2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
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.
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.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

What a wonderful passage. God through Christ was reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. Hard to explain if you don't think Christ died for everyone. But many Calvinists say that the world only means the elect. They are quick to point out if there sins aren't counted against them, and if they are reconciled to God, then they are saved. So the world must mean only the elect. Hum...

Perhaps the right sense to the passage is God is in the process of reconciling the world and not counting sins against people. I think this is the interpretation many Arminians ascribe to the text. But I am not sure this is right either.

I think the right sense is that man broke the first covenant, the Law. God is angry at man and has every right to destroy us all. But He doesn't, at least not yet. Why? Because of what Christ has done. Christ established a new covenant in which the just shall live by faith. In this new covenant, Christ worked out a peace agreement between God and man. There is a reason God does not instantly destroy man. God doesn't yet bring us to account for our sins. He waits, because of the covenant Christ is the Mediator of. As Mediator, Christ sets up the covenant and brings believers to God through the terms of the covenant. God holds up on judgement and justifies believers. This is how the world is reconciled to God and if they don't act treacherously under the new covenant through unbelief, they will be saved. Hence the two reconciliations mentioned in the passage. God is reconciling the world and Paul is given the ministry of reconciliation saying be reconciled to God.

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