Second Corinthians 5:7-6:2 is one of the great declarations of the new life given in Christ. In this passage, Paul calls believers to accept and embrace the new identity given to them in Christ. They have not merely adopted a new philosophy or gained new knowledge or spiritual insight. In the depths of their being, their very nature has been changed. This is not a scattered redemption of select individuals, but part of God’s overriding action of restoring all of creation. We are new creatures participating in God’s new order.
Paul’s exuberant declaration, however, is accompanied by a warning: do not accept this grace and gift of new life in vain. Embrace it. Paul calls the Corinthians, as new creatures, to be God’s agents of reconciliation, God’s righteousness in the world.
This choral reading was composed to be a “blast” of Scripture intended to ring in the listeners’ ears and hearts. It takes these seven verses from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians and makes them resonate through other parts of Scripture. Interweaving with the 2 Corinthians text are references from Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, 1 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, Hebrews, 2 Timothy, 2 Peter, and Revelation. The pace is meant to be fast and tight, the tone bright and exuberant. The occasional joyous outburst would not be inappropriate.
This reading could be used as a response to the confession and assurance, in a service where 2 Corinthians 5 is the sermon passage, or as part of a baptism service, especially with an older child or adult.
A Dramatic Reading of 2 Corinthians 5:7-6:2
A: So if anyone is in Christ,
B: in Christ,
C: in the body of Christ,
B: in the truth of Christ,
C: in the freedom of Christ,
B: in the love, hope and grace of Christ (2 Tim. 2:1),
ABC: in Christ.
A: If anyone is in Christ—
B: There it is!
C: Look;
B: look again—
C: There it is:
A: new creation;
B: new,
C: creation.
B: Like the first creation
C: when God the Spirit hovered over the waters.
B: First creation:
A: light where there was darkness,
life where there was chaos,
breath into flesh (Gen. 2:7),
B: first creation.
A: Only now, everything old—
C: the old order of things—
A: has passed away.
B: Look:
A: Everything has become new!
B: Look again:
A: What is new has arrived!
C: No need to remember past events;
no need to think of what was before (Isa. 43:18).
A: A new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21:1),
B: the place where righteousness will be at home (2 Pet. 3:13);
C: a taste of the time
B: when hunger and thirst (Isa. 49:10),
death and mourning and crying and pain,
ABC: are no more (Rev. 21:4),
B: are swallowed up (1 Cor. 15:54).
C: All this comes from God,
the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2);
B: the fountain of life (Ps. 36:9),
C: of living waters (Jer. 2:13);
A: our refuge (Ps. 62:8),
our rock and our salvation (Ps. 62:2).
C: All this comes from God,
A: in God,
B: in Christ.
A: And so now—
C: now is the day of salvation.
A: As new creatures in Christ,
B: as reconciled to God through Christ,
A: now in Christ Jesus
B: you who were once far away
have been brought near to God through Christ (Eph. 2:13)
C: when he made peace (Col. 1:20).
He himself is our peace (Eph. 2:14),
B: becoming sin who knew no sin
C: by his death on the cross (Col. 1:20).
A: This is the righteousness of God,
B: the righteousness that is of God,
the righteousness that comes from God (Phil. 3:9).
C: As new creatures in Christ
B: we are now ambassadors for Christ,
A: appointed and anointed agents—
trusted agents—
B: called in righteousness (Isa. 42:6),
A: given the ministry of reconciliation,
C: to be a covenant for the people (Isa. 49:8).
B: And so now that we are reconciled,
we are called to reconcile.
C: We urge you:
ABC: Be reconciled to God
B: as we work together with him.
ABC: Accept this grace of God.
C: Now is the day of salvation
B: as we become
ambassadors for Christ,
A: standing firm in Christ (2 Cor. 1:22),
C: as God’s righteousness,
as God’s handiwork (Eph. 2:10),
B: making God’s appeal through us,
C: God’s ambassadors.
A: Now is the day of salvation.
C: God is in you,
B: re-creating you in Christ.
A: Now is the day of salvation.
C: All this comes from God:
B: new creation;
A: new creatures in Christ.
ABC: All this comes from God.
Amen.