Verse of the Dayy 6/1

Verse of the Day 6/1

2 Corinthians 5:19-20

Holman Christian Standard Bible

19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God."

Have you ever stepped back and consider what it means to be an ambassador for Christ as Paul stated in this verse?  We've all heard or seen in movies where diplomats from a country break the law and them claim "diplomatic immunity".  They take advantage of their status to break the law and may get away with it.  An ambassador is a minister of the highest rank from the sending country whereas a diplomat is someone that it accredited to conuct diplomacy in another nation. An ambassador is higher profile and as such should take their role more seriously.  How do we consider ourselves in relation to Christ?

We are ambassadors of Christ and commissioned to spread the Gospel, the good news. I had "saved" the following quote in my e-bible.  I thought it did a good job of summing up what this does and doesn't involve.

"We are not sent to preach sociology but salvation; not economics but evangelism; not reform but redemption; not culture but conversion; not progress but pardon; not a new social order but a new birth; not revolution but regeneration; not renovation but revival; not resuscitation but resurrection; not a new organization but a new creation; not democracy but the gospel; not civilization but Christ; we are ambassadors, not diplomats."  (Source unknown)

We are to be ambassadors, promoting the good news to a world that needs to hear it and come to know Jesus as Savior, redeemer and friend.

Blessings,

Mike

Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Ministry of Reconciliation

16 From now on, then, we do not know[a] anyone in a purely human way.[b] Even if we have known[c] Christ in a purely human way,[d] yet now we no longer know[e] Him in this way. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things[f] have come. 18 Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God." 21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin[g] for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.