Examining 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 (Conclusion)

From the desk of Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible Expositor & Teacher. We read, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21). What is an ambassador? Christians are considered “ambassadors for Christ,” essentially acting as representatives of Jesus in the world, tasked with sharing the message of reconciliation with God and urging people to be reconciled to Him, just as a political ambassador represents their country in a foreign land. The basic idea is to function as a representative of a ruling authority (Jesus). To be an ambassador in the ancient world (Greek, Roman, or Jewish), as in the present, involved three things: a commissioning for a special assignment; representing the sender; and exercising the authority of the sender. In verse 21, Paul summarized his teaching with the most concise presentation of the gospel in all of Scripture. God acted for our sake! This sentence reveals the essence of the atonement, expresses the heart of the gospel message, and articulates the most glorious truth in Scripture—how fallen man’s sin-sundered relationship to God can be restored. To accomplish this, God made Christ, who had never sinned during His life on earth in any way, to become our sin. Jesus’ death, then, paid the price for our sin, removing our guilt and removing the obstacle between us and God. Instead of being sin ourselves, those who come to God through faith in Christ are given credit for Christ's righteous, sinless life. We become God’s righteousness and are reconciled in our relationship with Him. Be encouraged!