You Are An Ambassador Of Jesus Christ: Living As One

Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man,

but through Jesus Christ and God the Father

Who raised Him from the dead), and all

the brethren who are with me,

to the churches of Galatia:

Grace to you and peace from God the Father

and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself

for our sins, that He might deliver us

from this present evil age, according to the will

of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Galatians 1:1–5

            Paul in his introduction to his letter ensures with no words minced; he was not selected to be an apostle by men, rather he was selected by Jesus Christ Himself and this narrative of his selection is found in chapter nine of Acts.  The word apostle has lost it meaning over time and we must understand this word if we are to understand what it means to be an apostle. The Greek word, ἀπόστολος, is formed from the Greek word that means one that is selected, a delegate, an ambassador, and in the case of Paul an ambassador of Jesus Christ who selected him.  This Greek word, ἀπόστολος, is from “stello,” to send, and the word “ἀπό “ means; “from”, therefore sent from, and Paul was sent, therefore is an apostle.  Barnabas was called an apostle; (Acts 14:4,14). Andronicus and Junias ( Romans 16:7).  There is reference to two men who have this same word applied to them, (2Corinthians 8:23). Epaphroditus is called as “your messenger, (Philippians 2:25), and it is used of Paul, Silas, and Timothy in defining their relation to Jesus Christ, (1Thessalonians 2;6). In Ephesians 6:20 Paul uses the Greek word, πρεσβεύω, presbyter, to be an ambassador, and we to are called to be an ambassador: “Now then, we are ambassadors (πρεσβεύω,), for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore y9u on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2Corinthians 5:20). While we were not selected by Jesus Christ as was Paul, nor were we selected to be an elder, πρεσβεύω, in a church, we are still ambassadors for Christ. Some have been called, as was Paul, to special office as an ambassador, but we are all called to be witnesses, and to speak the Gospel, to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ. Paul states that the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead.  Some teach there is no reference that Jesus is of the same essence as the Father, that He is a second Person, but not God, but is this true, was Paul telling us that Jesus was not God, only the Father? NO! Read the words of Jesus in John’s letter who recorded the words of Jesus: “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:38–40). Jesus is the One who raises Himself from the dead, and this resurrection is also said to be by the Father, and this is true for it was the will of the Father that Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son, should die, and then arise from the dead in payment of sin, sin which man could not, even by his death, pay this debt.  Paul gives this wonderful opening to the Churches of Galatia and those words apply to us: “Grace to you and peace form God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ” (vs. 3). Grace, peace, not from Paul, not from some preacher, not from those who are mortal and have the corruption of sin in them, rather this peace comes from God, the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice this, Jesus and God the Father are both given grace and peace, and the connecting word “and” conjoins the Father and the Son making them as one who is giving this promise of Grace and Peace. The Gospel is clearly outlined in these opening words: “who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age” (vs.4a). Then Paul concludes the Gospel message that this is the will of our God and Father.  God is not just a God to us; He is our Father, Father to all of His children. We are to do as Paul does: “to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (vs. 5). 

            Let us not be as some were in the churches of Galatia; those who hear the Gospel and be as those who would enslave you to the law, or to some theology that is not Scriptural making their gospel law and miss out on the Grace and peace God offers to those who believe in Him, in His Only Begotten Son, for if we are not believing, or following a lie, then we may say that we are Christian but our lives deny this statement. You have placed yourself under the burden of law, a burden to do, to work out your belief, to do things that seem pious but have no foundation in Scripture. Let us become ambassadors for Jesus Christ and be a witness to the truth as declared and revealed to us in God’s holy word. There is not some new revelation as some teach, some new way, some new thing we must do; NO!  The word of God as spoken and written by men of God, by Paul in this case, is what we follow and apply in our lives.

            Do you want grace and peace? Do you believe that Jesus raised Himself from the dead and will raise all those given to Him by the Father? Then in whatever manner you are called to do and be in this life, you are an ambassador and witness and all that God has promised is yours, not from your doing which comes from a grateful heart, a believing heart, which is necessary, but by the will of God He gives these promises to you freely. Praise God!

Behold the proud,

            His soul is not upright in him;

But the just shall live by his faith.

                                    Habakkuk 2:4

Follow Jesus Christ

Richard L. Crumb