The Woman Views the Cross 4

2 Corinthians 5:16-18

One of my favorite stories is one I heard at a ministry convention about a ruffian who turned his heart over to God. When he first entered the church he wore leather and chains, and had obscenities tattooed on his knuckles. After turning his heart to God he was baptized, but not before having the tattoos removed. When he came up out of the water he declared, “Now the outside is as clean as the inside.”

He had become a new person. He had a new soul, a clean spirit washed by Christ. But he had to remove the external reminders of what he had been.

Unfortunately, some people don’t have tattoos that can be removed so that people can see that they have been made new. Instead, they have invisible tattoos, a reputation or past history that others will not allow them to forget.

Paul gives clear advice on how to think and act like believers in Christ. How are we not to look at people? What happens to those who believe in Jesus? What is our ministry?

Verse 18 is a wonderful verse for all of us to remember. God reconciled us to Him. He took away our sin, wiped it out, so that we might be part of who He is. And because of that we should also have this ministry of reconciliation. It is our calling and duty as Christians to work toward bringing others into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Regardless of the person’s past, regardless of the person’s current behavior, regardless of our personal opinion or our own standards, we are supposed to teach others about God and the salvation they can have through the Savior. We should not be looking at others from a human or worldly view. We should be looking at them as God does, seeing each person as a valued member of the body of Christ.

And when they receive Christ in their hearts then we need to remember that they are new creations. The past is over with and forgotten. You are accepted by Christ. Can you accept others?

DAILY CHALLENGE: Is there someone who needs to have their past forgotten by you?