What is an Ambassador for Christ? (2 Corinthians 5:20)
In Christianity, being an ambassador for Christ means representing Jesus and His message to the world. All Christians are required to reflect the nature and character of Christ in how we live and interact with others.
So an ambassador for Christ is someone who morally, socially and spiritually represents Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God in daily living.
2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “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.”
The Role of an Ambassador of Christ
1. Imitate and become more like Jesus
We must imitate and follow the life and example of Christ. In John 13:15 Jesus says: “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Philippians 2:5 says: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus
Ephesians 5:1-2 says: Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
When people observe the life of a Christian, they should see the nature and character of Jesus Christ and the values and teachings that Jesus taught.
2. Sharing the Gospel
Ambassadors for Christ share the message of salvation with others and invite them to know Him. Sharing the Gospel that salvation is only through Christ alone is integral to the life of a Christian.
Romans 10:14-15 says: But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
As ambassadors, Christians not only represent the Kingdom of God, but Christians are labeled as being citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20). Therefore, it is through the sharing of the Gospel that we can invite others to join and become citizens of God’s kingdom.
3. Reconciling people to God
As ambassadors, Christians play a role in helping others understand and experience God’s love and reconciliation through Jesus. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23). The consequence of sin is eternal punishment and separation from God, but the gift of eternal life is through personally receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Romans 6:23).
The world of non-Christians is at enmity with God because they have not believed and received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The world embraces a culture of sin and rejects God. The world is on a trajectory to hell and will perish unless it believes in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-17).
So the role of every Christian, as an ambassador for Christ, is to reconcile people to God through preaching the Gospel and introducing people to Christ. Jesus is the bridge between man and God. Christ is the One who reconciles us back to God. Forgiveness of sins and eternal life is only possible through Christ alone.
Therefore it is the role of the Christian to point unbelievers to Christ because Jesus is the Mediator between God and man. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 says: And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
Conclusion
The role of every Christian as an ambassador is to bring people to Christ through the preaching of the Gospel. Ambassadors of Christ have the role of convincing people that they need to become citizens of the Kingdom of God through accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Jesus Himself said that He alone is way to God and nobody can enter Heaven without Him. In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
