In verse 20 Paul goes on to say, “On behalf of Christ, then, we are ambassadors, as God entreating you through us; we beseech you on behalf of Christ, Be reconciled to God.” Paul’s use of the word “ambassadors” indicates that the apostles are commissioned with a definite ministry; they represent Christ to accomplish God’s purpose.
In verse 19 it is the world that is reconciled to God; in verse 20 it is the believers, who have already been reconciled to God, who need to be reconciled to God further. This clearly indicates that there are two steps for men to be fully reconciled to God. The first step is as sinners to be reconciled to God from sin. For this purpose Christ died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3) that they may be forgiven by God. This is the objective aspect of Christ’s death. In this aspect He bore our sins on the cross that they might be judged by God upon Him for us. The second step is as believers living in the natural life to be reconciled to God from the flesh. For this purpose Christ died for us—the persons—that we may live to Him in the resurrection life (2 Cor. 5:14-15). This is the subjective aspect of Christ’s death. In this aspect, He was made sin for us so that we might be judged and done away with by God in order that we may become the righteousness of God in Him. By the two aspects of His death, He has fully reconciled God’s chosen people to God.
We have indicated that these two steps of reconciliation are clearly portrayed by the two veils of the tabernacle. The first veil is called the screen (Exo. 26:37, lit). A sinner was brought to God through the reconciliation of the atoning blood to enter into the Holy Place by passing this screen. This typifies the first step of reconciliation. The second veil (Exo. 26:31-35; Heb. 9:3) still separated him from God who is in the Holy of Holies. This veil needed to be rent that he might be brought to God in the Holy of Holies. This is the second step of reconciliation. The Corinthian believers had been reconciled to God, having passed through the first veil and having entered into the Holy Place. Yet, they still lived in the flesh. They needed to pass the second veil, which has been rent already (Matt. 27:51; Heb. 10:20) to enter into the Holy of Holies to live with God in their spirit (1 Cor. 6:17). The goal of this Epistle is to bring them here that they may be persons in the spirit (1 Cor. 2:14), in the Holy of Holies. This is what the apostle means by saying, “Be reconciled to God.” This is to present them full-grown in Christ (Col. 1:28).
I wish to emphasize the fact that the words, “Be reconciled to God,” in 5:20 were spoken not to rebels and sinners in the outer court, but to believers in the Holy Place. Paul seems to be saying, “Corinthians, dear believers in Christ, you need to be reconciled to God further. You may say that you have already been reconciled to Him. Yes, you have been reconciled, but you have been reconciled only halfway. You have the first step of reconciliation. Now you must go on to the second step and be fully reconciled to God. You have been reconciled to God from the outer court to the Holy Place. But God is not in the Holy Place; He is in the Holy of Holies. You have been reconciled to God through one veil, but there is still another veil separating you from God. This veil is you yourself, your flesh, your natural life. As I have already told you, you Corinthians are still fleshly. As long as you are in the flesh, you are not in the Holy of Holies. Because the veil of the flesh, the veil of the natural life, remains with you, you are not yet in the Holy of Holies. Corinthians, my burden is to help you realize that this second veil has already been riven and that you must deny your flesh and crucify it. Thus, to you who have been partly reconciled to God, I issue this word: Be reconciled to God in full.”
Verse 21 says, “Him Who did not know sin He made sin on our behalf, that we might become God’s righteousness in Him.” Paul had the boldness to say that God made Christ sin on our behalf. Since Christ knows everything, how can Paul say that He did not know sin? Christ did not know sin in an experiential way by contact or personal experience (see John 8:46; 1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15; 7:26). In the Bible the word “know” often has a deeper meaning than to know something merely in a mental way. According to Matthew 7:23, the Lord Jesus will one day say to those who work lawlessness, “I never knew you.” This does not mean, of course, that the Lord had no knowledge of them. The principle is the same in 2 Corinthians 5:21. In experience, in direct contact, the Lord Jesus had nothing to do with sin, and He did not know sin.