Ambassadors for Christ

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“Ambassadors for Christ”
Victor Paul Wierwille

The Word of God declares that each born-again son of God is an ambassador for the Lord Jesus Christ. He has the privilege of going and telling all that he has in Christ. The Word Over the World Ambassador program gives people the opportunity to be the best ambassadors for Christ they can possibly be.
We’ve set up this program, according to the principles of God’s Word. When Jesus Christ sent out the twelve, he sent them out two-by-two; and later on, he also sent out seventy more by twos. I learned long ago whenever you do things as closely patterned as possible to what God’s Word sets forth, you’re walking in alignment and harmony with God and are guaranteed success.
Many basic truths about ambassadors are found in the great record about the believer’s ministry of reconciliation in II Corinthians. Whether or not you’re a WOW Ambassador, once you’re born again of God’s Spirit you are an ambassador. The fifth chapter of II Corinthians says in verse 18:
II Corinthians 5:18:
And all things are of God, who hath [past tense] reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
Isn’t that beautiful? God has reconciled us to Himself. ‘‘To reconcile” means “to bring back together that which has been separated.” The separation was between man and God, because after the fall man was just body and soul, without spirit, and therefore had no spiritual connection with God. So through the work of Jesus Christ, God reconciled man to Himself; He brought us back together with Him. Once again man could have that spiritual connection.
After God reconciled us, He then gave to us. God doesn’t give conditionally, as we might. Once God gives, He has given it. Just think about this for a moment: We have what God has given. The whole world can say we don’t have it, but we know we have what God “hath given.” He gave to us the ministry of reconciliation. If you don’t want to have the ministry of reconciliation, just don’t get born again. The moment a person is born again, he has the ministry of reconciliation. God gave it to us whether we like it, or whether we don’t like it. He didn’t give it to angels. He didn’t give it just to clergymen. He didn’t give it just to Harvard graduates. He gave it to believers, human beings who are born again of His Spirit. Now if the believer happens to be a theologian, that’s great. If he happens to be a college graduate, great. If he happens to be a farmer, wonderful. If he happens to be a factory worker, wonderful. His occupation is not the criterion; every born-again believer has the same ministry of reconciliation. And, ladies and gentlemen, you’re responsible for what you’ve got. Someday when you appear before the Father, you’ll have to give an account of what you did with that which He gave to you.
Do you know why most Christians aren’t doing much with what they have? They honestly do not know that they have the ministry of reconciliation. Do you see why it’s so necessary for us to teach people the accuracy of God’s Word? So they can come to the accurate knowledge of the Truth and become the ambassadors God wants them to be.
Our heavenly Father created the heavens and earth in which we live. And He has given to us the ministry. What a privilege. What a wonderful joy to have that. Well, bless God, let’s do something with it. Let’s move it!
Do you know what the word “ministry’’ literally means? It means ‘‘service rendered by a servant.” He’s given to us the service to be rendered by a servant. We’re sons of God in our direct relationship with Him, but we’re servants to our fellowmen. That’s the ministry He’s given to us. Verse 19 says:
II Corinthians 5:19:
To wit, that God was in Christ,...
God was where? In Christ. Had Jesus Christ been God, God wouldn’t have been in him, for he would have been God, right? Here it says God was in Christ. And the Word of God says it’s God in Christ in you when you’re born again of God’s Spirit. Jesus Christ said, “The works that I do you shall do also.” Someday this thing is going to live in you; and when it does, it’ll turn you on. It will make life worth living.
II Corinthians 5:19 continued:
... God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses [their sins] unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
There it is. He has given us the ministry to be of service as servants, and He also has given us the Word with which to do the job. He has committed unto us His Word. And if anybody is ever going to know what God makes available and really be delivered, you and I are going to have to tell it like it is—not like people say it may be. We need to read what is written and say what the Word says. God has committed unto us the Word of reconciliation; it’s His Word that reconciles men and women to God. That Word builds believing, and all believing equals receiving. Verse 20 says:
II Corinthians 5:20:
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
It says ‘‘NOW,” not when we die, but right now—right after each one of us is born again of God’s Spirit, filled with the power of the holy spirit, NOW we are ambassadors for Christ. We have the ministry of reconciliation, we have the Word that we’re responsible for holding forth, and we are ambassadors. Whether you like it or whether you don’t like it, you’re an ambassador. Well, bless God, you ought to like it.
A citizen might spend a lot of money to get to be an ambassador for a nation. When you’re born again you’re an ambassador for God. It’s just like a tail on a dog—it’s there. The tail is there whether the dog likes it or not. Once you’re born again, you’re an ambassador. Then the question is: How is your walk? How is your witness? What are you exemplifying? What do people see when they see you? Do they see Christ, or do they see a loser? Do they see a man that is a real man of God? Do they see a woman that is a beautiful woman of God who has principles, commitment, and dynamics, and who is in control of her life? You decide. You’re the ambassador. Verse 21 says:
II Corinthians 5:20:
For he [God] hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
How righteous is the righteousness of God? Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation....” The Word of God and Jesus Christ within are the only things I’ve ever seen that take condemnation out of a human being. Christ in you takes condemnation out—cleanses you on the inside. You’re radiant. Somebody once described this as “swallowing a bushel of sunshine.’’ You’re just totally effervescing from the inside. You’re electrifying; you’re dynamic; you’re loving. That’s just the way you are. Isn’t that beautiful? We are made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
Workers Together with God
Verse 1 of II Corinthians 6 says:
I Corinthians 6:1:
We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
We then, are workers together with Him. What a category to be in, to be a worker together with God through Jesus Christ! That’s moving in the top echelon, with the “top brass.” To be a worker together with God who created the heavens and the earth—what a privilege!
There’s a great joy in serving; and in our worldwide outreach, learning to serve is also a joy. That’s part of our WOW Ambassador program. People have to be taught how to serve so they learn to serve with joy. In all of our outreach programs, our people learn to give in order to receive.
By the way, they also learn the joy of work, because so many times people don’t like to work until they get to be ambassadors for God. Once a person starts seeing the principle of working so that he can give, he gets into his work and learns to enjoy working. I thank God I can work. If I could stand to do it twenty-three-and-a-half hours a day, I’d do it, too, just for the joy of working. I learned in the Word of God that God never gave His Word to a lazy person. Every man and woman who ever received an abundance from God believed God and really worked. They’re the ones to whom God revealed His Word. For example, the Apostle Paul was never a slouch. Even when he persecuted the Christians, he was diligent and worked hard at it. Later on, when he joined God’s team, he worked even harder. We teach our people to enjoy work. That’s part of living life more abundantly.
Disciplined Living
Another great principle in the outreach of the ministry of reconciliation is disciplined living. Most people are so undisciplined they never live— they merely exist. Living comes with discipline. That’s why the word “disciple,” a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, means “a disciplined one.” There is no Life—with a capital L—in abundance until you get self-discipline. No one can force it on you. You, by your own choice, discipline your life out of love for God and others. That self-discipline is fantastic, and that’s what being a Word Over the World Ambassador is all about.
Ambassadors experience the joy of serving. They learn to receive by giving, because all the laws of receiving are contingent upon the laws of giving. For example, if I want to receive strength in this arm, I don’t let it hang and say to it, ‘‘Arm, get strong.’’ If I want strength in this arm, I give, give, give by exercising it; and I build up all the muscles. The laws of life are like that. To be an ambassador you have to enjoy working and serving, and you have to have the discipline that goes with it if you’re going to succeed.
Seven Categories of a Son of God
There are seven different categories that we function in as born-again sons of God.
1. We are athletes (Ephesians 6. 12). An athlete is one who is trained and disciplined to win.
2. We are servants (II Corinthians 4.1). The word “ministry” is service rendered by a servant.
3. We are stewards (I Corinthians 4:1 and 2). A steward is second in command in a household. A steward is the one who has been given the power of attorney.
4. We are witnesses (Acts 1.8). We are living witnesses to the greatness of the power of God.
5. We are slaves, doulos (Romans 6:22). A slave is a son of God committed by his renewed mind. He lives a deeper renewed-mind commitment than a servant does. Doulos implies commitment to the degree that nothing will shake you.
6. We are fellow workers (Colossians 4:11).
7. We are ambassadors (II Corinthians 5:20).
These are the categories that are given in the Word regarding the believer who has the ministry and the Word of reconciliation.
Sharings
I want to share a letter with you. I could share hundreds of letters like this one. It speaks of Power for Abundant Living—a good class to get people to God’s Word and get God’s Word in people. This letter is addressed to me and it says:
God bless you with the fullness of His capacity in the name of our lord and savior, Christ Jesus. My husband and I completed the Power for Abundant Living class, and I find words are inadequate to thank you for the love and care you have poured into your teaching.
My husband and I have been married for eleven years and have two sons. We lived the first ten of these years with resentment and malice toward each other. Neither of us expected to remain married through this year. Our negative belief and the tension surely was reflected in our children. I was first introduced to The Way two years ago, but at that time I was rather enjoying my unhappiness and rejected the love and guidance offered me.
The goodness of the believers’ words came back to me repeatedly during the following year, however, so I called them, saying that I wanted to go to the Rock of Ages with them. My husband would not go, but as it was in my heart to learn more, my sons and I went without him. The beauty and the tenderness we encountered there were compounded by the miracles and teachings we witnessed. I hungered for more of God’s wonderful Word. After the Rock, my husband agreed to attend a fellowship with me. Our sons attended a Children’s Fellowship during our adult meeting. When they returned to the room afterward, their faces were so radiant that, to me, it seemed the entire room was illuminated.
After hearing the teaching of a single fellowship meeting and seeing how radiant our children were, my husband signed a check for the Power for Abundant Living class. We have been blessed continually since that moment.
Once we had no money, but the food in our house lasted twice the time it normally would. Later, everything we needed was drastically reduced in the supermarket. Another time, my husband needed a pair of shoes, but he shared it with no one except God. The next day our neighbor, an elderly man, sent over a new pair of shoes which did not fit him well. Guess who they fit? I could go on and on and on, as each day brings an increase to the abundance. But I’m sure this does not surprise you. After all, you taught us how to receive God’s abundance.
Last night, when we spoke in tongues for the first time, the power and glory of our Lord was manifest. The joy we felt was too great to be contained in our bursting hearts. The love and gratitude we feel for you is boundless, and we pray for you daily in our spiritual prayers.
That’s the result of a class called Power for Abundant Living. What changed their lives? The Word of God.
When that Word of God is properly planted and watered and believed, God gives the increase. Someone had spoken the Word as an ambassador for Christ, and the lives of that family changed.
Here’s something a WOW Ambassador wrote:
We have the privilege of reconciling people back to God, and what a privilege it is. I’ve grown to the point that I love people, even g they couldn’t care less about me, because I just remember they don’t have what I have in life.
There is no reason to get bitter toward anyone. All they need is a little love, care, and concern. I love this life and speak God’s Word because I want others to have it.
When we carry out God’s ministry of reconciliation, we experience a joy, a vivacious enthusiasm, a love for life that comes only when a son of God is going and telling so that others might have life and have it more abundantly.
As ambassadors for Christ, that’s our ministry—to go and tell!