THE MANDATE OF RECONCILIATION

To reconcile is to bring together again or to win over to friendliness two parties that have been separated. Christians have been given the ministry of reconciliation. They are to spread the good news of Christ’s death as payment for the sins of mankind so as to reconcile all to God. That He died to “give light to those who sit in darkness and in the bondage of shadow of death and to guide man in the way of peace” (Luke 1:79).

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 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.” (2 Cor 5:18,19). So, as ambassadors of Christ, believers are to make known to others, the message of salvation and bring people back to the living God.

However, Christians are not to preach about themselves or about their church activities but to make known to others that Jesus Christ is the Lord who is ordained to mediate between man and God. The message should not be a message of punishment and destruction for sinners, but of God’s love, of peace and of the restoration of the lost. A message of redemption of mankind from eternal bondage of sin and satan.