Ambassadors

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

“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. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

An ambassador by definition is an accredited diplomat sent by a country as its official representative in a foreign country. We typically think of ambassadors on a national level conserving relationships with other nations. According to 2 Corinthians, we as Christians are Christ’s ambassadors to non-believers.

According to ABC News, 83% of people in America consider themselves Christians. Unfortunately, all we have to do to be an “accredited Christian” to non-believers is to claim to be a Christian. Christianity is more than just verbally declaring that we believe. Our lives should reflect what we believe.

When Jesus warned people of false teachers, he said:

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.”

The Bible is clear in stating that we are to do with its truths.

James 1:22 says,

“But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

This verse calls us to action but also warns us not to fool ourselves by just listening to the truth. That word “delude” is translated as a mathematical term which means to miscalculate. John MacArthur states in his commentary, “Christians who simply hear the word and not carry out its instructions are making serious miscalculations.”

Ambassadors are judged by their actions in foreign countries, not at home. Non-believers are not at church to see us on our best “Christ-like” behavior. They are watching our reactions to hardships, our attitudes, and how we deal with success and failure during the week. The church is our homeland, but school and the workforce are our mission field. We are messengers representing the King of heaven with the gospel, who pleads with the people of the world to be reconciled with God who is their rightful King.

Let our lives positively represent Christ today as we share with others the joy, peace, and happiness that we find in a personal relationship with the one true God. He is our creator, the one who created us in His image and sacrificed His own Son to free us from the bondage of sin. God desires a holy communion with His creation, and it is our duty to show others the love that He first showed us!

“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19