“…one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift…And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers…” (Ephesians 4:6-11)
The bible says that God is the Father of all and in us all. And that he has gifted some among mankind to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. Why the gift of these persons?
”…for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-13)
Equip and edify (build up) saints with the TRUTH of what God has done through Christ Jesus until we "ALL" come to unity of faith in and knowledge of God. And minister the good news message of reconciliation?
“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us (apostles, etc) the MINISTRY of RECONCILIATION.” (1 Corinthians 5:18)
And what is RECONCILIATION? It is to be at PEACE with God because He is at peace with the world...
“…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.” (2 Corinthians 5:19)
It is interesting to me that the Greek word translated “reconciliation” and “reconciled” is “katallasso” in the above verses. It has reference to God changing the way he looks at mankind as a result of the blood of Jesus. God is now AT PEACE with the world “not imputing their trespasses to them” as a result of the cross. BUT it is a one-sided peace (God toward mankind) UNTIL creatures change the way they look at God…and ALL mankind will do so eventually.
In Colossians the Greek word for “reconciled” is “apokatallassó”. Notice the “apo” before “katalllasso”. I think it means a two-sided peace because this word is only used in Colossians where it is written that all on the earth and all in the heavens will be reconciled to God…
“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile (apokatallasso) all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” (Colossians 1:20)
TWO SIDED PEACE! When created beings change their view of God as an angry God who in His wrath will torture them for their sins to the correct view of a loving Father who has saved them from sin, they have peace toward God. They trust Him and love Him and rest in that peace.
One day the whole creation will be at peace with God and apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are to minister THIS TRUTH to others. Paul was the first to receive and minister this truth to the world…
“Now then, WE (apostles, etc.) are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore YOU (mankind) 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.” (2 Corinthians 5:19-21)
The Apostles, etc are no longer to plead with mankind to be saved…that is a done deal and is a free gift from God Paul tells us in Romans 6:23. They are to plead with mankind to be at peace with God because He has “made him who knew no sin to be sin for us” so that the world might become the righteousness of God in CHRIST JESUS.
The bible says that God is the Father of all and in us all. And that he has gifted some among mankind to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. Why the gift of these persons?
”…for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-13)
Equip and edify (build up) saints with the TRUTH of what God has done through Christ Jesus until we "ALL" come to unity of faith in and knowledge of God. And minister the good news message of reconciliation?
“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us (apostles, etc) the MINISTRY of RECONCILIATION.” (1 Corinthians 5:18)
And what is RECONCILIATION? It is to be at PEACE with God because He is at peace with the world...
“…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.” (2 Corinthians 5:19)
It is interesting to me that the Greek word translated “reconciliation” and “reconciled” is “katallasso” in the above verses. It has reference to God changing the way he looks at mankind as a result of the blood of Jesus. God is now AT PEACE with the world “not imputing their trespasses to them” as a result of the cross. BUT it is a one-sided peace (God toward mankind) UNTIL creatures change the way they look at God…and ALL mankind will do so eventually.
In Colossians the Greek word for “reconciled” is “apokatallassó”. Notice the “apo” before “katalllasso”. I think it means a two-sided peace because this word is only used in Colossians where it is written that all on the earth and all in the heavens will be reconciled to God…
“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile (apokatallasso) all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” (Colossians 1:20)
TWO SIDED PEACE! When created beings change their view of God as an angry God who in His wrath will torture them for their sins to the correct view of a loving Father who has saved them from sin, they have peace toward God. They trust Him and love Him and rest in that peace.
One day the whole creation will be at peace with God and apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are to minister THIS TRUTH to others. Paul was the first to receive and minister this truth to the world…
“Now then, WE (apostles, etc.) are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore YOU (mankind) 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.” (2 Corinthians 5:19-21)
The Apostles, etc are no longer to plead with mankind to be saved…that is a done deal and is a free gift from God Paul tells us in Romans 6:23. They are to plead with mankind to be at peace with God because He has “made him who knew no sin to be sin for us” so that the world might become the righteousness of God in CHRIST JESUS.