Seminary
2 Corinthians 5

2 Corinthians 5

“The Ministry of Reconciliation”

The man who was healed on the Sabbath day is being embraced by his parents, Jesus can be seen in the background. He was blind from birth. Outtakes include the healed man at Jesus’ feet hugging, and his parents. blind-man-healed-parents-rejoice

Have you ever felt distant from God? Have other people you know ever felt the same way? Paul reminded the Saints in Corinth of the mercy Jesus Christ showed them. Paul taught the people that they were separated from God through sin. Fortunately, through Christ’s Atonement they could be brought back into a favorable relationship with God and receive Christ’s righteousness (see 2 Corinthians 5:16–21). This lesson can help you draw closer to God and become who He wants you to become.

Your relationship with God

Review the following scenarios. Think about how your personal situation is similar to or different from these scenarios.

  1. Jamilah is a diligent disciple of Jesus Christ. Many friends look to her as an example. However, when she makes mistakes, she feels down about herself and worries about whether she will be able to return to Heavenly Father one day.

  2. Andre has some habits that he knows aren’t good, and it’s hard for him to see how he can be forgiven and change. He wonders if he could ever feel close to God, and he isn’t sure it’s worth the effort. He doesn’t want to talk with his parents or bishop about his problems.

Think about your own relationship with Heavenly Father. In your study journal, describe your own life situation and your relationship with Him. You could include when you feel close to Him and when you feel distant as well as your desires for your relationship with Him in the future.

As you study, look for truths that can help you understand the blessings of drawing close to God and how you can draw close to Him.

Reconciliation

In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul wrote that while we live on earth, we “groan” and feel “burdened,” longing to return to our Father in Heaven (see 2 Corinthians 5:1–5). Think about times in your life when you have felt something like what Paul described.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17–20, looking for truths you can apply in your life when you feel distant from God. Note that in these verses, reconcile and reconciliation mean being brought back into unity and favor with God after being estranged from Him.

Writing on a piece of paper with a pen or pencil. 1. Answer the following questions in your study journal:

One truth taught in 2 Corinthians 5:17–20 is that we can be reconciled to God and become new creatures through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Paul also taught about why we are able to become new creatures and what this means.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:21, looking for references to Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and you.

  • What did you learn from this verse?

Read the following paragraph, and look for additional insights that are meaningful to you.

In 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul teaches that although Jesus was never guilty of committing a sin, in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross of Calvary He took upon Himself the burden, the weight, and the consequences of our sins. When we earnestly seek to be forgiven and made into a “new creature,” we accept Jesus Christ’s offer that if we will have faith in Him and repent of our sins, He will take our sins and we can receive His righteousness. In this way, we will be made pure, just as He is pure (see also Colossians 2:13–14; 1 Peter 2:24).

  • How do the teachings in 2 Corinthians 5:21 help you better understand why we are able to become new creatures in Christ and what that actually means?

  • What thoughts and feelings might the sinless Son of God have experienced as He willingly took your sins upon Himself so you could be reconciled to God and change? (Consider reading Isaiah 49:16 and Doctrine and Covenants 19:18 before responding to this question.)

To see a modern-day example of someone being reconciled to God and becoming “a new creature” through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, watch “I Know His Grace Is There When I Fall” (6:24). This video can be found on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

6:24

I Know His Grace Is There When I Fall | His Grace

“Who am I?” thought Josh as he prayed in his small closet seeking God’s help to break his drug addiction. Praying in secret, he was filled with love and light and warmth that he wanted to feel forever.

Ponder how you, or someone you know, has experienced the healing and reconciliation that the Savior offers through His Atonement.

Pondering principles of the gospel can help us better understand and feel of their importance. Reread the description of your current life situation and relationship with God that you wrote at the beginning of the lesson. Then take a few minutes to ponder the following questions:

  • What might it look and feel like to be reconciled to God eternally?

  • In what ways would you like to become new through the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

  • What experiences have you had in your life that show how willing Jesus Christ is to help you change?

Writing on a piece of paper with a pen or pencil. 2. Answer the following questions in your study journal:

  • How was pondering helpful?

  • What have you learned in this lesson about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ’s feelings for and desires for you?

Learn, feel, and do

In your study journal, write what you learned and felt today that was most meaningful to you and why. Write down what you feel inspired to do that could help you be reconciled to God and become “a new creature” in Christ. What changes might you expect to see in yourself (in a year, two years, or five years) as someone who has truly been changed in Christ?

Optional: Want to Learn More? 

How can it help me to live the gospel of Christ and become “a new creature” in Him?

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:

Elder Ulisses Soares, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles official portrait.

Increased faith and conversion will help us make and keep covenants with God, thus strengthening our desire to follow Jesus and producing a genuine spiritual transformation in us—in other words, transforming us into a new creature, as taught by the Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 5:17). This transformation will bring us a more happy, productive, and healthy life and help us to maintain an eternal perspective.

(Ulisses Soares, “How Can I Understand?,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 6)

2 Corinthians 5:17–21. How can I better understand what Paul taught in these verses?

The following explanation may help you understand some words and phrases in these verses:

Becoming “a new creature” means that “our heart, countenance, and nature [are] transformed to become more like the Savior” (Benjamin M. Z. Tai, “The Power of the Book of Mormon in Conversion,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 47).

Christ “not imputing their trespasses unto them” means that because of what Christ did for us, when we are reconciled to God our sins are not counted against us.