quote:
Originally posted by Sweetpea&Tiger:
2 Corinthians 5:17, "If any person is IN CHRIST all things are new." The past is done, over with, and forgotten. Be a loving and forgiving person.
Hi Sweetpea&Tiger,
That verse is one I have always liked also; for the full passage tells us that we, as Christian believers, are
"ambassadors for Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:17-20,
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." My spiritual mentor, and the man who led me to the Lord in 1987, Pastor Sam Lacanienta, told us of his early days as a pastor when he was pastor of a church in the Philippines. One Sunday, the Philippine Ambassador to England came to the worship service -- and, as it turned out, he was a relative of Pastor Sam. Filipinos are much like we Southerners -- everyone is a cousin or some kind of relative. Anyway, after the service, Pastor Sam talked with him and asked him what was his main job as an ambassador to another country.
He told Pastor Sam,
"The main job is to always remember that you are representing your country -- and your job is to do this in a manner which will not embarrass your home country." Our job, as Ambassadors for Jesus Christ -- is to make sure that He is speaking through us at all times -- and that we do nothing which will embarrass or misrepresent Him.
And, to pour concrete around 2 Corinthians 5:17,
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. . ." -- we can add Romans 8:1,
"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." So, once we are a "new creature" in Christ Jesus -- there is no more condemnation, no loss of our eternal security, for those who are in Christ Jesus. That is a fantastic promise: eternal security for all who are in Christ Jesus, all Christ Followers, all Christians. And, you can take that to the bank -- the Bank of Heaven.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill