THE BIBLE AND AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

THE BIBLE AND AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST

Devotional Text: 2 Cor. 5:17-21

INTRODUCTION:

According to the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary---Third Edition, an ambassador, “is an important official who lives in a foreign country to represent his own country there, and who is officially accepted in this position by that country”. By way of analysis, every Christian is an ambassador of Christ, and lives in this world, which is foreign to the kingdom of Heaven, to represent Christ, who is the Head of the Kingdom, and by the advent of Christianity, which Jesus Christ is the founder, the world recognises the ambassadorial position of the Christian without question, though they keep on persecuting the church. To this end, the Christian, as an ambassador of Christ, should take cognisance of his divinely appointed position, and accordingly perform his ambassadorial duties without fear or contradiction.

GENERAL REMARKS

(1)       Ambassadors of Christ are part of the New Creation who have been reconciled to God through Christ, (2 Cor. 5:17-20)

(2)       Ambassadors of Christ are also those who the Lord Has given the ministry to reconcile others, (vs. 17-20)

(3)       Ambassadors of Christ are instruments of God, for the reconciliation of the world, (vs. 17-20)

(4)       Ambassadors of Christ are representatives of God’s kingdom on earth, (vs. 17-20)

AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST AND NEWNESS OF LIFE

Newness of life in Christ Jesus is the foundation of the ambassador of Christ. To this end, the Holy Scripture says,…”if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation, old things are passed away, behold all things have become new”,(2 Cor. 5:17). This preparatory ground is essential, if one must perform well as the ambassador of Christ. No one is chosen as Christ’s ambassador, who is not born of the Spirit of God, (John 3:1-6). This is because the sinner cannot relate with God, and so, he is not in position to link-up with Heaven for directives or information. For, we know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshipper of God, and does His will, him God listens to, (John9:31). By this, therefore, this lesson asserts that for one to be qualified as Christ’s ambassador, one must be:

(i)        Born again, which is only possible by the Spirit of God, (John 3:1-6)

(ii)      A person whose life is rooted in Christ, and possesses the propensity of the newness of life, (2 Cor.5:17)

(iii)     A born again individual with incorruptible seed, by the Word of God, (1 Peter 1:23).

AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST AND THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION

The ambassador of Christ is commissioned to reconcile people to God. According to the Scripture, “all this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, (2 cor. 5:18). This makes it obvious that the main duty of the ambassador of Christ is to appeal to sinners to make peace with the Lord, just as “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting men’s sins against them”(vs. 19), and also shows that the ambassador of Christ is not appointed to judge the people, but to serve as instruments that bring the erring sinners to the path of harmonious living with God. In this connection, the Lord Has committed the message of reconciliation to His ambassadors, (vs. 19). Therefore, the ambassador of Christ is:

(i)        A peace maker and not a person of violence, (Matt.5:9)

(ii)      Instrument that God uses to bring people to Himself, (2 Cor. 5:18-19)

(iii)     A person with the message that reconcile people to God, and not that which judge them, (vs. 18-19)

AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

According to Oxford English Dictionary, a representative is “a person who has been chosen to speak for or on behalf of a group”. Similarly, the ambassador of Christ is chosen to represent and speak on behalf of Christ, who is the Head of the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus, the Bible says, “we are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf; be reconcile to God”, (2 cor. 5:20). The ambassador of a country represents and speaks for his own country in another country. He is the image bearer of his homeland in a foreign land. This is applicable to the ambassador of Christ in this world, where he represents Christ and the ideals of the Kingdom of Heaven, and so, he should not betray Christ, who he represents His Kingdom and carries His message of reconciliation, (vs.19). In other words, the ambassador of Christ should be a model of the Kingdom of God which he represents, as the ethical conduct of Christ is expected to be the driving force in his life. Based on the foregoing, therefore, this lesson equally states that the ambassador of Christ must:

(i)        Be holy in this world of sin, as Christ is holy, (1Peter 1:13-16)

(ii)      Not allow himself to be involved in wrong doings, but always do what

 is good, following the examples of Christ, (1 Peter2:20-21)

(iii)     Be a model of Christian life, which inspires the people to endorse him as Christian, (Acts 11:25-26)

In conclusion, the ambassador of Christ is expected to be refined, both in character and conduct, living in the newness of life, which Christ Jesus, our Lord and Blessed Saviour offers, as well as be in the active service of reconciling people to God. To this end, he should not compromise the message of reconciliation given to him by God, which is the mainstay of his ministry on earth. LET THIS TRUTH GUIDE YOU!