Ambassadors for Christ

What do you think of when you hear the word "ambassador?" I know what I consider: those people, living in other countries, who "make" or "break" continuity with our country. These are the people who can halt the process leading to war as well as cause it. There is great responsibility riding on their shoulders!

In 2 Corinthians 5, the followers of Christ in Corinth were called "Christ's ambassadors," making the appeal of faith in God to the world as if it were God Himself making it! Wow! God uses us, and even puts us in charge of whether others know and are saved? Let's take a close look.

NIV 2 Corinthians 5:20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

So, as Christ's ambassadors, we actively participate in the salvation of others and God's plan of salvation. Yet we do not do this on our own accord. The word translated in the English language as "reconciled" is actually 'katallasso' in the Greek. Katallasso is a passive verb. The difference between an active verb and a passive verb can be quite stark. In an active verb, I, tom king, am the "doer" of the action. I throw the ball. The "I" in the last sentence is found in the active state, since it is the "doer" of the action. A passive verb is something that is done to the person. I received a gift. The "I" didn't do anything for the gift, didn't buy it, didn't wrap it, didn't bring it to 'himself', the "I" just received the gift that was given to 'him.' A somewhat helpful illustration can be found in the idea of a memorial given in the name of the deceased. All money given toward the memorial is done in the name of the individual, yet none of it comes from the individual himself. But the money is given for the individual's namesake.

When we are encouraged to "be reconciled" to God, it is God Who is doing the work. The passage tells us to be reconciled to God, and yet the verb is passive! God, by His grace and power through the Holy Spirit is moving in our lives. We are only allowing God to 'have a hold' on our life for a change, rather than turning from His Will and work in our lives [like usual]. This is very similar to my answer for anyone that may compliment me on a good sermon or a good teaching. "If I have said or done anything good, I have finally allowed God's Spirit to reign instead of turning away for change. Praise be to God."

Some people find that response a little odd, but it is true. It is God that saves, God that justifies, God that sanctifies, and we should be very careful not to take any of the glory of God's work in our lives for our own. At the same time, I am aware of the difficulty of understanding this idea, since all of us are intimately connected to our own thoughts and actions in this life. But we must remember that:

NIV Isaiah 48:17 This is what the LORD says-- your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.

KJV Proverbs 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

NIV Proverbs 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

NIV Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

NIV Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

NIV 1 Corinthians 15:1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them-- yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Here, Paul helps us by telling us that we, like the faithful in Corinth, take our stand because of God's loving action to preach the Word to us and change our hearts and minds by the power of His Holy Spirit. Even Paul agrees when he says, in verse 10, that it is by the grace of God that he 'is what he is,' and even his hard work is not of himself, but is because of the grace of God [the Holy Spirit, Who "energizes" and "works" through men] that was with him.

Even so, it is not us, as "God's ambassadors" who bring people to saving faith [although the Holy Spirit works through us when we submit to His will], but it is of God:

NIV 2 Timothy 2:24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Here we find our opportunity, that in being "the Lord's servant" we love, teach, and gently instruct those opposing God's Word, SO THAT we may hope that God will take action and "grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth SO THAT [because of God's action] they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." God doesn't only bring us to saving faith, He continues to bring us to saving faith when we daily repent, and He continues to work in and through people who faithfully [or "in faith"] submit to His will to do His purposes! It's all about God and His saving grace, not us! David says it this way:

NIV Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

God is creating this clean heart [so that David and others like him can "love His statutes" (Psalm 119:47,48,64,88,119,124,127,167)], and God is renewing, repairing, establishing this spirit within a man. It is not man's decision, but man's submission to God's will and work within him, through faith, all of which are given to man from God, that brings about this heart change and life transformation. We should be careful to 'steal' any of this work from God!

And yet, what an amazing breath of fresh air for the faithful. It is not us who do the work of God among a dark and unsaved people, but it is by the power and grace and love in the work of God's Holy Spirit in and through us, that we are involved in the wonderful work of God reconciling all people to Himself. Yes, we are His ambassadors, which He uses to make His grace known through, and yes, it takes a faith-driven heart [supplied by God too!] in order to step out in faith and speak and act in accordance with this 'call' to others, but it is God Who does this work through us and it is His faithfulness to work in and through us to reconcile all people to Himself. I think He is more than trustworthy and I am just excited to be a part of His mission to make an eternal difference in the lives of those around me. PRAISE BE TO GOD!