Reconciliation and Identity: The Power of the Gospel

 

Summary

In our gathering today, we delved into the profound truths of the gospel as articulated in 2 Corinthians 5. This passage serves as a powerful reminder of the core of our faith: the gospel of reconciliation through Jesus Christ. We began by reflecting on the privilege of being made in the image of God, a truth that anchors our identity and purpose. This understanding is crucial, especially in a world where many grapple with the question, "Who am I?" Knowing we are created in God's image provides a solid foundation for our lives.

We also confronted the weight of our sinfulness, recognizing the deep chasm it creates between us and God. Yet, in the midst of this realization, we are called to be faithful to the gospel, never diluting its truth, and to fear God more than man. This leads us to the heart of our discussion: the gospel of reconciliation. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, emphasizes that reconciliation is not just a message for the unbeliever but a continual need for the believer. It is a reminder that our alienation from God is the root of all other alienations in our lives.

The gospel offers a "wonderful exchange" where Christ takes on our sins, and we receive His righteousness. This exchange is the essence of our salvation and the foundation of our new identity in Christ. As new creations, we are called to live not for ourselves but for Him who died and was raised for us. This transformation affects every aspect of our lives, from our relationships to our purpose and mission in the world.

Finally, we are reminded of the ultimate accountability before the judgment seat of Christ. This is not a cause for fear but a motivation to live lives pleasing to Him, knowing that our efforts are empowered by His grace. As we reflect on these truths, may we be drawn back to the simplicity and profundity of the gospel, allowing it to shape our lives and communities.

Key Takeaways:

- Identity in God's Image: Understanding that we are made in the image of God provides a profound answer to the question of identity. It anchors us in a truth that transcends societal definitions and personal insecurities, reminding us of our inherent value and purpose. [00:57]

- The Weight of Sin and the Need for Reconciliation: Recognizing the depth of our sinfulness is crucial for understanding our need for reconciliation with God. This awareness leads us to appreciate the gospel's offer of a "wonderful exchange," where Christ takes our sins, and we receive His righteousness. [07:16]

- Living as New Creations: Being in Christ means entering a new creation, where our perspectives, relationships, and purposes are transformed. This new identity calls us to live not for ourselves but for Christ, impacting every area of our lives. [31:28]

- The Gospel's Power to Heal Alienation: The gospel addresses the root of all alienation—our separation from God. As we embrace reconciliation with God, it begins to heal our alienations with others and within ourselves, fostering peace and unity. [13:41]

- Motivation from the Judgment Seat of Christ: The anticipation of standing before Christ's judgment seat should inspire us to live lives pleasing to Him. This is not out of fear but out of gratitude for His grace, knowing that our efforts are empowered by His love and mercy. [44:01]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to the Passage
- [00:22] - Image of God and Identity
- [01:16] - The Heinousness of Sin
- [01:51] - Faithfulness to the Gospel
- [02:06] - The Importance of the Gospel
- [03:28] - Reading from 2 Corinthians 5
- [06:23] - Prayer for Illumination
- [07:55] - The Gospel Preached to Christians
- [09:10] - The Need for Reconciliation
- [12:00] - Alienation and Reconciliation
- [14:35] - The Wonderful Exchange
- [19:22] - God's Provision of Reconciliation
- [21:44] - The Old Testament Picture of the Gospel
- [28:32] - The Depth of the Gospel
- [31:07] - New Creation in Christ
- [38:31] - Living to Please Christ
- [44:01] - The Judgment Seat of Christ
- [50:35] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- 2 Corinthians 5:9-21

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Paul mean when he says, "We make it our aim to please Him" in 2 Corinthians 5:9? How does this set the tone for the rest of the passage? [03:42]

2. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul talks about being a "new creation." What does this imply about the old self and the new self? [31:28]

3. How does Paul describe the "wonderful exchange" in 2 Corinthians 5:21, and why is it central to the message of reconciliation? [21:26]

4. What role does the "judgment seat of Christ" play in motivating believers according to 2 Corinthians 5:10? [44:01]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does understanding our identity as being made in the image of God influence our daily lives and decisions? [00:22]

2. In what ways does the realization of our sinfulness and need for reconciliation with God impact our relationships with others? [12:00]

3. How does the concept of being a "new creation" challenge or encourage believers in their walk with Christ? [31:28]

4. What does it mean to live a life that is pleasing to Christ, and how does the anticipation of the judgment seat of Christ influence this? [44:01]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your understanding of being made in the image of God. How does this truth affect your view of yourself and others? [00:22]

2. Consider a relationship in your life that may be strained. How can the gospel of reconciliation guide you in seeking healing and restoration in that relationship? [12:00]

3. Identify an area in your life where you struggle to live as a "new creation." What steps can you take this week to embrace your new identity in Christ? [31:28]

4. How can you make it your aim to please Christ in your daily activities? What specific changes might you need to make to align your life with this goal? [38:31]

5. Think about the "wonderful exchange" where Christ took on your sins. How does this truth inspire gratitude and action in your life? [21:26]

6. Reflect on the idea of standing before the judgment seat of Christ. How does this future reality shape your present priorities and actions? [44:01]

7. In what ways can you actively participate in the ministry of reconciliation, both within your community and beyond? [05:30]

Devotional

Day 1: Anchored in God's Image
Understanding that we are made in the image of God provides a profound answer to the question of identity. This truth anchors us in a reality that transcends societal definitions and personal insecurities, reminding us of our inherent value and purpose. In a world where identity is often tied to achievements, appearances, or social status, recognizing that we are created in God's image offers a stable foundation. It assures us that our worth is not contingent on external factors but is rooted in the divine likeness we bear. This understanding calls us to live with dignity and purpose, reflecting God's character in our daily lives. [00:57]

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you remind yourself daily that your identity is rooted in being made in God's image, rather than in societal expectations or personal achievements?


Day 2: The Depth of Our Need for Reconciliation
Recognizing the depth of our sinfulness is crucial for understanding our need for reconciliation with God. Sin creates a chasm between us and God, a separation that affects every aspect of our lives. Yet, the gospel offers a "wonderful exchange," where Christ takes on our sins, and we receive His righteousness. This exchange is the essence of our salvation and the foundation of our new identity in Christ. It is a reminder that reconciliation is not just a one-time event but a continual need for believers, as our alienation from God is the root of all other alienations in our lives. [07:16]

"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 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a specific area of your life where you feel distant from God. How can you invite His reconciling presence into that area today?


Day 3: Living as New Creations
Being in Christ means entering a new creation, where our perspectives, relationships, and purposes are transformed. This new identity calls us to live not for ourselves but for Christ, impacting every area of our lives. As new creations, we are empowered to break free from old patterns and live in the freedom and purpose that Christ offers. This transformation is not just personal but communal, as it affects how we interact with others and engage with the world around us. It challenges us to align our lives with the values of the kingdom of God, living out our faith in tangible ways. [31:28]

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one old habit or mindset that you need to let go of as a new creation in Christ. What steps can you take today to embrace your new identity in Him?


Day 4: Healing Alienation Through the Gospel
The gospel addresses the root of all alienation—our separation from God. As we embrace reconciliation with God, it begins to heal our alienations with others and within ourselves, fostering peace and unity. This healing is not just about restoring relationships but about transforming them through the power of the gospel. It invites us to see others through the lens of grace and to extend forgiveness and love where there has been hurt and division. The gospel empowers us to be agents of reconciliation in a broken world, reflecting the peace and unity that come from being reconciled to God. [13:41]

"And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father." (Ephesians 2:17-18, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a relationship in your life that needs healing. How can you take a step towards reconciliation today, relying on the power of the gospel?


Day 5: Motivated by the Judgment Seat of Christ
The anticipation of standing before Christ's judgment seat should inspire us to live lives pleasing to Him. This is not out of fear but out of gratitude for His grace, knowing that our efforts are empowered by His love and mercy. The judgment seat of Christ is a reminder of our ultimate accountability, encouraging us to live with intentionality and purpose. It calls us to evaluate our actions and priorities in light of eternity, seeking to honor God in all that we do. This motivation is rooted in the assurance of His grace, which empowers us to live faithfully and fruitfully for His glory. [44:01]

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." (2 Corinthians 5:10, ESV)

Reflection: Consider one area of your life where you need to align your actions with your faith. How can the anticipation of standing before Christ motivate you to make changes today?

Quotes



And then we were thinking earlier on with Dr. Scroll about the heinousness of our sins, and we very much felt the weight of that as Christian men and women, most of us leaders in the Christian church, and then Dr. Lawson was leading us and exhorting us and cheering us on to be faithful to the gospel of the grace of God in Jesus Christ and never to dilute the gospel, to fear God more than we fear man, and to be faithful servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. [00:01:19]

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 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. [00:05:19]

The apostle Paul is preaching it to Christians. He is, as B.B. Warfield once said about this passage, preaching the gospel into the church fellowship in Corinth as though he was standing outside at the street corner or in the marketplace at Corinth and preaching the gospel to pagans. And of course, the reason for that is, in a sense, I've already reflected, is because the apostle recognized that when anything goes wrong in the life of a Christian fellowship, and much was going wrong in the life of the Corinthian fellowship, at the very heart of that fellowship's need, at the very heart of an individual's need is to be brought back to the gospel of Jesus Christ. [00:08:36]

And in some ways, that rings a bell with modern people in a very obvious way because we live in a world of alienation. People are alienated from one another, husbands and wives alienated from one another, people at work alienated from one another, nations alienated from one another, and this very strange phenomenon of the last hundred years, people who realize they are alienated from themselves. But the apostle Paul is anxious to point out that while that is true, all of these alienations are but the fruit of a single alienation, our alienation from God. [00:12:08]

The word that Paul uses here for reconciliation is a word, a Greek word, that at its root conveys the idea of an exchange being made. We sometimes, if we're going overseas, we will exchange money. We will hand over a certain number of dollars, and we may get a certain number of British pounds or lira or euros or won if we are going further afield, and we understand what is involved. One thing takes the place of another. [00:13:46]

And the measure of his conviction of that comes out in his passion about it. He says to these Corinthians, we beg you, we beseech you, we appeal to you to be reconciled to God. You can sense the urgency of what he's saying, and that's a measure of the extent to which he feels this. But do you notice the little hints he drops as to why it is that we need reconciliation with God? [00:15:13]

And Paul says this is the great symptom of alienation from God because God has a burning passion for the glory of his Son, and if I have no passion at all for the glory of his Son, by definition, I am alienated from God. And in this way, he pulls the blinders off our eyes and the mask off our face and pulls the camouflage from off our hearts and says the truth of the matter is that he or she who bows not gladly before the throne of King Jesus is alienated now and potentially forever from the living God and stands in need of that situation being exchanged for another. [00:18:09]

And he sums it up, doesn't he, here in verse 19. He says here is the glorious message of reconciliation: God was not counting men's sins. Now imagine yourself back with your friend over coffee, and you say, have you ever considered this verse in the Bible? God was not counting men's sins, and I know what they will say to you. They will say, my dear friend, I've always believed that. Isn't that Christianity? That's what I've always believed. I've always believed in a God who doesn't count men's sins. [00:19:29]

It is a perfect statement of the exchange that lies at the heart of the gospel, isn't it? It's a perfect statement of the sheer wonder of the gospel. Indeed, the reformers used to refer to this, you know, as the wonderful exchange, mirafica commutatio, the wonderful exchange that God has made between sinners and the Lord Jesus Christ in which everything that is the sinner's is given over to Jesus Christ, and everything that Jesus Christ has done for the sinner is made over to the sinner. [00:21:23]

Therefore, he says, if anyone is in Christ, in the older versions that I learned as a young Christian, if any was, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, she is a new creation, or in the more modern versions, somewhat, I think, more accurately, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation, or more literally, if anyone in Christ, new creation. You see, he's not just speaking about something that happens inside me to change me, although that's wonderfully true. [00:31:20]

And Paul suggests, of course, this is rooted in the fact that we've got a new view of Christ. We once regarded Christ, he says, according to the flesh, just simply horizontally, but now we see him thus, he says, no longer. We once lived for ourselves, but now, he says again, he says we know that he died for us, that those who live, verse 15, might no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. [00:37:39]

And as Paul has, as it were, opened up this whole message about reconciliation by saying upfront what it is that this reconciliation effects in a person's life, no longer living to please ourselves but to please Christ, you notice that in verse 10, he gives us a further explanation of this, for he says it's this important, it is this important, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive what is due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad. [00:43:20]

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Transcript
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