Our scripture this morning is 2 Corinthians 5:16-18 (NLT).
So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.
Paul writes that our connection to Christ and each other is not based on “a human point of view.” Jesus doesn’t care about our political or economic systems, the only earthly thing He is interested in is us. Because of this “the old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
In Galatians 3:28 we read “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” The way we label and separate ourselves must sadden Jesus, who sees everyone as a child of God. We must look at each other in the same way if we are to follow Him.
God has called us to be relationship builders according to Christ’s example for us. He changed Paul from a persecutor to a proclaimer, and He can change our lives when we accept His forgiveness and the “task of reconciling people to Him.” He sends us to share His love with the world.
Heavenly Father, we are sorry for our lack of care for one another. Bless us to see each other as You do and bring the Good News to everyone. Amen.
