Miriam Webster defines reconciliation as "the restoration of friendship or harmony." On the other hand, it defines salvation as "a delivery from the power and effects of sin." Growing up in the church - and, more recently, hearing the complaints that many unbelievers have AGAINST the church - it seems to me that many people believe that we are called as Christians to save people. We're supposed to get them to church, encourage them to read their Bibles, pray with them, and make sure that they do good, right?
Wrong. As Christians, we have been called to bring people to God...but only to bring them to Him. To show Him to them. It's His job to save them. Second Corinthians 5 says that God has given us the ministry of reconciliation; it's HIS job to actually save them. It reminds me of the proverbial saying, "you can bring a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." I do not intend to be calling humans animals by any stretch of the imagination; but if we were to speak figuratively, our job is to bring people to water. God's job is to make them drink.
When you think about it, we really have a much easier time of it than God does. God has made us new creations, He has infused us with His spirit, He has blessed us with a new lease on life. All we have to do is tell people about it. So the next time you feel overwhelmed by all of your friends who need saving, relax. Take a deep breathe, dig in the Word, and show them how much you love God because He first loved you. He'll take care of the rest :).
Wrong. As Christians, we have been called to bring people to God...but only to bring them to Him. To show Him to them. It's His job to save them. Second Corinthians 5 says that God has given us the ministry of reconciliation; it's HIS job to actually save them. It reminds me of the proverbial saying, "you can bring a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." I do not intend to be calling humans animals by any stretch of the imagination; but if we were to speak figuratively, our job is to bring people to water. God's job is to make them drink.
When you think about it, we really have a much easier time of it than God does. God has made us new creations, He has infused us with His spirit, He has blessed us with a new lease on life. All we have to do is tell people about it. So the next time you feel overwhelmed by all of your friends who need saving, relax. Take a deep breathe, dig in the Word, and show them how much you love God because He first loved you. He'll take care of the rest :).
2 Corinthians 5:11-21
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 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. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
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