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Ambassadors For Christ

We first need to establish what an ambassador is. A dictionary defines it as follows: “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” (www.merriam-webster.com). In other words, an ambassador represents a nation or king in a foreign nation while living in this foreign country.

When you look up the word ‘ambassador’ from the above-quoted verses in the Strong’s Concordance (G4243), you’ll find that the word means ‘(by implication) act as a representative’. The apostle Paul said that we are representatives of Christ who is not physically here anymore. Every believer in the Lord Jesus no longer is “of the world” (John 15:19; 17:6, 14), but has received heavenly citizenship (Phil 3:20). We’ve changed nationalities, so to speak. But although we’re not “of the world”, we’re still in it. According to our Christian position we’re in a foreign land.

Abraham lived that life, too. “By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents” (Heb 11:9). He and the other patriarchs “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb 11:13). This had a practical effect on their lives: “For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had the opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Heb. 11:14–16). They didn’t look back to where they came from, but they looked forward to what was still to come and they looked upward to God. Although they lived lives down here in this world, they ultimately had set their minds on a heavenly country and lived in the expectation of that. Abraham not only lived that life but he also testified of it to the people around him. When he spoke with the sons of Heth, he said to them: “I am a foreigner and a visitor among you” (Gen. 23:4).

Our Identity: Pilgrims

These things should also characterise our lives; we’re strangers and pilgrims, willing to testify of the hope that is in us (1 Pet. 3:15). In other words, we’re to be ambassadors for Christ. Maybe you think, well Paul, all good and well, but how does that work?

Let’s look at the two men I’ve already quoted. First, we’ll look at Abraham and see how the pilgrim life took shape with him. When God called him, he left his birthplace and (most of) his family behind to follow God’s directions. We could look at this as a picture of conversion. Every one of us is born a sinner (cf. Ps. 51:5); our birthplace, the world, is characterized by sin. At conversion, we leave that birthplace and the family of sinners behind (cf. John 8:44). Our citizenship is no longer of this world, but heavenly, and we’ve received the right to become children of God (John 1:12). In other words, we’ve become part of the family of God. With this change in the family comes a change of association: we’re no longer (positionally) part of this world of sin, but are associated with the Lord Jesus, we’ve become joint heirs with Him (Rom. 8:17). In the Bible the believer is never called a sinner (although we still sin, see 1 John 1:7–9). Now with this change of position should also come a change of behavior. An ambassador represents a nation or king in a foreign country and is supposed to behave accordingly. He’s supposed to act as the king he represents would act. This we’ve already seen with Abraham. When he left his birthplace, he took his nephew Lot with him. Lot didn’t understand pilgrim life. When he and Abraham had to go separate ways, he chose – because of earthly criteria – the valley where the sinful city of Sodom was.

When we follow Lot’s history, we find him pitching his tents near Sodom, then living in the city, and eventually, he sat in the gate; he had become involved in the city’s government (see Gen. 13:12; 14:12; 19:1). It went from bad to worse because he had no appetite for the pilgrim life. Because of these poor choices, he first was taken captive (and freed by Abraham), then he lost everything he had, including his wife, and the end of his life (as far as the Bible goes) was characterized by drunkenness and immorality! Because Lot didn’t live the pilgrim life, and wasn’t an ambassador, he lost his testimony (Gen. 19:8, 14) and everything he had. He didn’t live for the Lord.

Abraham on the other hand made different choices. When he freed the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and the king of Sodom wanted to reward him, Abraham rejected this as he didn’t want the things that ruined Lot. He maintained his pilgrim life and testimony. Abraham found his resources and enjoyment in God, and not in the things of this world. We should follow his example, stay away from what the world has to offer, and find our resources in Him who is at God’s right hand!

And that’s exactly what the apostle Paul did! He had distanced himself from everything in his past and was—just like Abraham— looking forward and upward (see Phil. 3:7–14). And Paul links ambassadorship with our testimony.

Representing the Lord in an Evil World

In both verses about ambassadorship, he connects that office with our and his testimony to the unbelieving world: “We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20) and “the mystery of the gospel, or which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Eph 6:20).

The second verse also makes clear that he couldn’t do that by himself. He needed help, and that’s why he asked for prayer. He used every opportunity to speak of his Savior, of the One who met him on the road to Damascus and changed his life.

The challenge I want to leave you with is this: Are you (am I) an ambassador for Christ in this world? Do I represent Him here in this world? It’s one thing to live like Abraham and live for the Lord here and stay away from the things of the world. It’s something else to represent Christ to the people around us. When people look at us, they should notice somewhat of our actual home and Him whom we display: our Lord Jesus!

Do we act as ambassadors?

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