By: Zachary Teasley
An ambassador in the secular realm is an agent of the highest rank appointed as the representative of one government or state to another according to Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary. For example, the American Ambassador to the United Nations comes to mind, this person has been appointed by the President of the United States to represent Him regarding US interests in international affairs and business with participating countries. This appointed ambassador has been highly briefed and trained as a trusted agent to represent and speak on behalf of the President and the United States regarding matters that affect this country and world affairs. If this ambassador is to be considered a “trusted agent” of this country, this representative is required to be professional, courteous, and be able to effectively speak those things that he has been taught by the President and his cabinet, and if he or she is unsure, then they must effectively consult and communicate with the US President. This ambassador, because he is constantly communicating with numerous foreign officials must choose his words very carefully, based upon experience, and think before he speaks. The ambassador wants to ensure that they do not misspeak and misrepresent the president and this country; consequently, we see how crucial the ambassador’s spoken word is in promoting the lines of communication. In similar manner, in our Christian walk with God we are considered ambassadors of Christ because we have obeyed His word and were redeemed through His blood, Eph 1:7-9 confirms Christ’s saving power, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He pu asrposed in Himself.” Because Christ has openly revealed to us the great mystery of His will and we as humankind have responded to His will by faith and obedience, He has commissioned and empowered us to be ambassadors for Him speaking and revealing His gospel plan not only to the prominent people but to everyone that we come in contact with. As ambassadors and representatives of Christ, we must take this divine responsibility seriously and prepare ourselves properly for the task of speaking and delivering the pure unadulterated word of God. At this point, you may be asking the question: Where in scripture does it say that we are ambassadors of Christ? It sounds so formal and labor intensive and am I qualified to carry out the responsibilities of this appointment? Please keep in mind that an ambassador is a higher form of the word representative because a spiritual or Christian ambassador has been commissioned and set apart (sanctified) for the special work of sowing the seed of the Kingdom (see Matt 28:18-20). Christians serving as ambassadors are referred to in II Cor 5:17-20, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” As ambassadors, we speak as though Christ were pleading through us the word of reconciliation. In other words, we are required to speak purely and truthfully as God’s oracle, 1 Pet 4:11 says, “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the dominion forever and ever, Amen.” Indeed, this scripture clearly identifies our marching orders as ambassadors because we must speak on God’s behalf in exactly the way God originally gave it to us by divine inspiration and do it with the ability which He supplies. Yes, my fellow brethren, we first start off as babes in Christ but because we have that hunger and thirst for God’s word we grow and develop the ability to speak as ambassadors reconciling souls back to God. Referring back to 1 Pet 4:11, the phrase, “speak as the oracles of God” places emphasis on our role as ambassadors of Jesus Christ as well because “oracle” means “the divine utterances of God through Christian teachers,” Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Additionally, we as Christian ambassadors must not misconstrue, ignore, or change God’s word, but we must exhibit integrity and fidelity in properly applying and rightfully dividing God’s word with respect and dignity, II Tim 3:16. This means that we will study diligently to understand and properly translate the original meaning of scripture and not to personally interpret God’s word because we are looking to justify a specific belief or act. II Pet 1:19-21 reminds us of the authenticity of divine scriptures for it says, “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” When we find and acquire an accurate translation of the Bible, (King James Version, New King James Version, American Standard, and New American Standard Version) it has been given to us by the Great Revealer, the Holy Spirit and not through the manipulative devices of man. The Apostle Paul by divine inspiration also makes this same point in 1 Thessalonians 2:13, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” As ambassadors of Christ on this earth, we have access to the Bible, God’s divine revelation. We must be willing and courageous to boldly speak up and share the gospel message of reconciliation through Jesus Christ’s blood to the world. We must do this from the fruit of our lips in our day-to-day interactions out in the world. The Apostle Paul conveys this same point in Eph 6:18-20 for it says, “Praying always with all prayers and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.” When we obey the gospel and have been baptized into Christ’s Kingdom, we become ambassadors of Christ. Do we now possess the courage and the knowledge to speak out on Christ’s behalf?