“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.“

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

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October 17, 2025

While God’s grace is freely given to us, it was infinitely costly to Him. How could this stunning reversal of fortune come about? We have gone from being “dead in our transgressions and sins… separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel, foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:1, 12) to being “fellow citizens with God’s people and members of his household”, forgiven and adopted by His lavish love and rich grace (Ephesians 2:19, 1:4-8).

In 2 Corinthians 5, the Apostle Paul asserts that this remarkable reconciliation was made possible by a great exchange: “God made him [Christ] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

In Galatians 3:13, Paul writes, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” Christ Jesus so fully took upon Himself our sin that He “became sin” and “became the curse” justly due us. This speaks to the totality of His absorption of our repulsiveness as He bore our penalty and then credited to our account His beautiful purity and absolute holiness.

And so Paul declares in Colossians 1:21-23, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”

In view of such a sacrifice, the myriads of heaven declare, “Worthy are you… for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” “A great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages…cry out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (Revelation 5:9, 7:9-10)

Will you and I seek to make fuller this restoration of the relationship with God made possible by Christ’s ransom? Are we being moved by Christ’s love? Made new by His power? Maintaining living union with His Spirit within? Only “in Him” can we continue to be purified and empowered as His ambassadors, that God might make His appeal through us.

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • Does Christ’s complete identification with you and absorption of your unworthiness incline you to trust the genuineness of His love for you?
  • What joy and confidence does it spring in you to hear that Christ credits His own righteousness to you?
  • Is there a further step of reconciliation with God He is prompting you to take today?

Church Reading Plan:

  • Today, October 17: 1 Kings 20; 1 Thessalonians 3
  • Saturday, October 18: 1 Kings 21; 1 Thessalonians 4
  • Sunday, October 19: 1 Kings 22; 1 Thessalonians 5