The Mission of Reconciliation

Two thousand years ago the Apostle Paul described what societies and the world would look like when people continue to walk away from God, God’s revealed character in nature and God’s spoken revelation through the prophets and New Testament writers. If someone didn’t know where this sketch of humans in rebellion against God came from, they could assume that the picture was written last week. The characteristics described describe life in the western world. “Understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” (2 Timothy 3:1–4 ESV) It is into that environment that God has called his church (you and me) to engage in the mission of reconciliation. There is no greater opportunity and privilege in life than working towards reconciling rebellious people to God! “God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20 NIV) Pray for those in your life circles who need reconciled to God. We live in tough times. Every sign is that life will get more difficult in the weeks, months and even years ahead. Do not surrender to fear. Surrender your fear to God. Pray and work to see as many people as possible reconciled to God through Jesus.