OUR MISSION
TRUE BELIEVERS ARE AMBASSADORS, NOT TOURISTS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD
From the moment of our salvation on, we became aliens in “the world," which is hostile to the will of God and the kingdom of God. The Bible says that we are “in the world, but not of it." But for what purpose? To be an ambassador, a representative of Christ and to serve the “sub-kingdom” given each one of us. (The people and things over which we have authority or with whom we have influence.) The two primary tasks of ambassadors to a foreign nation are to conduct themselves in such a way as to be a credit to their country and to advance the interests of the government that sent them. The very reason for our existence is to bring God glory by being representatives of the kingdom of God.
An authentic follower of Jesus Christ is consciously aware that it is his responsibility and privilege to represent the king well through his personal conduct. Jesus even entrusted his reputation to us. This means we are to live lives which are so radically different, attractive, and loving that people are drawn to Jesus because we personify his character. Inversely, when we sin publicly we embarrass Jesus.
Secular ambassadors are given policy books on everything from foreign trade to defense and are required to study them diligently. Their governments want them to know the official policy and position statement for every major issue. Ambassadors do not make up policy, but they have latitude in how those policies are carried out. For Christian ambassadors the Bible is our policy book. We need to be serious students of God’s positions on everything so when we speak; we represent the interests of God faithfully.
What are the interests of God which we are called to advance? First, to bring the message of the gospel to the citizens of Satan’s kingdom. Compelled by love, we want them to renounce their citizenship, and become citizens of the kingdom of God and fellow ambassadors with us. Second, to love the members of our family, the church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, fellow aliens and encourage and help them to be fully devoted followers of Jesus - ambassadors. Third, to be “salt and light” in the world, showing loving compassion, justice, and mercy to everyone, especially the “least of these," the hopeless and helpless of this world. Fourth, we are called to change how life works on earth – that is how we interact with each other and even with the earth itself. But, what does this look like in real life?
For one thing, it means that we get up each day intent on being good and doing good in our sub-kingdom. Maybe it’s a kind word to a step-father we have not yet grown to love – a refusal to make untrue claims about our company’s products – having a cup of coffee with a neighbor who has made some awful choices – being kind to a “fringe kid” in school – refusing to enter into gossip or laugh at filth. It’s about looking for ways to “be Jesus” and talk about Jesus daily. It’s intentionally bringing the grace of God and the goodness of God to ordinary life. It’s a pro-active lifestyle of love, which is so compelling and attractive that those who do not know Jesus, will want to know why we are the way we are.
On a larger scale, it means that where there are unjust laws, we work to have them repealed. Where there is hatred we attempt to be peacemakers. Where there is poverty we provide out of “our” resources. When we see racial injustice we speak out and act against it. When pollution threatens a stream we work to stop it and clean it up. An ambassador acts with virtue and integrity, teaching their children and others to love God, love the Bible and love life – everyone’s.
Ambassadors also understand that they are trustees, not owners of their days on earth and the financial resources entrusted to them. We hold both in trust, on behalf of the poor, the sick, the spiritually lost and the other redemptive purposes of God. God cannot be held responsible for much of this world’s suffering because he has provided Christians in the west with adequate resources to assure that no one on earth needs to die of hunger, preventable disease or lack of shelter. The only obstacle between meeting their needs is our desire to love them more than we love ourselves and our lifestyles. Ambassadors are committed to righting this wrong and bringing Shalom to their world.
Finally, it means living an examined life. How consumed am I with my own comfort, leisure, hobbies and stuff? Are they really energy and resource leaks? Like weights in a backpack, our need for these things can hinder, even cripple our effectiveness as an ambassador. “Your God” said Martin Luther, “is whatever your heart clings to.”
There is a deadly myth prevalent today that there are two classes of believers – serious followers of Jesus and the rest of us - Christian tourists, if you will. Unlike ambassadors, it’s the goal of tourists to enjoy themselves and experience the culture. They desire to be served, rather than serve. Christian tourists may attend evangelical churches, be theologically correct, “believe in Jesus”, listen to Christian radio, serve in their church or on ministry boards, and even send their children to Christian school. They may be forever learning about Jesus, but never fully committing themselves to a life of loving and serving him and others. Outside of their “religious culture” the unspoken goal of their lives is to kill time pleasantly. The question is “Is a Christian tourist really a Christian?”
In the life of every ambassador, there are times, even weeks and months when we act like tourists, grieve the Holy Spirit and fail miserably to obey God and love others. However, those times should be followed by a heartfelt sorrow and a sincere desire to realign our lives again with the redemptive purposes of God.
Ultimately our behavior reveals what we truly believe. While these “tourists” could simply be spiritually immature, such casual and careless “Christians” should not presume to possess a saving faith that produces so little fruit.
Ultimately, the litmus test of a true ambassador of Christ is this: Do the people who know you best have a deeper respect for the love, wisdom, and glory of God because of what they see in your life?
John 15:19; II Cor. 5:20; I Peter 2:9; Eph. 6:19-20; I Peter 2:11,12; Eph. 5:3-5; Luke 8:13-15; Luke 9:23-25; Matt. 7:21-24, 26; Gal. 6:10; Matt. 10:34-36; I Peter 3:14-15; Matt. 5:14-16; Matt. 10:32-33