“that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”

Wow, Paul’s 2nd letter chapter 5 to the Corinthians is such direct direction for us for living in reconciliation – and reconciling others – WOW!!!

There are bite-sized chunks here which remind us of our walk, our mission, our opportunity, and His Love: “We walk by faith and not by sight”; “be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”; “Be Reconciled to God”; “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. “; and “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  WOW

To be living IN reconciliation means we have to enter situations ready to forgive as Jesus forgave – we have to approach the strife of situation with hoping to bring it new life – and cast away the old. We certainly have to believe in the forgiveness asked for and the forgiveness given – God wants us to be with HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS – which means to me that He is “Righting” – making something stand up again – live again – be allRIGHT in the new life – because He allowed “it” and He made “it” happen.

So much of our Life in Harmony with the Lord comes from the Lord – our role is to accept it and not flaunt it or sell it – but feel it humbly and shine it unashamedly – our boast is in the Lord – and He IS LORD – so let the LIGHT SHINE!!!

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

We forgive and we live – we believe and we receive – we know and now we go – go with Christ – Jesus SHINE our Way!

Amen

—

2nd Corinthians 5 NKJV
Assurance of the Resurrection
For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

The Judgment Seat of Christ
Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

Be Reconciled to God
For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.