The Most Prolific Calling You Have as a Child of God

To function effectively as children of God, we must discover our spiritual identity, then consistently and confidently walk in it. This is best accomplished by learning the names and titles God has given us in His Word.

For over three decades, I have diligently studied this primary theme in God’s Word. Of the hundreds of names bestowed on us, some have impacted me in very profound ways. Such is the case with this title found in 2 Corinthians 5:20 (MEV). Paul, the prolific, apostolic epistle-writer, declares:

“So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us. We implore you in Christ’s stead: Be reconciled to God.”

An “ambassador” is a representative, a messenger, one sent on a specific errand.

The person who fills this role effectively seeks to speak not his own mind but the mind of the nation, the organization or the leader he represents. Therefore, an ambassador is someone who has lost his own personal agenda, assuming the identity and heralding the cause of another.

When John the Baptist was asked by his detractors to identify himself, he could have easily boasted, “I am the son of Zechariah, the high priest, the sole heir of the most respected religious position in Israel.” Instead, he responded, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord'” (John 1:23; see Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1).

When this last of the Old Testament prophets walked across the pages of history, he was not striving to draw attention to himself. On the contrary, his mission and message were far more important and his passion was exalting the Messiah. He even declared, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

In consideration of this example, the first dominant character trait of a true ambassador must be selflessness.

When a United States ambassador speaks, it is understood that he is sanctioned and supported by all the combined authority of the United States military and government—the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, the Pentagon, the Congress, the Senate, all the way up to the chiefs of staff, the cabinet, the vice president and the president himself. It’s as if an invisible host surrounds the ambassador and lends their united influence and superior strength, even in hostile and challenging areas of the world. It is no wonder that an ambassador can prevent a major war or sway a whole nation, for he or she could well say, “There are more for me than there are against me.”

In like manner, as “ambassadors of the Messiah,” we are encompassed with a “great cloud of witnesses” for not only do we speak in the name of the King of all kings, we represent the entire kingdom and all its citizenry (2 Cor. 5:20, CJB, Heb. 12:1). Our authority is undergirded by all God’s chosen from the Old Covenant, including the patriarchs, prophets, judges, priests and all true Israelites, as well as all of God’s people under the New Covenant: the entire body of Christ spanning two millennia. When we truly speak under the inspiration of God and under His anointing, what we say can potentially bear just as much authority as the Lord of hosts speaking Himself.

Therefore, ambassadors are also persons of great authority who can act with great boldness.

Jesus was the firstborn ambassador of heaven: the prime example of this calling to all who would follow. All believers are His many brethren, chosen to walk in His likeness—continuing His mission and perpetuating His message—not a message of condemnation or religious legalism! Quite the contrary, it is a message of love, mercy, forgiveness and restoration. No wonder it is called “the gospel” (meaning good news).

Look at our main verse again, undergirded by the two verses preceding it:

“All this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation. So, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us. We implore you in Christ’s stead: Be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:18-20, MEV, author’s emphasis).

Ambassadors of heaven are called to be God’s mouthpieces, equipped with the principal “ministry” and “message” of the firstborn Son—which, according to this passage, is reconciliation (restoration to a right and harmonious relationship with God).

In this New Covenant era especially, God is not interested in cutting people off. On the contrary, He is very passionate about cutting people free—from the sin of our pasts and the judgment we deserve. So, instead of going through life poised to condemn others for their bad actions and attitudes, let’s rightly represent heaven by declaring the incredible power of the cross—the Messiah’s promise to restore even the most erring human beings to a harmonious, peaceful and fruitful relationship with the Everlasting Father above. {eoa}

A product of the Jesus Movement Era, Mike Shreve has traveled evangelistically in the United States and overseas since 1970 with an emphasis on healing and the prophetic. His primary biblical teaching for over 35 years has been the spiritual identity of believers. This powerful insight is featured on his weekly podcast on cpnshows.com and his TV program—both titled “Discover Your Spiritual Identity.” It is also the theme of his Charisma House book titled WHO AM I? Dynamic Declarations of Who You Are in Christ. The first three categories on his YouTube website expand on this amazing revelation: YouTube.com/mikeshreveministries.

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