In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul says that Christians serve as Christ’s representatives, speaking on his behalf as though God himself were making an appeal through them. The message they carry is an invitation to make peace with God. Paul wrote this to the believers in Corinth, a church he had founded and who had sometimes doubted his authority and motives.
We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:20 (WEB)
What 2 Corinthians 5:20 Means
The phrase “ambassadors on behalf of Christ” uses the language of diplomacy. An ambassador does not speak for himself. He carries the words of the king or government that sent him, and he is treated as if the ruler were present. Paul is saying that believers have been given this same role. When they speak about Jesus and the good news of forgiveness, they are passing along a message that originates with God, not with their own opinions.
The next part, “as though God were entreating by us,” describes the tone of that message. An entreaty is an earnest, heartfelt request, the kind a person makes when something important is at stake. God is not portrayed as distant or indifferent. He is pleading with people through the witness of others. Paul then says, “we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” The verse does not promise that everyone will respond, and it does not describe a mechanical result. It describes a sincere appeal, and it places the responsibility of answering on the hearer.
The Context of 2 Corinthians 5:20
Second Corinthians is one of the letters traditionally attributed to Paul, written to a congregation he deeply cared about but who had questioned his leadership. Paul often defends his ministry in this letter, describing his suffering and his reasons for preaching with such urgency. Chapter 5 turns to the hope of the resurrection and the transformation that God brings to people who belong to Christ.
Just before verse 20, Paul explains that anyone in Christ is a new creation, and that God has reconciled believers to himself through Christ and given them the ministry of reconciliation. Verse 21 then explains how this happened: Christ was made to carry sin on our behalf so that we might share in God’s righteousness. Reading verse 20 in this setting shows that the call to be reconciled is rooted in an accomplished act of grace. The ambassador’s appeal rests on something God has already done.
Key Phrases in 2 Corinthians 5:20
Romans 5:10
For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we will be saved by his life.
(WEB)
Paul writes here that while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son. This shows the foundation behind the appeal in 2 Corinthians 5:20, namely that reconciliation was made possible by Christ’s sacrifice before anyone asked for it.
Ephesians 2:16
And might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility thereby.
(WEB)
This verse speaks of reconciling both Jew and Gentile to God through the cross, bringing hostility to an end. It widens the picture of reconciliation, showing that the peace Christ creates is meant to reach every people and to heal every division.
A Short Prayer From 2 Corinthians 5:20
Lord, thank you that you do not stand at a distance from us but come near with a loving appeal. Make me a faithful ambassador of Christ, speaking honestly and kindly about the peace you offer. Where I have resisted your invitation, soften my heart and help me come back to you. Let my words and my life point others toward you, and let the reconciliation you have made become real in every part of my days. Amen.
