The Bible is a story of a rescue mission. God created humankind for a purpose. But that was damaged by sin. Now, in Jesus, God is inviting the people of the world back to Himself.
Yet our salvation is not about gaining a place. It’s about regaining the person that God originally created us to be. We are to be people with a restored image who engage the world in a distinctive way that demonstrates the Gospel’s power and credibility.
A New Creation
This coming Sunday we will launch a new series about this distinctive reconciled way of life. We will explore how Christianity at its root is not a lifestyle or a moral code, but a new beginning — a new creation.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, and the new is here.
2 Corinthians 5:17
The promised world to come shows up in the lives of those who have surrendered to God and His purposes.
A New Vision
Our new life begins with a new vision of Jesus. He is both the means and the goal of our change.
This doesn’t happen overnight and the forgiveness of our sins is only the beginning. We must choose to become genuine disciples — students of our Lord’s life and His teachings. The more we see Him and begin to experience Him, the more we are restored to the person He made us to be.
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18
This new creation not only radically affects the relationship between God and humanity but the relationship of individuals to each other. Those who are in Christ — reunited to God through what happened in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection — are called to the work of reconciliation with others.
The death of Jesus on the cross was necessary not only to forgive our sin but also to bring about the death of our self-centered living. We must die to our limited point of view and the judgements that result from it. Human judgements are always affected by prejudice and bias. In Christ, we no longer regard anyone from this worldly point of view.
A New Calling
We demonstrate the new creation by seeing and loving others the way God loves us. There is no power so great, no motivation so strong, as the knowledge that someone loves you. When this love becomes the controlling force of your life you will be a reconciler! You will be God’s vessel of reconciliation both within the Christian community and among those who are far from God.
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Over the course of this series, we will have a number of opportunities for you to engage in the work of reconciliation in our church and community. Stay tuned. Or get a sneak peak… Check out browncroft.org/reconciled now!
I look forward to taking this journey with you in the weeks ahead. Let’s be a church that demonstrates the Gospel’s truth and power to a world God is reconciling to Himself.
Pastor Rob
