The life of an ambassador is the picture for Christians to imitate

By Dean Collins

An ambassador lives in a different country and culture yet represents the one that sent them. Since the apostle Paul calls all Christians “ambassadors for Christ,” we might want to remember our spiritual roots in this current moment . Forgetting our connection to the Living Vine may be the reason for the sad mess we Christians have created with our determination to mandate our perceived ways of God through our pitiful politics.

Paul’s faithfulness is a wonderful example. His devotion to Christ caused him to redirect his focus. He was neither bound by the life-long, well-learned traditions of his Jewish heritage nor by his Roman citizenship. He knew he was a new person in Christ and he would live out his days as an ambassador of Christ. In all relationships, whether with those of faith or those without, he conducted his life as he understood Christ would interact with others. It was the love of Christ that compelled Paul.

Reconciliation is possible

As an ambassador of Christ, Paul spent his life sharing with others that reconciliation was possible, first with almighty God and second with each other. As much as we might hope for the best and right relationships with all people through positive thinking or political action, it is only Jesus who can reconcile by his perfect work of re-creation in us. Paul understood that there were some who had stirred up the Corinthians and planted doubts in their minds about Paul and his teaching. Paul wrote his letter with the determination of an ambassador to represent Christ well by being reconciled with his brothers and sisters where the relationship was fractured.

He calls his brothers and sisters to work together with him and demonstrate that they had not received God’s grace in vain. Paul defended his behavior and his words as honest and Christ-filled. Here is how he commended himself to those he loved and had called to Christ;

• By great endurance
• In afflictions
• Hardships
• Calamities
• Beatings
• Imprisonments
• Riots
• Labors
• Sleepless nights
• Hunger

Paul experienced all these emotions and experiences, and the believers in Corinth knew he had endured them. But even with all of the pain and difficulty, Paul operated by and through the love of Christ with:

• Purity
• Knowledge
• Patience
• Kindness
• The Holy Spirit
• Genuine love
• Truthful speech
• The power of God

He was prepared for spiritual battles equipped both with offensive and defensive weapons against the Enemy’s attacks. Even as Paul battled, Satan had stirred believers to oppose and hurt him, but Jesus proved to be true and visible day by day. Here’s how Paul described the battle, and the victories:

• Treated as imposters, yet are true
• Treated as unknown, yet known
• Treated as dying, yet we live
• Treated with punishment, yet we are not killed
• Treated as sorrowful, yet we are always rejoicing
• Treated as poor, yet making many rich
• Treated as if we had nothing ,yet we have everything

Paul spoke his words freely, and even as others challenged him, he opened his heart wider that they might see and know the love of Christ.

Rooted in love

I’m just wondering what might happen in our communities, our country, and even in the world if we lived as ambassadors of Jesus instead of ambassadors for our political parties? What if our loyalty and our voice was always rooted in the love of Christ for the purposes of Christ and his Kingdom?

Paul warned us about being unequally yoked. This statement was certainly pointed at things more than whom we marry. The great apostle reminds us that we are, in fact, each a temple of the Holy Spirit. What might happen if our words and deeds truly reflected the amazing and miraculous reality?

I suspect we would see a movement from Heaven that would change the chaos we see everyday and hasten the return of Jesus.

Your time with God’s Word
2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:20‬; 6:1-18 ‭ESV‬‬