11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.
12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
18 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.
2 Cor.6:1-10
1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
2 For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you."Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,
5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;
6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;
7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;
9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed;
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
As Members of the Church …
May the fear of God captivate us.
May the love of God control us.
Contemplate the immensity of His love for all.
Meditate on the intensity of His love for (your name).
May the gospel of God connect us.
In our sin, we were separated from God as His enemies.
Through our substitute, we have been reconciled to God
as His friends.
God is the author of reconciliation.
He is the giver of the gospel.
He is the gift of the gospel.
He is the goal of the gospel.
Christ is the agent of reconciliation.
He suffered our separation.
He secured our salvation.
We are the acceptors of reconciliation.
We have an entirely new identity.
We have an entirely different perspective.
Of each other in the church.
Of others in the world.
May the mission of God consume us.
We have been authorized to speak for God.
To persuade people to be reconciled to God through Christ.
To plead for people to be reconciled to God through Christ.
We are now privileged to work with God.
With Christlike joy in a world of suffering.
With Christlike purity in a world of sin.
Willing to do whatever we can for people to be
saved by His grace.
Willing to sacrifice whatever He requires for people to know His glory.
Thanks Pastor David!
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