THE ‘HOW TO’ AND ‘HOW NOT TO’ OF THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION!- 2Cor.5:19

By Edward O'Hara,

Adam was only flesh when he was made. Even with the knowledge of good and evil he was still only flesh. This is why God wouldn’t allow him to continue to eat from the tree of life to live forever.

Because…. “Flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God”. 1Cor.15:56

Adam was an earth suit. A living soul that was only equipped to live here on earth. Made of flesh alone and without spirit.

But, because God ultimately wants man in heaven with Him. And heaven is a spiritual kingdom. This is why Adam was placed in circumstances where he was to most likely eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

This would give to him free will and dominion, in a place surrounded by choices he was not yet fully equipped to make. But, would be more equipped to make after he ate the fruit. God used this to bring him to a place where he would seek after God for resolution to the problem he would face when he could no longer eat from the tree of life made him able to realize his mortality.

Because only then would God’s plan that Peter says was made before God made the world be able to be carried out and brought to fruition. A plan wherein having full knowledge of good and evil, and with his own God given free will and dominion, man could choose to have a personal and loving relationship with his Creator. Or to remain only flesh prepared only for life here on earth and unable to relate to a God who is Spirit.

Relating to spirit is something only those who have been born again through faith in Jesus and made spiritual beings could do. And what Adam while he remained only flesh in the garden could never do.

This is why Jesus told Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again”. Because only this can remedy the predicament man was in from the time he was made. A predicament where now after eating the fruit man would be in a position to experience the mortality flesh in which he was created.

He would discover when Jesus came what was his only possibility for escaping the prison of his mortality. First to the Jew and then to the gentile, the rest of the nations, as the mystery of the dispensation of the grace of God that was given to Paul expressed.

That only through faith in Jesus could he be freed from the chains of what Paul calls in Rom.7:24 “the body of this death”. A body that could not escape its return to the dust no matter how well the Israelite kept the law. Or anyone else did good works. But, would still return to it after breathing out its last breath in spite of man’s many attempts to find this immortality on his own terms.

Only after trusting in Jesus and His resurrection he discovers for himself the wonder of God’s amazing grace. Not only finding immortality in escaping the body of this death through the resurrection power of God. But, also realizing in the here and now that he has been made a spiritual being. To be joined to God by that spirit God created in him when he trusted in Jesus.

Ministering these truths is the purpose of every man that has come to faith in Jesus. A ministry Paul called “the ministry of reconciliation” so that they too might come to know Jesus for eternal life. And also receive immortality at the resurrection unto life Jesus spoke of in John5:29.

A ministry we need to understand whose main characteristic is that we who are saved tell the world that God did not send Jesus because someone had to suffer because God was angry at them. Nor was it because God imputed their trespasses to them.

Rather, it was to show all men that God was not angry with them. Which is why Paul said that God was in Christ on the cross not imputing their trespasses to them. And is why on the cross Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

So all the street preachers like Ray Comfort and others who preach that men need Jesus because they have done bad things are proven here to be preaching a false gospel. Because through their preaching men believe it is someone’s bad works that caused their need for Jesus to be made acceptable to God. So that it must be by someone’s good works that they will be made acceptable to God.

Making them believe they are saved by works and not by faith. That God indeed does hold them to account for their bad behavior. While this can not be further from the truths taught by Paul. And by Jesus for that matter.

Because we are told in John3:16 that Jesus came because “God so loved the world…” Not because He was angry at the world. And that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever shall believe in Him should not perish. But would have eternal life.”

Adding in the next verse that “God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world. But, that all men might be saved.”

To be saved is to be delivered. Delivered from an Old Covenant that Paul said was a ministry of death and condemnation for the Israelite. And from the “body of this death” that was made only for living here on earth for all mankind. A body that was never made for heaven.

We see in Paul’s preaching that Jesus did not die to pay a penalty God required for sins to assuage God’s anger as these men falsely teach. But, rather, through both Paul and Jesus’ preaching we see exactly the opposite. By making it clear to us that it was only God’s love for His creation that brought Jesus to the cross.

A love that is shown every time someone prefers another above himself the way the Good Samaritan did. And as Jesus did by going to the cross. A love that is shown every time a believer shares this truth of God’s love with an unbeliever. Telling him the truth that for a while may hurt but then heals. Rather than a lie that feels good for a while then kills.

So if you believers want to know God’s will for your life. Or at least what is the largest part of God’s will for your life. Then read and believe and begin to practice 2Cor.5:19. Doing the ministry of reconciliation where you will find at least most of the fulfillment you may still be searching for as a believer. By placing yourself right in the middle of God’s will for His people.

And if you do not yet know the Lord. If you have not yet trusted in Jesus for eternal life. Then I want you to know what God’s will says about you. That not only is God not angry at you for any of the bad things you may have done. And does not hold them against you. But, also that it is His will that all of you come to a saving faith in Jesus for eternal life. Not willing that any should perish as 2Peter3:9 so eloquently states.

So if you have been hesitant to come to Jesus because of any guilt or shame you may be feeling for any bad things you may have done. Be hesitant no more. Know that the guilt you are feeling that keeps you from trusting in Jesus is a tool that Satan uses for that purpose.

God wants your trust. And to gain it He sent me and my other brethren to tell you that it is not His severity that leads a man to repentance. Rather, it is His kindness.

Kindness that caused Jesus to say “nevertheless not my will but they will be done” when thinking of the excruciating suffering of the cross. A suffering as I said that had nothing to do with satisfying an angry God’s wrath. Again, God is not mad at you.

But, a suffering that has only to do with making powerful a covenant wherein is found eternal life and immortality for all mankind. This is the remedy to your being only flesh, because only spirit can inherit the kingdom of God.

Paul said in Rom.10:9,10 that for us to be made spiritual and be saved we need to confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus. And believe in our heart that He has raised from the dead. Why? Because Paul knew that what Jesus said in Mt.12:33-37 is that in God’s economy it is man’s believing in Jesus to know Him that is righteousness. And a man’s confession, which are the words or fruit that comes from a man’s heart or tree, is what brings salvation.

So it is not any bad things you may have done that created your need for Jesus to save you. That naughty/nice paradigm leads to Santa Claus. Our need for Jesus is created by the fact that we are all only flesh when we are conceived. Just as Adam was when he was made a living soul. An earth suit made only for existence on earth. And not suited for heaven.

One that God said on the 7th day after making all things in 6 days was “very good”. Showing that what He had made was now exactly the way He planned it would be before He made it.

Suited for earth alone and not for heaven. Because He planned that for man to be made suitable for heaven could only become a reality by man’s choosing of his own God given free will to say yes to the gospel when he hears it. And that yes makes the way for the gift of faith by which men receive eternal life.

This is what Paul meant when he said, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Eph.2:8,9.

Grace that is shown here by the preaching of the gospel so that by free will men can choose to either accept of reject it. If accepted the gift of faith is then given. And it is through the gift of faith that men receive the gift of eternal life.

So all of this begins when we say yes by our own free will to the message of reconciliation that God loves us. A love that was shown to men when Jesus came and died and rose again.

If you will trust in Jesus you will be born again. If you will trust in Jesus you will have eternal life. If you will trust in Jesus the immortality all men seek will be yours at the resurrection. If you will do this… then I will see you there or in the air!

This message can also be heard at: https://rumble.com/v4e80n0-the-how-to-and-how-not-to-of-the-ministry-of-reconciliation-2cor.519.html