2 Cor 5:18-21 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
“All this is from God…” These words usher us into the breathtaking reality that salvation is not born of human effort, wisdom, or willpower — it is entirely the work of God. From beginning to end, it is His plan, His initiative, His unrelenting grace. Through Yeshua (Jesus), God stepped into our brokenness and reconciled us to Himself, repairing the relationship that sin had shattered. Reconciliation is not merely a theological concept — it is the restoration of intimacy with the Father. We did not ascend to Him in holiness; He descended to us in mercy. The Creator did not wait for us to find our way back. No, He came down through Yeshua, arms stretched wide in love, calling us home.
“…and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” These words shift the focus from what God has done for us to what He now desires to do through us. Reconciliation is not the end of the story—it is the beginning of a new calling. Those whom the love of God has restored are now commissioned to carry that same love to others. We are not passive recipients of grace; we are active participants in God’s redemptive mission. The healing we’ve received becomes the message we proclaim. Every believer, regardless of title or platform, is entrusted with this ministry—to be a bridge, a voice of hope, a vessel of truth and mercy to a world aching for peace. Reconciled people become reconcilers — it is both our identity and our sacred responsibility.
“…God was reconciling the world to Himself in Messiah, not counting their trespasses against them…” What staggering mercy this is—that the holy and righteous God, who has every right to judge, instead chooses to forgive. Through Yeshua, our debt has not just been reduced—it has been completely erased. The weight of guilt, the record of wrongs, the shame of our past—wiped clean by the blood of the Lamb. This is not a theory; it’s a liberating reality. And now, we carry this message like fire in our bones: your sins are no longer counted against you. This is the heartbeat of the gospel—a glorious invitation to come home to a God who has already made the way.
“… We are ambassadors for Messiah.” You are not just a believer—you are an ambassador. An official representative of the King of Kings. God makes His appeal through us. When we speak the message of reconciliation, it is as if Messiah Himself is calling out through our voice: “Be reconciled to God!” Let this truth humble and embolden you. You are not alone in your witness—God speaks through your life.
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us…” This is the heart of the gospel. Yeshua, utterly without sin, took on the entire weight and curse of our sin, not a fraction, but all of it. In exchange, we are given not merely forgiveness, but the righteousness of God Himself. This is not something we strive to earn—it is a new identity, received by faith. In Messiah, we are declared righteous.
So now, as one whose blood Yeshua has reconciled, rise and take up your calling. The world is desperate for peace, for truth, for the hope that only comes through the Messiah. You are His voice, His hands, His ambassador. Don’t remain silent—plead with the lost, shine with His righteousness, and carry the message of reconciliation everywhere you go. Be bold. Be faithful. Be His Ambassador of Reconciliation!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]For the past two weeks we have examined lessons from the OT account of Israel’s Exodus from Egypt in hope of avoiding the errors and attitudes of the children of Israel. This week we will draw connections between the Exodus and the prophecies in the book of Revelation.
For the past two weeks we’ve been building life lessons derived from the Exodus wanderings and from Paul’s exhortations to the church in Corinth. Notice carefully that Paul says, “these were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages have come”…
…that is, written for us today! – admonitions from Paul to learn lessons from the history of the children of Israel.
Paul exhorts the church at Corinth about grumbling and complaining. He reminds the believers of the judgments that befell the 10 spies who brought a bad report of the land – and were struck down by a plague, and terrible fate of Korah and those aligned with him that came against Moses and Aaron and were swallowed up by the ground under them.
Here we have a stark word. Here we see the Lord testing Israel: “He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you.” [Deuteronomy 8:16]. Yet Paul says that they put Him to the test. A great irony occurs when God is testing us, and we despise His discipline, thereby testing Him.
The Apostle Paul continues his warning to the Corinthians against idolatry by referring to Israel’s celebration/worship of the golden calf. Aaron’s proclamation, “These are your gods (plural) O Israel” could be one of the earliest declarations mixing the worship of the true and living God, YHVH, with idols. This is called “syncretism”. Dictionary.com defines it: ” the attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles, practices, or parties, as in philosophy or religion.”
The Apostle Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 10:6 against desiring evil as they did, would seem to point to the obvious sins – lying, stealing, adultery, fornication, etc. – and following their deliverance from slavery, many of the children of Israel were certainly guilty of some of these. But this passage in Numbers describes a type of sin we don’t normally consider: it was simply their desire for the foods they ate in Egypt.
When I was in school, it seemed they ran a “fire drill” at least once a year. A long, loud, kind of scary bell would sound and we knew it was either a real fire, or, more likely, just another drill. We were formed into lines, ushered down the halls, and out the doors we went. Of course, the point was practice….so we would be prepared for a real fire.