Our lesson today deals with “Our Ambassadorship.” 1. The Privilege; 2. The Responsibility; 3. The Fight; & 4. The Glory. As “ambassadors for Christ,” first, we need the right motivation (incentive, drive). Paul says: After we have become justified unto eternal life, “dead to sin & alive unto God” (Romans 6:11). “The love of God constrains (controls, energizes, activates) us.” We sometimes have the wrong motivation as ambassadors.
A. Witnessing out of a feeling of Guilt is sometimes the problem with believers. You know you ought to be out there witnessing to people & you feel guilty when you don’t. B. Witnessing out of a feeling of Obligation. Many times believers put themselves “under the law” & act as though they are under Israel’s Great Commission. C. Witnessing out of a feeling of Recompense. The feeling that we need to pay God back for saving us. Therefore, we feel we must show our worth by witnessing. D. Witnessing out of a false sense of spirituality. Thinking that I need to meet a false sense of a daily or weekly quota, of winning souls. Nothing could be further from the truth! The grand privilege of “Our Ambassadorship” is that, it is ”a right granted by God enabling us to tell men, women, boys & girls about the “grace of God, through the L.J.C. This is motivation enough. And it is a 2- fold privilege, 1. “To make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery of Christ;” “Be ye reconciled to God;” 2. “To teach the angels in heavenly places, by the church, the eternal purpose of God.” (Eph. 3:9-11; 2 Cor. 5:20).
When we fully understand & appreciate The Privilege, The Responsibility, The Fight, & The Glory of Our Ambassadorship, we will have the proper attitude & activity! Apostle Paul wrote in: Eph. 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto GOOD WORKS, which God hath before ordained that we should WALK IN THEM.”
If a man or a woman professes “godliness” (thinking like God, the Father; Walking like God, the Son; Co-Laboring with God, the Holy Spirit), he or she should show it by his or her “actions” or “good works.” The walk or manner of life should speak for a godly woman and a godly man by his or her actions, Not just their words! It is vital to know that we are not conformed to Christ’s image by imitation, but by the “renewing of our minds” by His Spirit in us as we study His word “rightly divided” (Rom. 12:1, 2, 8:29; 1 Cor. 2:16).
“We compare spiritual verses with spiritual verses (Paul’s sound doctrine). Godly thinking leads to godly behavior (godliness), which leads to good works. And one of those “good works” is “Evangelism”.
1. EVANGELISM: The proclamation of the gospel of grace to non-believers resulting in their conversion to J.C. & fellowship in the local body of believers. 2. EDIFICATION: The equipping of believers with sound doctrine so that they experience genuine spiritual growth , which results in doctrinal unity, personal integrity, & corporate harmony.
3. EXPANSION: The sending & supporting of spiritually mature & properly trained workers into every community & culture of the world resulting in planting grace churches in every ethnic grouping.
Again, the”Ambassador For Christ” is not to be motivated by “guilt,” “obligation,” “recompense,” or “false spirituality,” but is to instead be motivated by “Agape Love.” Paul touches on this in dealing with Timothy. In 2 Timothy 3:6-7 he said; “Some in the “last days of grace” having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Paul was referring to false teachers, Jannes & Jambres, they resisted the truth, men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” They were wrongly dividing the scriptures!
That’s why Paul admonished Timothy. “To Teach No Other Doctrine.” (1 Tim. 1:3). Yes, “For we are His WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus unto GOOD WORKS, which God ORDAINED that we should WALK IN THEM.”
“Being confident of this very thing, that He which BEGUN A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL PERFORM it until the Day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1 :8). Yes, He has BEGUN A BRAND-NEW GOOD WORK IN YOU
We have a GOOD WORK to PERFORM of telling men & angels about a: A BRAND-NEW APOSTLE: Paul, not Peter. A BRAND-NEW GOSPEL: The gospel of grace, not gospel of the kingdom. A BRAND-NEW DISPENSATION: The Mystery, not prophecy.
A BRAND-NEW AGENCY: The B.O.C. not N.O.I.
A BRAND-NEW AUDIENCE: All men. Not just Israel.
A BRAND-NEW OPERATING SYSTEM: Grace, not Law.
A BRAND-NEW DESTINY: Heaven, not the earth.
YES, GOD HAS GIVEN Us THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION,
AND GOD HAS COMMITTED UNTO Us THE WORD OF RECONCILATION.
NOW THEN WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST
“NOW THANKS BE UNTO GOD, WHICH ALWAYS CAUSETH Us TO THIUMPH IN CHRIST, AND MAKETH MANIFEST THE SAVOUR OF HIS KNOWLEDGE BY Us IN EVERY PLACE,” (2 Cor. 2:14)
“Praying always for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds; that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Eph. 6:19-20).
Colman J. Gilliland 