Ambassadors for Christ

March 30, 2024

Saturday

The Bible says that we are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). Merriam Webster dictionary defines an ambassador as: "An official envoy especially: a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of his or her own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment." Therefore, ambassadors are appointed to speak for their governments. They should be trusted enough to carry out the desires of those governments.

Are we taking our appointment as ambassadors seriously? We are living in a place that is not our home to conduct the affairs of God in this world. We remain servants and must be careful that our actions are in His Name and not our own. When acting truly in His Name we have all the resources and power necessary to act on His will in this world. There is no limit to what we can ask or do.

Of course, this depends on walking so close to Him that we know His will for us. Then, we identify with our God so that our purpose is clear. We are His ambassadors to do His will. He calls us to the tasks before us each day. We act under His authority to interact with this world so that His kingdom will come and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven. 

However, ambassadors don't always see the country they live in obey. We represent Christ and all He is to the world. The world does not know Him. It does not wish to acknowledge Him. Even so, we remain ambassadors for Christ. The world can only see Christ as we act in His stead. 

I certainly have told people that we need to witness to our world. We do, but we also must live lives like ambassadors so that those who hear our testimonies will see that our lives match this witness. Mahatma Gandhi said,   "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” That cannot be who we are.

So, we are to act in this world as who we are: Ambassadors for Christ. 

2 Corinthians 5:20 (NASB 2020)²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.