was a man in times past named Adam, and by Adam, sin entered into the world. He declared rebellion against God. The Lord’s command was clear: “You may eat of everything, except for the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Whatever you want—atis, mango, delicious fruits, you could eat them all. And back then, there were no pesticides! God gave them everything they could eat, except for one. God’s only request was, “Do not eat that one, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.” You will certainly die. But man declared rebellion against God. He ate the fruit, and death and sin entered the world.

As a result of this disobedience, as a consequence of this rebellion, we read in Romans chapter 1, verse 18: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” God does not simply let sin pass. God’s wrath is revealed from heaven. Let us not think that just because God saved us, He is now okay with us sinning. In the first place, Christ died because of our sins, so God does not want us to sin after we are saved. That is not God’s will. But our point this morning is that because of Adam’s disobedience, the wrath of God was revealed from heaven.

Verse 19 continues, “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.” Verse 20: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” Someone might ask, “Preacher, what about the people in the most remote jungles? How can they hear?” The Bible says they are without excuse. Why? Because they know. God has shown it to them. They know there is a God.

History books and social studies often depict the start of human civilization as men in loincloths living in forests. But the civilization of man did not start that way. Adam and Eve did not begin as nomads in the mountains. They began with God clothing them after they sinned. They sinned, God clothed them, and then they raised their children. But what happened to man? Verse 21: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God.” They heard God, but they did not like God. Why? It seems they disliked God because He didn’t approve of what they wanted to do; He was against their lusts. They knew God, but they did not glorify Him as God.

“Neither were thankful.” This is one of the first sins of man that led to his ruin: he did not know how to be thankful. That was one of man’s first problems—not being grateful to God for what He had given and for who He is. We should be thankful for who God is and for His will. Let us be thankful for it. What happened to man in the beginning? He was not thankful. “But became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”

Thank God we still have people in this church, but let them know and realize that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. No matter how clever, intelligent, or famous people are, no matter what they have achieved in this life, when compared to the knowledge of God, it is foolishness. What makes young people happy? Partying, dancing, roaming around. They’ll ask their parents for permission to do “group work” for school. Is there a school activity that involves holding hands?

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. And what happened? Verse 23: “And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image…” They reduced God. They decided, “We don’t want the God we know,” because God had already revealed Himself to man. Man knew there was a God, but he didn’t like that God because He was too controlling, telling him what he should do. Man thought he was smarter. So what did they do? They made an image of God; they created their own version of God. Today, the most popular things are “Made in China” or “Made in Japan.” They made a god “Made in My Imaginations.”

They changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Has anything changed? To this day, people worship artists, celebrities—that’s why they’re called “idols.” Haven't you noticed? It's deep theology, isn't it? We just need to understand that through Adam, sin entered the world. God’s wrath is revealed because of all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Man does not want what is right; he does not want to walk according to God’s will. You may say, “Preacher, I have a choice.” Yes, you completely have a choice. But if your choice is to reject God, then you must receive the wrath.

What happened next? Romans chapter 5, verse 10. We often use this verse for salvation, but let me apply it in this context: “For if, when we were enemies…” Since Adam sinned against God, man became an enemy of God. So, is there a need for reconciliation? Yes, because we are already enemies. Because a state of enmity exists, a settlement must take place. If not, you will swallow the wrath of God; you will drink of the fierceness of the wrath of God. If you have ever been scolded and disciplined by your parents, multiply that by infinity, and you have the wrath of God towards sin. If you are afraid of being splattered by hot oil while frying, you should not even dream of the heat of the fires of hell.

We became enemies. Colossians 1:21 shows it got even worse. After man sinned, he just kept adding to it, expanding it, making it bigger and more widespread. That’s what happened. Colossians chapter 1, verse 21 reads: “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.” Do you see our designation? We were at one time alienated, separated. It’s hard to be an alien. When people from other races come to our country, they are called aliens, and if they live here, they are resident aliens. That is the legal term. And we, too, became aliens, separated and enemies in our minds by wicked works. So we see that this is the origin. This is where the need for reconciliation comes from—from the rift, the enmity, that happened between us and God because of sin.

Let me read more about the results of this enmity. We have already read in Romans that we became subject to the wrath of God. As Gentiles, in Ephesians 2:12, we became strangers from the covenants of promise. I will read it: “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” When a mother talks to her child about others, she might say, “Son, don’t talk to strangers.” Strangers are people you don’t know, people you’ve just met. And according to verse 12, at that time, we were strangers from the covenants of promise. What does that mean, preacher? It means nothing was promised to us. I was not promised anything, because the covenant was promised to whom? Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Israel. And the rest is history.

As Gentiles, that is what the Bible says. Did we invent this? No, it is written there. The context, if you go up to verse 11, says to remember that in time past, you were Gentiles in the flesh. And in verse 12, you were strangers from the covenants of promise. We also had no hope. If you were a Gentile in times past and wanted to find favor with God, you had to follow what was said to Abraham: “bless them that bless thee.” So, you could bless Abraham, or better yet, become a Jew—that is, a proselyte. You had to convert. But the Gentiles had their pride. “Why would we want to join that small group of people?” Meanwhile, the Gentile world was growing, their numbers increasing. They worshipped Baal, Draco, and all kinds of idols. “Who is this God of Israel?” So, in that context, we were having no hope, and we were without God in the world.

Let me add more results of this enmity. In Romans chapter 5, verse 16, we read, “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation.” So there was condemnation. Verse 15: “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead…” Many are dead because of that enmity, because of our conflict with God. It’s like picking a fight with someone you know you can’t beat. That’s what we did. We have no chance against God, yet man fought Him. Romans 5:17: “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one…” Death reigned from the moment we fought God. 5:18: “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation.” We are also judged because of sin. 5:19: “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners.”

Back in Ephesians 2:13, as a result of this fight against God, it says, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Let’s not talk about the Jews for a moment; let’s talk about us, the Gentiles. We were far off. Are these the words of the preacher, or is this the word of God? We must approach this with the understanding that we have no claim against God. You cannot say when you die, “I’m going to heaven.” “Why are you going to heaven?” “Because God and I are on good terms.” How did you get on good terms? You were an enemy. In what manner did you become friends with God? In what manner were you reconciled?

There are considerations for reconciliation. There are things we must consider before reconciliation can happen. For example, if you sin and incur a debt, there are damages to be paid. There are terms; it’s not just a simple, “Okay, we’re fine now.” Some situations are like that, but not all. There are things to consider for an agreement to happen.

First, reconciliation is between two parties. You cannot reconcile one person alone, unless he is not at peace with himself. But reconciliation is between two parties, and in our case, those two parties are God and man.

Second question: who was offended? Who is the offended party? Of course, God is the offended party. He is the one who was disobeyed; the sins were committed against Him. He is the one hurt by the sins of man.

Third, who was the offender and what was the offense? The offense was sin, and the offender was man.

Fourth, how grave was the offense? Not all cases or sins have the same recompense. If you steal a peso, the penalty is different than if you steal ten million pesos. The question here is, how severe was man’s sin in God’s sight? It was so severe that God cannot accept sin in heaven. Sin is not allowed. That is why even Satan, when he transgressed against God, was cast out. He was cast outside the safety of heaven. How grave was the offense? What sin did Adam commit? Did he commit adultery? There were no other people. Did he steal? Everything was given to him except for one thing. The sin he committed was eating what God forbade. And what was the result of his disobedience? Death passed upon all men. That is how grave sin is. We might dismiss it, saying he was just hungry, but God can never accept sin.

Fifth, now that we have identified the offended party (God) and the offender (man), we must understand that in reconciliation, there is a peace offering. The peace offering is what appeases or satisfies the demand of the offended party. For example, if a child breaks a windshield, the owner might concede and say, “Just have it repaired, and we’ll be okay.” The repair serves as the peace offering, the appeasement. Once the windshield is replaced, the debt is paid. In this reconciliation between God and man, God has a demand, a requirement. And God's requirement is simple: a perfect sacrifice. Simple, yet who could pay it? There is none righteous, no, not one. A righteous one must pay for this offense, and no man could ever meet that requirement.

Sixth, the offended party has the right to demand what he wants. If your windshield was broken, you have rights. Sometimes, the one who caused the damage is the one who acts tough. But we must understand that the offended party has the right to demand what is needed for appeasement, to be able to say, “We’re even now, it’s paid.” God has the right to say, “This is what I require of you.”

Seventh, the offender must accept the consequence if an agreement is not reached. For example, in our legal system, if someone assaults another, he may be jailed. But the offended party might say, “Just pay 500,000 pesos, and I won’t press charges.” If the offender gets angry and refuses, he must accept the consequences of his actions. If the enmity between God and man, caused by sin, is not resolved, then man must accept the result: eternal damnation. Man has to accept that consequence if reconciliation is not reached.

In a legal context, after proper investigation and proceedings, if someone is found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt—meaning the evidence is overwhelming—he must serve his sentence. The offender will have to pay or serve his time. You might pay a fine for damages you caused, but with God, you will be paying for a debt in a place that is on fire, and the length of the sentence is not lifetime, but forever.

Those are the considerations for reconciliation. Now, our ministry is reconciliation. I have explained all this so you understand how important our ministry is. We do not want people to go to damnation; we do not want people to spend millions of years, and still not be finished, perishing in a lake of fire.

So let’s look at God's solution for the enmity. What was God’s solution to our being His enemies? And by the way, God was the one who made the solution, because no matter what you do, it is useless. There is none righteous; all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. So God, the one who was offended, was the one who made a way. Praise God for that.

First, since man could not reach the acceptable standard of God—which is righteousness—God took the initiative. He sent Jesus Christ, His Son. Jesus Christ is acceptable, perfect, and righteous. We are not, but Jesus Christ is. That is God’s requirement if you want to be at peace with Him.

Second, since sin was the offense of the offender (man), Jesus Christ the Righteous died for the sins of us offenders. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, the gospel, states: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Romans 5:7-8 says, “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.” The verse says that for a righteous person, few would be willing to die. For a good person, maybe a few would. Will you die for your parents? That's a different discussion. The point of verse 7 is that for good men, we don’t even know if some would dare to die. But the main point is in verse 8. We, who are sinners, worse than bad, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” For a good man, few would die. For a righteous man, we don't know if many would. But for the worst, for the sinner, for the bad—would anyone die for them? Before you get sad and think no one loves you, that no one would die for you, I want to tell you from the word of God that Christ died for us. Someone died for us. And it was the Righteous One who died for our sins. Jesus Christ paid for it; He died in our place to pay for our sins.

Because man cannot reach God, having come short of His glory, God reached down to us through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ became the God-man. Another point in the consideration of reconciliation is that sometimes the offended party and the offender cannot speak directly because the situation is too tense. A mediator is needed, a representative for both sides. And in the discussion between God and man, who could do that? Only Christ. He came as the mediator for the side of God and for the side of man. 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Some say Christ was only a man. The verse says, “the man Christ Jesus.” I do not deny that He is a man, but I do not deny that He is also God. As God, He represents God. As Man, He represents man in His person. That is why He is the best mediator between God and man.

Christ fully understood God’s demand concerning sin. And because He completely understood God’s requirement, He was willing to become the propitiation for our sins. This means He became the offering to satisfy God’s demand. He took care of the damages; He paid God, and the payment was His own life. Romans 3:25 says, “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” Ephesians 5:2 also says, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

Christ knew God's demand, and He said, "I'm willing to pay that price. I'm willing to die for the sins of men." He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8). Therefore, the holy and acceptable sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ appeased and satisfied God's demand so that reconciliation could happen. We could not pay. What can you pay God? You are not perfect. You are not righteous. Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. What can you pay God? If we base it on human goodness, it would never be acceptable to God because we are not clean; we have sinned against Him. That is why Christ had to pay. Christ had to die. A perfect, sinless sacrifice was needed to take the sin of man upon the cross and pay for it. And when He paid for it, God was satisfied. How do you know God was satisfied, preacher? Because He rose from the dead. If He had not risen, the sin would still be on Him. But He rose from the dead, which means the debt is paid.

Now Paul can say in 2 Corinthians 6:2, right after our main passage, “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” We can also say that now is the day of salvation because God’s wrath has been fully satisfied. Remember the wrath of God revealed from heaven? Christ took that wrath. So how does God reveal His wrath to man now?

Let's go back to our text in 2 Corinthians 5. "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself..." The term is present tense, which means not everyone is reconciled yet. That is why we have a ministry of reconciliation—to reconcile people back to God. Not everyone is saved yet; people still need to be reconciled. God is now reconciling the world in Christ, "not imputing their trespasses unto them."

From a human perspective, let's go back to our windshield example. The one who broke it has no ability to buy a new one; he is poorer than a mouse. But because someone took pity on him, that person had a new windshield installed for the car owner. The car owner now says, "I'm fine, it's fixed. I just want to see the one who broke it to tell him we're okay." But the poor man is troubled. He knows the windshield is fixed, but he keeps thinking, "I have no way to pay for that." Then a message comes to him: "Just go see the owner. He just wants to see you and tell you that you're both okay now." But the poor man says, "I don't believe it. That was expensive! How could it be free?"

Many people today are like that. Christ has paid for their sins, but they say, "How can it be that easy? I have to do something. I need to be righteous, perfect, acceptable." But you are destitute! How can you pay the demand of a rich God with a debt you can never repay, no matter how wealthy you are? On God's side, the debt is paid. On God's side, He is not asking for anything more. But there is no reconciliation yet. Why? Because the offender has not yet accepted. It's as if the damages are paid, and all you have to do is sign the papers. The case is settled, but you refuse to sign. The offended party says, "I won't press charges," but the offender says, "I don't believe you. After the huge wrong I did to you, you won't press charges? Unbelievable!"

On God's side, it is paid. All you have to do is believe it. For reconciliation to be reached, the offender must accept the offer of reconciliation on the terms of the offended party. When the offense is public, sometimes all that is required is a public apology. The offended party might say, "Just apologize publicly, and we're okay." God, as the offended party, is sending us, His ambassadors, to the world. We are ambassadors because our conversation, our citizenship, is in heaven, where we are already seated with Christ. We are representatives of a holy God.

The offended party, God, is extending His hand to man now, saying, "Here is my hand. Be reconciled to God." And we are the ones doing the work, telling the world, "Believe in Christ!" His wrath has been appeased. In worldly terms, it's like God is saying, "Come to me. I'm not angry anymore." Why is He not angry? Because of Christ. Because Christ satisfied His requirement. So if you come through Christ, He is not angry. But if you do not accept His offer, He becomes angry with you again. When the rapture happens, that will be the day of wrath. Today is the day of salvation. When the believers are taken, that begins the day of wrath. Why? Because there will be no one left "in Christ" like us.

Read the verse again, 2 Corinthians 5:19: "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." Where does He reconcile? In Christ. If you are outside of Christ, or if you add anything to Christ, there is no reconciliation. That's like saying, "Oh God, my sin is paid for? Okay, can I add a little something to it?" God's response is, "Just accept it. Just believe it." When we add our works to what Christ did, we are insulting God. We are belittling what He has given. Remember, the one who makes the offer and the demand is the offended party, not the offender. It is not I who accepts God; He must accept me.

On God’s side, the debt is paid. Do not add anything to what Christ paid, because if you do, you will not receive the benefit of reconciliation. If God's offer of reconciliation is rejected today, the result is eternal condemnation. The sentence will be final and unending. If the Lord says, "That's it, my hands are off," after He offered it freely, with no payment required, and you still rejected it, wanting a version that requires your work and struggle, He will say, "Fine, I'll give you that. Go through the Tribulation Period and survive. Good luck."

This should change our attitude in sharing the Word of God. Our preaching is not about hellfire; our preaching is about the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. Most people already know they are going to hell. But do they know that God has an offer of reconciliation? Our attitude in sharing God's word should not be one of threatening people. Our approach should not be to scare them. Rather, our approach should be one of pleading, even begging. When we really wanted to join our friends on an outing as kids, how did we ask our parents? We begged. "Mom, please! All my friends will be there! There are so many things to buy there!" We know how to beg.

Look at the term the Bible uses in verse 20: "as though God did beseech you by us." Our method is to beseech people. It means we plead with them: "Please, believe in Christ. He paid for your sins. Please understand that He has paid the debt. We used to be enemies, but now Christ has paid for it, and you only need to believe in Him to be saved." If you could, you would weep for their soul, just so they understand you are serious and that you truly want them to be saved. Why would you be like that? Because you understand the ministry of reconciliation. It's not, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and if not, go to hell, you folks." That should not be our way. Why? Think about the first time you heard the gospel. You didn't believe it right away. God was long-suffering with you. He was patient with me. Even when I rejected His message, He did not pull His hand back. It remained extended, saying, "Please, believe." Until I finally understood and said, "So that's it, Lord. I believe." Praise God. When you finally reached for God's hand, He did not pull it back and say, "Wait, let me see if you're serious." That is the picture. God's hand is extended. Today is the day of salvation. God wants people to be saved, and the instruments He uses for that end are us, His ambassadors.

And let's understand, ambassadors are not just men, not just pastors or preachers. All who are saved are ambassadors for Christ. We all have that ministry. You have that ministry, and I have that ministry. And that ministry means we must show people that our heart is for them, that we want them to be saved. We preach salvation, not condemnation. This should change our attitude toward the lost. They are already headed for destruction; why add more hellfire? There is no problem with mentioning hell in preaching, but please, let's not be arrogant. There is a difference between being bold and being arrogant. We are bold for Christ, preaching wherever we go, but we should not be arrogant, thinking, "You don't want Christ? We'll see what happens to you one day." That is not the right attitude.

Look at verse 20, where we will close. "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." Do you understand that? Through us, it is God who is pleading. Yes, God is pleading for you to be saved. Because if you are not saved now, in this day of salvation, what is the consequence? When the rapture happens, you will go into the Tribulation Period. Do you think you will be saved then if you endure to the end, after you have already rejected the gospel? A strong delusion will be waiting.

Friend, if you are not yet saved, this is the ministry of reconciliation. God is extending His hand. He is no longer angry. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. That should be our attitude, even in our street preaching. Our attitude is one of beseeching. Let people not say of us, "What's with those people? They seem so angry." May they see that our attitude toward them is one of pleading. When people knock on your door for donations, their approach is often one of pity. But our approach is not that; we are begging for them because if they are not saved, they will perish. Just think of a loved one who is drowning. How would you cry for help? Would you say quietly, "Help," or, "It's okay if he dies"? No! You would scream, "Help! Help! My brother is drowning! My father is drowning!" That should be our approach.

In the Old Testament, man begged God. In this age, God is begging man. "Please, be saved." He is beseeching, entreating, supplicating, imploring. Please, be saved.

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