2 Corinthians 5:19-21
5:20 a The great privilege of believers is to be Christ’s ambassadors (cp. Eph 6:20 b).• God is making his appeal through us: Paul doesn’t say that he speaks for God; rather, God speaks his word through us.
• Christ’s redeeming work for sinners opens the way for them to “Come back to God!” and be reconciled with him (see Rom 5:1-11 c; Eph 2:11-22 d; Col 1:15-23 e). Christian witness has this appeal at its heart. Paul was also appealing to the rebellious Corinthians to come over to his side (see 2 Cor 6:1 f).
5:21 g Christ became the offering for our sin on the cross when he took sin’s penalty on himself and died a criminal’s death. He did this, though he himself never sinned (John 8:46 h; 1 Pet 2:22 i; 1 Jn 3:5 j), so that we might be made right with God—i.e., set in right relationship with God and accepted by him (see Gal 3:13 k).
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