The Way: Part 2

Last week, we talked a little about our new theme verse for RAC. This week, let us look a little deeper. Paul begins the passage by talking about the new v. the old. Before we can get to that, though, we must take a step back. We must talk about God reconciling the world unto himself (v.19). Why was this necessary? Again, we must take a step back. A large step, all the way back to Genesis.

Genesis 1:31: "And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."

Pause here and read Genesis 3.

Look at the difference. Just two chapters earlier, God saw all that he had created and said it was very good. One indiscretion later, here we are today. You see, we were created to have intimate and personal relationships with the Father. God was walking in the garden with Adam and Eve for crying out loud. We were created as eternal beings, to live forever. We were created to be innocent, not knowing pain, suffering, or embarrassment. Life was to be very good, as God himself had said earlier; however, how many people would tell you today that "Life is very good."? Sin entered the world and wrecked all that was created and all that we were created to be.

I have a shirt that has this saying printed on the front: "T-shirts did not exist before sin." Haha, very true; however, it's what is on the back of the shirt that is really interesting: "Neither did cancer, or murder, or rape, or AIDS, or pain, or death. The cause of the world's brokenness is sin." Not as funny as the front of the shirt, but just as true though. Paul says much the same in Romans 8:19-22: "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now."

See, Jesus Christ's death took place so that God could restore not only us but also the earth, as we read in Romans. By accepting his sacrifice, our relationship with him can be reconciled. It can be all that it was intended to be. We can be all that we were created to be. "[T]hat is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation." God is extending his hand to us to join him in his work to reconcile the whole earth unto himself. To join him to proclaim the gospel so that the sons of God may be revealed. At that point, there will be a new earth, and we will have a new body. The world will truly be restored. But first, we must join him in carrying the ministry of reconciliation as his ambassadors.

Will you?

-Trace