The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹¹ Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences.¹²We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart.¹³For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.¹⁴For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.¹⁵And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them. ¹⁶ From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way.¹⁷So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!¹⁸All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation;¹⁹that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.²⁰So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.²¹For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Psalm 51

Prayer for Cleansing and Pardon

To the leader. A Psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.¹ Have mercy on me, O God,   according to your steadfast love;according to your abundant mercy   blot out my transgressions.² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,   and cleanse me from my sin. ³ For I know my transgressions,   and my sin is ever before me.⁴ Against you, you alone, have I sinned,   and done what is evil in your sight,so that you are justified in your sentence   and blameless when you pass judgement.⁵ Indeed, I was born guilty,   a sinner when my mother conceived me. ⁶ You desire truth in the inward being;    therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;   wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;   let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.⁹ Hide your face from my sins,   and blot out all my iniquities. ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,   and put a new and right spirit within me.¹¹ Do not cast me away from your presence,   and do not take your holy spirit from me.¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,   and sustain in me a willing spirit.