Morning Thoughts - by Elder Philip Conley

Morning Thoughts

II Corinthians 5:20, "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."

This morning, there are many that do not understand the true purpose of preaching and the gospel. Most think that the gospel plays some key role in eternally saving God's children. However, Paul gives a pretty detailed description of what the gospel, preaching, and the church are for here below. With this knowledge, we can begin to bring forth fruit unto God, and follow Him more purposefully than we would be able to otherwise. On top of that, we learn of our condition and why we are that way.

Paul calls the preachers ambassadors. An ambassador is, simply put, a messenger in a far country. Ambassadors for the USA in other nations are able to relay messages from one nation to another, and they bring tidings of how things fare to the citizens of the USA in a far land. Furthermore, ambassadors are found in the embassy. The embassy is located in a foreign land, but the soil on which they reside is considered the soil of the USA. Therefore, this one word (ambassadors) gives us some insight as to the purpose of preaching and the church.

The church is a place that is part of the kingdom of God. Therefore, when we enter the Lord's house to worship Him, our fellowship lifts us to the very ground that heaven is also a part of. We are made to enjoy the earnest of our inheritance. That means that the blessings we enjoy here on earth in His kingdom are of the very same substance that the blessings of heaven will be like. The difference in heaven, of course, is that there will be no frailties and weakness of the flesh. So, our services in singing, preaching, and praying are taking place in an embassy where the ambassador (preacher) brings news and tidings from the country not made with hands seen only by the eye of faith. Our Lord has tidings for us, and it is the duty of the minister to bring those tidings to weary people in a strange land.

Now, the tidings that the preacher brings must be clear, or it will be nothing more than tumult which will not bring any edification (Ahimaaz to king David). After the tidings are brought, Paul then tells us what the tidings do for us. They reconcile us to God. Notice who is being reconciled. In the previous verse, Paul says that God reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ. Therefore, this reconciling (of us to God) is not done in order to gain the gift of Jesus Christ. THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED! This reconciling is one that is similar to baptism.

When one first learns of just how far they have fallen in death in trespasses and sins, they cry out, "Oh wretched man that I am!" When one first learns of how they blasphemed God, and hated Him in their heart, they weep with heaviness of heart and say, "Who then can be saved?" Then, they begin to learn of the Holy One that saved them when they were unworthy, wholly by His grace they say, "Lord I am not worthy of the least of Thy blessings." When this begins to take place, this penitent sinner has a hard time believing that a Just One could love so unjust a sinner (that was my experience).

Then, through the miracle of preaching, the Lord begins to open things to our hearts, ears, and eyes. We become reconciled to Him. We begin to remember the former things, but no longer in pain and hopelessness. We still become mournful, but not in complete despair. For we know that we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us, and we may be cast down a 1000 times, but not ever destroyed. This is reconciliation to God in OUR MINDS. Baptism is similar in that it does not wash away one sin.

However, it removes our sin from OUR MINDS. When we are finally reconciled to God in our minds, then we want to take up our cross and follow Him. This is the purpose of preaching, and the nature of the church as the Lord established her. May we ever earnestly contend for her and the faith that was once delivered to the saints.

In Hope,

Bro Philip