Ministry of Reconciliation

"All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation." - 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (ESV) This is a direct consequence of the gospel. And reconciliation is predicated on at least one party having been sinned against, and at least one party having sinned against the other. In the case of the macro level gospel message, God is the one sinned against, and we are the sinners who have transgressed the holy standard of conduct. Put another way, we have loved him poorly or not at all. And in having failed to love the Lord as due, the gift of salvation is entirely about God having extended the olive branch to those who were his enemies to make them right - to restore and reconcile us to God in Christ. This being the macro, the implications are inescapable. When we are sinned against and have opportunity to forgive wrongs, we do not only have the option to forgive as we have been forgiven. We have a duty. After all, this is the ministry that has been given to us in Christ - the ministry of reconciliation.