2 Corinthians 5:16-21

2 Corinthians 5:16-21  So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  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 men’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.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 

If you struggle to please God by works or if you have any idea that your works will get you to heaven, the above scripture will set you free from that spirit.  If you really believe the above passage, you will accept your FULL INHERITANCE, which has been freely given to you by God, for you will know that it is not YOU that pleases God; it is Jesus Christ, the Son who pleases God.  At Jesus' baptism God's voice came from heaven and said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”  (Matthew 3:17)  And on the Mount of Configuration we hear God say, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”  (Luke 9:35)  God allowed Jesus to become sin for our redemption.  Jesus carried the sins of the world on him at the cross so we might have righteousness.  At the cross, He paid the penalty for sin, which is death.  Jesus died for our sins, the sins which were placed on him, your sins, my sins.  

Consequently, as people of faith, we are no longer part of the old creation in God's sight, partly redeemed by good works and sacrifices.  We are no longer redeemed only if we do that which is right, that which is good; no, we are redeemed because Jesus paid the price for our redemption.  God reconciled the world to him, through and IN CHRIST.  Otherwise, He sees the redeemed through and IN CHRIST'S likeness, for we have placed our faith IN HIM, not in our works of righteousness.  God sees us righteous as He is, for in him we might become the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God.  We are NOW righteous because JESUS IS RIGHTEOUS.  You are hopelessly lost if you try to please God in the flesh, believing that you have to be GOOD to go to heaven.  The Bible says that ALL HAVE SINNED; all have seen their actions and thoughts not line up with God's thoughts and actions.  AND IF YOU HAVE SINNED AT ANY TIME IN YOUR LIFE, YOU ARE AWAY FROM GOD, and justice must prevail.  IF JUSTICE HAS NOT BEEN METED OUT ON YOUR SIN(S) BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, YOU ARE STILL A SINNER, FOR IN THE SPIRIT WORLD THERE IS NO TIME.  So at this very moment you are a sinner destined for judgement.  Without Christ, your sins are not in the past; they are always now in the spirit world.  People who are dying sometimes say their whole life flashed before them in a moment of time.  Why?  Because everything is in the NOW with God.  

So the Bible can rightly say that there are NONE that are righteous, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  And without righteousness, no person shall dwell with God, for sin must be judged because God is a righteous God.  In eternity, JUSTICE MUST PREVAIL, and without dire consequences for sin, justice would not prevail; injustice would reign FOREVER.  That will not happen in God's righteous domain.  Sin and the effects of sin will not exist forever, for eternal justice will be served, has been served because of Christ who reconciled the world to God through his complete sacrifice at the cross.  Therefore, my children, right now you are Christ's ambassadors, made in HIS IMAGE--A NEW CREATION.  You are God's workmanship.  You are NOW REPRESENTING HIM in this world.  You are representing his kingdom.  So act like that: in freedom bring your bodies and actions under his control, realizing you are TRULY HIS CHILDREN and you have been set free from the kingdom of death.  He has made you completely whole, for you are WHOLLY HIS, as it should have been from the beginning of time.  Let your light shine!