It has pleased God, as we learn by the Christian revelation, to
institute a human and visible Ministry of Reconciliation for sinners.
St. Paul expresses this in the clearest way, writing to the
Corinthians: "If, then, any be in Christ, a new creature: old things
are passed away: behold, all things are made new. But all things are
of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Christ, and hath given to
us _the ministry of reconciliation_. For God indeed was in Christ,
reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing to them their sins; and
He hath placed in us _the word of reconciliation_; we are therefore
ambassadors for Christ." In this passage does the Apostle teach the
truth declared elsewhere: "Christ died for our sins, the just for the
unjust, that He might offer us to God, being put to death indeed in
the flesh."[26] Herein is it taught very plainly that we are redeemed
by Jesus, and that there is no other name under heaven given to men
whereby they must be saved. He alone paid the price of our redemption;
by His precious blood alone are we redeemed; and through Him alone is
sin forgiven.

But, in the same passage, St. Paul is equally explicit in declaring:
"He hath given to us"--namely, the Apostles--"the Ministry of
Reconciliation"--"the word of reconciliation."[27] In this there is no
pretension that the Apostles were the reconcilers by inherent right;
theirs is an agency of reconciliation, and hence does St. Paul speak
of their as ambassadors of Christ. And in virtue of this does the
Apostle, when exercising the office on the incestuous Corinthian,
unhesitatingly declare: "If I have forgiven anything, for your sakes
have I done it _in the person of Christ_."[28] What is here so
positively claimed and acted on by the Apostle was very definitely
instituted by our Lord, as is recounted in the Gospels.