Dear Michael,
Paul says you and I are “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). But what does that mean? Well, an ambassador is someone who represents the desires of his king in a foreign land.
But then Paul adds something vital: “We are ambassadors for Christ as though God were entreating through us….” That means wherever you and I go, everything we do or say will be “as though God were entreating through us.”
It’s a sobering thought. I want to be the finest ambassador for Christ I can possibly be…and I know I’m not alone in this desire. But what does it personally mean for you and me to represent Christ everywhere we go, “as though God were entreating through you”?
Here’s the model we use at Stand to Reason. An effective ambassador has three essential skills.
First, he must have some basic knowledge. Minimally, he must know the character, mind, and purposes of his king.
Second, this knowledge must be deployed in a skillful way. There’s an element of wisdom, a tactical and artful diplomacy that makes his message persuasive.
Third is character. Because an ambassador brings himself along in everything he does, his personal maturity and individual virtue will either make or break the message.
These three areas—knowledge, wisdom, and character—are three dimensions you and I need to continue to grow in as Ambassadors for Christ
Greg Koukl
Paul says you and I are “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). But what does that mean? Well, an ambassador is someone who represents the desires of his king in a foreign land.
But then Paul adds something vital: “We are ambassadors for Christ as though God were entreating through us….” That means wherever you and I go, everything we do or say will be “as though God were entreating through us.”
It’s a sobering thought. I want to be the finest ambassador for Christ I can possibly be…and I know I’m not alone in this desire. But what does it personally mean for you and me to represent Christ everywhere we go, “as though God were entreating through you”?
Here’s the model we use at Stand to Reason. An effective ambassador has three essential skills.
First, he must have some basic knowledge. Minimally, he must know the character, mind, and purposes of his king.
Second, this knowledge must be deployed in a skillful way. There’s an element of wisdom, a tactical and artful diplomacy that makes his message persuasive.
Third is character. Because an ambassador brings himself along in everything he does, his personal maturity and individual virtue will either make or break the message.
These three areas—knowledge, wisdom, and character—are three dimensions you and I need to continue to grow in as Ambassadors for Christ
Greg Koukl
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