Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:17-20
These verses state very clearly that IF we are in Christ, we are Born Again and we have a new life and a new ministry, that is, the ministry of reconciliation. We get to be used by the Holy Spirit to lead people to Christ, who is the reconciler. No man comes to the Father but by Jesus Christ. We are ambassadors or representatives of the kingdom of God. We ourselves have been transformed by the grace of God and now it is our duty to tell other people how to be Born Again and how to be reconciled to their Maker, God. It pleases God that by the foolishness of preaching others would come to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
These verses also state that God was in Christ during His earthly ministry, reconciling the world unto Himself. We understand that God the Father remained in heaven, yet His Spirit was poured out wonderfully on Christ on the day of His water baptism. He truly became the Christ, the anointed one of God. God put His Spirit upon Him and said this is my Son in whom I am well pleased. It pleased God to work through Christ, for Christ said He can do nothing or say nothing unless my heavenly Father show me.
Now, brethren, we are fellow partakers with Christ of the heavenly calling. That is, we get the pleasure of doing the work of Christ in the earth. The Father is in heaven, Christ is seated on His right hand and they have sent back the Comforter, the Holy Spirit to indwell all those that are Born Again and have been washed from all sin. Only a clean vessel is fit to have the Spirit of God dwell within it! Just as God was in Christ when He was on earth, doing the work, so God the Father and Christ the Son are dwelling in us by their Spirit, which works in us mightily.
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
God command us to be holy for He is holy. That is, we are to be separated or set apart unto good works, done with the aid of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. It is no longer I that lives, by Christ lives within me. He has sent His Spirit back to earth on the day of Pentecost and now the Spirit is available to all those who will live godly lives in Christ Jesus. The Spirit is faithful to live and move in us, speak to us and direct our steps. Even when we are unaware of His guidance, He is still at work, faithfully directing us where we should go and what we should do and say. We need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ said how much more shall the Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? He is there for the taking! One must simply be washed from all sin by confessing that sin to God and asking Christ to cleanse them from all wickedness. Then one must ask the Father in Jesus name for the Holy Spirit baptism. Then, by faith, one must lift up his or her voice and pray in an unknown tongue, as the Spirit gives you the utterance. It’s just that simple. God desires to live in you, to pray through you, to speak through you and minister through you to a lost and dying world. Great is the harvest but the laborers are few. Will you not be one of those chosen laborers in the great harvest of the Lord? One day soon Christ will return and gather all His saints to His side. Will you be found among His faithful in that day?
We have a wonderful promise from God the Father in these verses. He wants to live and dwell and walk in us. He desires to be our Father and for us to be His sons and daughters. All we must do is walk uprightly before Him, having been washed from all sin, regenerated by the Holy Spirit and made a new creature in Christ Jesus. Be filled with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and He will speak through you and use you in mighty ways that you know not. He will be with you, your constant companion, just as He was with Christ.
Just as the Father was in Christ, so Christ and the Father are in us by their Spirit. No longer do we have to trust in our own hearts, but we can lift up our hearts to God, who is faithful to direct us into the way that pleases Him: holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our lives. As we live morally blameless lives before God, we are His ambassadors and representatives in the earth. He has put the word of reconciliation in our hearts, whereby we cry out to the earth, “Know God in Spirit and in Truth! Be saved, all ye lands!”. To walk in this holy calling, we must keep ourselves unspotted from the world and its sin. We must not touch the unclean thing and God will receive us. If we touch the unclean thing, God will not receive us, unless we repent of our sin and be washed in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus.
Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day to be Born Again. Today is the day to be water baptized. Today is the day to be Holy Spirit baptized. Christ has made all this available to you through His death and resurrection. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved! Then you will be sent out by God to minister the Truth of His Word to those who need to hear. God desires His Word would be in our hearts. How shall they hear without a preacher? That preacher is you and me, as we have been set apart as holiness unto the Lord and now we live to do His will, not our own. God bless you as you seek the Lord with all your heart, for He will be found when you search for Him with ALL your heart.
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