2CO 5:20 - Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

>>In the Webster's Christian Series,---"to conciliate anew: to call back into union and friendship the affections which have been alienated; to restore to friendship or favor after estrangement; ..."

>>As a result of the fall we are enemies of God.

ROM 8:7 - Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Point one Our rebellion and\or enmity against God

Our rebellion and\or enmity against God is two fold---open enmity-or- concealed, secret enmity--under a pretense of friendship.

PSA 74:18 - Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.

ACT 5:39 - But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest happily ye be found even to fight against God.

2TI 3:3 - Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

PRO 29:27 - ". . .he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

PSA 14:1-3 - 1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

>>>concealed, secret rebellion and\or enmity--under a pretense of friendship.

JOH 16:2 - They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

PRO 13:24 - He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

MAT 12:30 - He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

JOH 5:42 - But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

1CO 16:22 - If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

LUK 14:26 - If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

>>To love father or mother more---is to hate God.

MAT 10:37 - He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

>>We cannot serve two masters---love the one---hate the other.

MAT 6:24 - No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

2TI 3:4-5 - Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

JAM 4:4 - Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

>>Enmity and\or rebellion is shown by our defensive war---slighting His Word--and the call of His Spirit.

ACT 7:51 - Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

2CO 4:4 - In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

>>Our enmity and\or rebellion is revealed by pride--in imaginations--self exaltation

2CO 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Point Two God's condescension in sending an ambassage of peace.

2CO 5:20 - Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

>>Webster's Christian Series-- To mediate is to, "To interpose between parties, as the equal friend of each--To act indifferently between contending parties, with a view to reconciliation; To intercede.

>>>A Mediator--1) One that interposes between parties at variance for the purpose of reconciling them.--2) By way of eminence, Christ is the mediator, the divine intercessor through whom sinners may be reconciled to an offended God. See 1Ti 2:5.

1TI 2:5 - For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

>>Christ is the mediator between an offended God---and rebellious man.

HEB 9:15 - And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

2CO 5:19 - To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

>>As mediator He sends His ambassadors---with such condescension and tenderness.

2CO 5:20 - Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

ISA 57:14-15 - And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

LUK 14:31-32 - Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

>>God did not send Jonah as He did to Nineveh, He sent His ambassadors of peace--seeking reconciliation

ISA 52:7 - How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

That blessed Mediator speaks through His ambassadors--"As though God did beseech you by us"

1TH 2:13 - For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

JER 3:13-14 - 13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

>>Our Mediator is pleading with His people who are lost sheep Whose shepherds have caused them to go astray

JER 50:6 - My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.

MAT 23:37 - O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

Point three What is it to become reconciled with God.

LUK 14:26 - If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

>>To love father or mother more---is to hate God.

MAT 10:37 - He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

MAT 5:3 - Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

MAT 5:4 - Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

MAT 5:5 - Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

MAT 5:6 - Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

EPH 5:20-21 - 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

EPH 5:24 - Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

>>True reconciliation is true submission-

1JO 2:6 - He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

PHI 2:8 - And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

PHI 2:5-8 - 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

>>A reconciled believer is a contrite believer Contrite means "a deep sorrow for sin; grief of heart for having offended an infinitely holy and benevolent God, and sincere resolution to live in obedience to the divine law.

PSA 34:18 - The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

PSA 51:17 - The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

2CH 30:8 - Now be ye not stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

ROM 6:13 - Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

ACT 9:6 - And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

ACT 2:38 - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

ACT 5:32 - And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

PHI 1:29 - For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

GAL 4:6 - And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

ACT 26:18 - To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

MAL 3:16-18 - Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.