Understanding your Call, Choosing the Path

“Mom, can I pick the verse I want to write from this portion?” my 11-year-old son asked, as he was preparing for his “Moment of Grace” devotions for Sunday School during the Lenten season at our church. The assignment was to pick a verse from a specified portion of the Bible and elaborate on what the verse says to him. The realization that he is finding his identity and boundaries and as a mother, restraining myself to let his individuality grow, marked a new beginning in my motherhood journey.

It certainly compelled me to pick a different set of verses from the same passage that I had wanted for him. Within the rich tapestry of Biblical teachings, few passages encapsulate the essence of renewal and transformation as poignantly as 2 Corinthians 5:17-20, and its reflections during the Lenten season and the remembrance of His Resurrection, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

The passage speaks of the profound promise of a new life and a new beginning offered through the redemptive work of Christ. As we delve into these verses, we embark on a journey of discovery, exploring the depths of what it means to be new in Christ and the transformative power of reconciliation.

Throughout the journey of life, you are always at the doorsteps of new beginnings: first day of a new school year, first day of college, the first time you had feelings for someone, the day you got married and became a wife taking on new roles and family gatherings, starting a new family, first day at work, and many more. The intense love that overflows beyond your comprehension and the most exquisite moment of all, the new journey of motherhood. The moment I heard my son cry was a new beginning.

The Essence of New Life (2 Corinthians 5:17)

 The opening verse of this passage declares, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”. This proclamation resounds with the hope and promise of radical transformation. It speaks to the fundamental truth that through our union with Christ, we are not merely refurbished or renovated; we are made entirely new.

The imagery of creation evokes the Genesis narrative, where God spoke into the formless void and brought forth order and beauty. Similarly, God speaks into the chaos of our lives and brings about a spiritual rebirth, ushering in a new reality characterized by grace, forgiveness, and restoration. This newness of life is not contingent upon our own efforts or merits but is solely the result of God’s redemptive work accomplished through Christ’s death and Resurrection.

Shashi Tharoor’s 2016 Book, “An Era of Darkness – The British Empire in India”, begins with a reflection of the Western historian and philosopher, Will Durant, who wrote in 1930 that Britain’s conscious and deliberate bleeding of India “was the greatest crime in all history”. His assessment of the situation was not exaggerated. Almost thirty-five million Indians died because of acts of commission and omission by the British, in famines, epidemics, communal riots, and wholesale slaughter like the reprisal killings after the 1857 War of Independence and the Amristar massacre in 1919.

Years later, at the dawn of freedom, Jawaharlal Nehru’s speech on August 15, 1947, famously known as the Tryst with Destiny”, was to awaken the people of India and remind them that this is a new beginning, to inspire and motivate the Indian people to build a new developed India. The speech began: “Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance .”

The essence of new life resides in the recognition that the old does not exist anymore. The reminder to us that the new is here to stay. The proclamation of independence from the old and the full embodiment of the new life is essential for the transformation and growth in Christ. It is a new beginning and the old self, characterized by sin and brokenness, is put to death, and a new self, infused with the life and righteousness of Christ, emerges.

Reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

 The subsequent verses illuminate the relational dimension of this new life-a restoration of fellowship between humanity and God. Paul writes, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them” (NIV). Here, we encounter the profound truth that reconciliation lies at the heart of the Gospel message.

The concept of reconciliation implies a previous state of estrangement or enmity. In a recent podcast, “Ask Pastor John”, Pastor John Piper was asked the question, “Why did God wait so long in human history – centuries, even millennia – before he finally sent Jesus to earth?” His response was: “Humanity has continued to fail its creator, and … this kind of history for thousands of years leading up to Christ was necessary, was fitting. This length and this kind of history leading up to Christ so that Christ becomes clear and so that the gospel can be clear, this was the most suitable, the most appropriate, the most effective way to get the world ready for Messiah, for gospel, for mission.”

Throughout history, humanity, through its rebellion and sin, has stood in opposition to God, breaking the intimate communion for which it was created. However, God, in His boundless love and mercy, initiated the process of reconciliation through Christ. Through His sacrificial death, Christ bridged the gap separating us from God, making peace through the blood of His cross (Colossians 1:20).

Entrusted with the Message of Reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:20)

 The passage culminates with a solemn encouragement, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (NIV). Here, Paul employs the metaphor of ambassadorship to illustrate the weighty responsibility bestowed upon believers. Moreover, as believers we are not only beneficiaries of this reconciliation but also entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation.

An ambassador serves as a representative of a foreign sovereign, tasked with articulating and advancing the interests of their homeland in a foreign context. In Sunday School, we have heard the summons to be Lighted to Lighten and of the lighted candle as a portrayal of Christ in us. As you walk into a dark room lit with a candle, the flame shines brightly but the candle is vaguely visible; if the clear, bright flame stands for God’s plan, it outshines our own plans for our lives. Similarly, when we take this faith journey, one step at a time, God’s plan (flame) will be more visible than human plan (candle). Jesus said, ” .. let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). We must reflect and radiate God’s glory in such a way as NOT to attract attention to ourselves but to give glory to God. The candle burns and melts teaching us that we have a limited, finite lifespan. As surely as the candle melts and burns, our life is also slowly coming to an end with each passing day! The candle also reminds us that our lives are to be spent in the service of God.

We are called to be ambassadors of Christ, proclaiming the message of reconciliation, and inviting others into a restored relationship with God. This ministry entails both proclamation and demonstration, as we embody the reconciling love of Christ in our interactions with others.

Concluding reflections

Sixty years ago, little did my grandfather know that the land he dedicated to build a church was an essential measure in God’s elaborate intent for the community. Three generations down the line, as I sit in my office in Houston, Texas, the significance is much more evident and uncovers the magnanimity of God’s plan versus human plans. As God dispersed the next generations into newer communities around the world to be fruitful, His plan for the Church and this one man as an emissary created a redemptive mission of God for that community for generations to come. Though not sure how many of us understands God’s purpose and what He has called us for, in this instance, the submissiveness of one man enabled him to be an active participant in God’s larger plan to point others towards transformation. God gives you every opportunity to extend the invitation to reconciliation, to embody the love and grace of Christ, and to point others towards the source of true life and fulfillment.

Whichever organization we are called to lead in church, our lives are to be living epistles that should reflect the transformative power of the Gospel and compel others to reconcile with God. The legacy that we leave should reflect this transformation and spirit for our next generation to carry forward. We are not passive spectators but active participants in God’s redemptive mission. But when we defy the purpose of the Lord, historical accounting in the Bible, such as the great flood and the destruction of the Tower of Babel should remind us of the quintessential need to let His glory and purpose be accomplished through us.

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 encapsulates the essence of the new life and the new beginning offered to us this Easter season. It proclaims the transformative power of redemption, whereby believers are made new creations and reconciled to God. Moreover, it emphasizes the privileged position of believers as ambassadors of Christ, entrusted with the ministry of reconcilliation. As we reflect upon these verses during this Easter season, may we embrace the reality of our new identity in Christ, embody the reconciling love of God, and faithfully discharge the responsibilities of our ambassadorial calling.