And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; [21] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:18,21 KJV
When God gives to us the ministry of reconciliation it means he gives to us something of the experience of Jesus who became sin for us…..
These verses tell us that Jesus act of reconciliation for the human race was substitutionary. He took our punishment upon Himself. Paul also says that the work of reconciliation is given to us. (vs.18) In what sense do we perform an act of reconciliation? Is it substitutionary? Meaning to take the place of. Or is it discretionary? We simply share our knowledge of the plan of salvation – leaving their final decision up to them. (Discretionary means it’s up to you to decide.) The SDA Bible Commentary on these verses says:
“The Christian ambassador is in no sense a substitute for Christ, but simply the one through whom reconciliation is effected. He is in no sense a priestly mediator for there is only “one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). Reconciliation has already been provided in Christ.”? SDA bible Commentary vol.6 p. 870.
This may not be entirely true. The Bible commentators seem to be going to pains here to distance themselves from anything that could be construed as supplementing the role of Christ. Therefore, according to these ‘careful’ commentators, we must be “ambassadors for Christ” in word only. What about the words of Paul in the same book:
2 Corinthians 3:6 ESV who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 KJV For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;
And the words of Jesus himself.
Matthew 11:12 KJV
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
If the first part of this passage refers to reconciliation being substitutionary why would the second part of the passage have reconciliation being discretionary meaning it’s up to you to decide. SDA’s, who are considered legalistic by their protestant fraternity don’t want to be seen as endorsing anything that may appear legalistic – adding anything to the finished work of Christ. But Paul, in the above passages, seems to be talking of a kind of warfare which is entirely spiritual or by default mediatorial. As he says in Colossians 1:24 NASB Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am supplementing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions in behalf of His body, which is the church.
If what we can do is purely discretionary then that sort of takes the responsibility from us. It is sort of leaning towards a Calvinistic concept. Whatever will be will be. But if we are called to follow in the steps of Jesus (1 Peter 2:21 KJV For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:)
Does following in the footsteps of Jesus involve more than a passing interest in the salvation of others? Sometimes when we pray for others we take the burden for their salvation upon our own shoulders. Just as Jesus did when He “made him to be sin for us”. (2 Cor. 5:21)
This can be an unpleasant experience for us as it was for Jesus. Remember Jesus experience, Matthew 26:39 KJV
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Walking in his steps as we are counselled to do, can sometimes be an unsettling experience.
I always remember the grand statement from the Desire of Ages, “and of all the blessings that heaven can bestow, fellowship with Christ in his sufferings is the most weighty trust and the highest honour. ” p.225
Colossians 1:24 ESV Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
In light of the above verse then, is our reconciliation on behalf of our fellow man, be it friends or loved ones, substitutionary or discretionary? If Jesus act of reconciliation for the human race was substitutionary.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 NASB Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, [19] namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their wrongdoings against them, and He has committed to us (placed in us) the word of reconciliation. [20] 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.
We know that God’s children – Christian’s – have been given authority over the realms of darkness. After Jesus resurrection there was this interesting exchange between him and his disciples.
John 20:21-23 ESV Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” [22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. [23] If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Because of this privilege God’s children are called,
…….. a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9 ESV
In the above extract from the Bible Commentary the Bible commentators seem to be going to pains here to distance themselves from anything that could be construed as supplementing the role of Christ. But is that a reasonable conclusion when Paul seems to be rejoicing in the fact that he is filling up “what is lacking” in Christ’s afflictions for the church.
Colossians 1:24 ESV Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
This seems to be a fundamental principle of Scripture.
Philippians 1:29 AMP For you have been granted [the privilege] for Christ’s sake, not only to believe and confidently trust in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
If, in praying for others, we find ourselves under spiritual oppression, should that surprise us? Is there more power invested in every Christian believer than we have been traditionally taught? Is there a truth there that Satan wants to keep hidden?
1 Peter 2:9 NKJV But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light ;
This is not adding to the finished work of Christ. It is applying or facilitating it.
Matthew 16:19 KJV And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. John 20:22-23 KJV And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: [23] Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Power is invested in God’s people. That is why they are called,
…….. a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. 1 Peter 2:9 ESV
God has always wanted to see courage in his people.
Nehemiah 4:14 KJV And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
It is not just the Holy Spirit saying “come”. It is the Holy Spirit and “The Bride” – the Church, the body of Christ. This is something that did not exist when the Holy Spirit is first mentioned in Scripture.
Genesis 1:2 KJV And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
At the time of creation there was no such entity. The ‘bride’ – the church – did not then exist. But in the closing verses of the Bible we read:
Revelation 22:17 KJV And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Now it is not just the Spirit. It is the Spirit and the bride. The bride is the church – the spiritual Body of Christ.
If God reconciled us to himself by becoming sin for us. Can we expect to reconcile others by simply preaching without in some way entering into their experience? Jesus is our great high priest. He became sin for us. He belongs to the Melchizedek priesthood. All believers are also called to a priesthood. This is a far lesser priesthood than that of Jesus but nonetheless just as real. All priests actually do things not just talk. It involves more than just writing or speaking. All priests have human bodies and by faith claim the promises of God. How did God ‘reconcile’ us to himself? (vs.18) The subsequent verses reveal this. [21] For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin……
Who doesn’t want to see their loved ones in heaven. Ones who perhaps weren’t interested in church membership but who nonetheless were obedient to the voice of God in their hearts. And who grasped the principles of life taught by the Holy Spirit. These are presented to the Father through the prayers and intercession of an intercessor or mediator – a friend. (Job 33:23 ESV If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him,) There will be souls in heaven for no other reason than that someone has prayed for them.
Romans 15:1,3 KJV
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. [3] For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
Did Job become sin on behalf of His wayward carefree children? Did Job suffer vicariously for the sins of his children? He lays their burden on us so that we can feel their pain.
Job 21:19 TLB “‘Well,’ you say, ‘at least God will punish their children!’ But I say that God should punish the man who sins, not his children! Let him feel the penalty himself.
Isaiah 53:11 TLB And when he sees all that is accomplished by the anguish of his soul, he shall be satisfied; and because of what he has experienced, my righteous Servant shall make many to be counted righteous before God, for he shall bear all their sins.
Does this verse apply only to Jesus?
1 Peter 2:21 ESV For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
Does this mean that we have to suffer, not just for our own sins, but also the sins of others? This seems to be what God is calling his servants to do, even in Old Testament times.
Ezekiel 22:30 ESV And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.
God is still looking for, not just one man, but a people to “stand in the breach” for God’s chosen ones, the sinners of this world who will be saved. God is preparing a last generation of people who will be translated to Heaven without seeing death. Their preparation for this experience will be real.
Malachi 3:3 KJV – he shall purify the sons of Levi,
They will have a real burden for those around them.
They will not be able to fulfil this task until they have learned the lesson of ‘absolute surrender’ as typified by the true Sabbath rest of the burnt offering – the ‘daily’. (Dan. 8:11,13)
Psalm 106:23 ESV Therefore he said he would destroy them- had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them.
Genesis 3:15 KJV And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
This verse illustrates the ultimate destruction of sin (it shall bruise thy head – signifying a fatal wound) but not before the suffering of the woman (the Church – thou shalt bruise his heel – signifying a non-fatal wound) Now, as if to reiterate and back up what Peter is saying in 1 Peter 2:21, Paul takes up the same theme and says:
Colossians 1:24 ESV Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
This is an aspect of Christianity that is not commonly taught.
2 Timothy 2:10-11 ESV Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. [11] The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
This is in keeping with the words of the Old Testament prophet.
Isaiah 40:2 KJV Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.
We cannot add to the finished work of Christ but we can in a mediatorial sense apply the blood of the risen Saviour to our loved ones family and friends. The blessing pronounced upon Judas and his followers in the Aprocryphal book 2 Maccabees 12:42,43 NRSV applies equally to us who live in New Covenant times.
The noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened as the result of the sin of those who had fallen. 43 He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a purification offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection. For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. 45 But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.
God knows those who will be safe to take into his kingdom.
2 Timothy 2:19 KJV Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
These praying ones are led by the Spirit of God. This is but following the teaching of Christ who said:
Luke 18:1 KJV – men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Paul also said: Ephesians 6:18 KJV Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
The path that Jesus trod is to be taken up and continued by his body – the church. (Col. 1:24)
Suffering with Christ
by Jeremy Walker
HEART AFLAME
“Our experience, then, is more than simply suffering for Christ. We also suffer with Christ. Our suffering is not salvific or mediatorial. We do not add to His saving work. That is all His, and His alone. But our Savior suffered, and we follow in His footsteps and so suffer together with Him. Paul would say that “as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ” (2 Cor. 1:5, NKJV), and that His affliction was for the benefit of the saints. Paul wanted to know Christ “and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Phil. 3:10).”
Jeremy Walker like the SDA Bible Commentary is right in proclaiming the completeness of the role of Jesus in providing salvation for all mankind. But are they missing an important truth when they say we do not have a mediatorial role to play in the salvation of our fellow man? What of the altar of incense in the Heavenly Sanctuary? Does this not represent the prayers of God’s people? (Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-5)
Sharing the suffering of Christ signifies more than just physical or emotional experience. It can signify the apparent withdrawal of God’s love and blessing from us. This has often been the experience of God’s faithful.
David. Psalm 38:2-3 KJV
For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. [3] There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.
Psalm 69:2-3 KJV
I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. [3] I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.
Jeremiah. Lamentations 3:2-3 KJV He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. [3] Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
Job. Job 6:4 ESV
For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
Abraham. Genesis 15:12 KJV
And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
Paul. Galatians 2:20 KJV
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Philippians 1:29 KJV
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Peter. 1 Peter 4:12-13 KJV
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: [13] But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
If we are asked to suffer for others we should rejoice. We should be prepared to accept this discomfort if it helps our fellowman.
And of all the blessings that heaven can bestow fellowship with Christ in his sufferings is the most weighty trust and the highest honour. D of A p.225
It should be noted that the highest point of Jesus suffering was when he entered into his Gethsemane experience. That was when he lost the sense of his Fathers presence. He trod the wine press alone from that point.
Now this is the important point. Jesus achieved reconciliation for the human race through prayer and submission. Not through overt action.
If we are to follow the footsteps of the Master, do we have a better way?
Zechariah 4:6 KJV – Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
God says to us, just as he said to Moses: Exodus 14:13 KJV – ….. Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD,
This study is not meant to show an unwarranted fascination with human suffering. But it is meant to prepare us for the perilous times in which we live. God’s people are experiencing severe attacks and challenges. To be forewarned is to be forearmed and able to enter the spiritual fray with confidence and understanding. A knowledge of the sanctuary and the significance of the altar of incense, make the prayers of God’s faithful, imperative in the finishing of God’s work and the hastening of the second coming of Jesus.
* * * * * *
God showed me this study. I believe it to be true even though it flies in the face of conventional wisdom.
It is not an easy process and no doubt it will not be readily accepted. But is God’s truth ever easy? Let the reader compare it with their own experience. And let us see whether God is calling us to a higher level of appreciation and understanding of His inimitable truth.
John 7:17 KJV
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
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