"Be" not "Get" - Part V

Have you ever seen one of those car bumper stickers that states, "Get right or get left!"? The sticker is a feeble attempt at saving souls by scaring the hell out of people by threatening hell, or better, getting left behind in the rapture. The message that these "ambassadors for Christ" are spreading is a fear-based one.

My question is just how do we "get right"? I'm guessing we are supposed to acknowledge we are sinners, swear off our sins and commit ourselves anew to following God so we won't get left. Right?

My difficulty is that it seems like a whole lot of "getting" to get done to in order for God to book us on His out-of-this-world-rocket-flight. Sounds like works!

Paul, in wrapping up his discussion of God's work of salvation in Jesus, brings us to the church's role in salvation - an ambassador for God to the world. Read this:

"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."

II Corinthians 5:20

Do you see what I see? Our message to the world is not "Get right!" but "Be reconciled to God!" and being is a whole lot different than doing or getting. In the previous verses, Paul states that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself - done...finished. The "getting" is completed in Christ. Reconciliation has been accomplished and now God is calling the world, with our participation, to BE that which He has already re-created us to be in Christ.

"I have reconciled you - now be (live, rest, play, dance, love, work, etc.) in the reality of your embrace. The war is over, I've won you over in Christ - don't resist my attempts to love you!"

Bruce Wauchope from Australia puts it this way (paraphrased):

God says: Let me love you!
We sin by saying: NO! You can't love me.
We repent by saying: OK, love me!
We live by resting in the embrace of God!

Our response doesn't make God love us - it opens our heart up to the reality of what is already going on - His never-ending love. Be who you are:

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. "

II Corinthians 5:21

Be who you are - the righteousness of God in Christ - you are His beloved in whom He is well pleased!