The Ministry of Reconciliation and the Call to Receive Grace
2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2
11Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; then to God we have been revealed, and we also hope to have been revealed in your consciences.12We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity for pride on our behalf, so that you may have something to say to those who boast in face and not in heart.13For whether we were beside ourselves, it was for God; or whether we are of sound mind, it is for you.14For the love of Christ holds us, because we have judged this: that one died for all; therefore all died.15And he died for all so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who died and was raised for them.16So from now on we know no one according to flesh; even if we have known Christ according to flesh, now we no longer know him.17So if anyone is in Christ, a new creation: the ancient things have passed by; look, new things have come to be.18All things are out from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the service of the reconciliation.19That is, God was in Christ reconciling a world to himself, not counting their trespasses to them, and placing in us the word of the reconciliation.20Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as God pleading through us; we implore on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God.21The one who knew no sin he made sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Chapter 6
1Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.2For he says, "At an acceptable time I listened to you, and on a day of salvation I helped you." Look, now is an acceptable time; look, now is a day of salvation.