"Ambassadors for Christ"

Victory Can Be Yours!

Article # 35 – “Ambassador for Christ”

            How do we become ambassadors for Christ?  How do we perform the good works that God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them?  For starters, God has given us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us to guide and to teach us.  The Holy Spirit “will guide you into all truth”, as promised in John 16:13. 

Secondly, He has given the Church gifts, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; …” (Eph. 4:11, 12)  Notice the purpose of these offices, to equip the saints for the work of service.  So, they are given that we might be properly prepared for service.

Thirdly, spiritual gifts are given by God, so that we can perform the work that He has prepared for us. “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Cor. 12:4-7)

He, also, gives us His word, the Bible.  What does Paul tell Timothy about the Bible?  “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16, 17)  Without the Bible, it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to adequately serve God and be an ambassador for Him.

Many people believe that God has given each believer a spiritual gift.  I am not one of those, which does not necessarily make me right and them wrong.  I believe that God has made available to every believer, as stated in the verses above, a variety of gifts, variety of ministries, and a variety of effects.  When you are doing the Lord’s work, He can and will use whichever gifts are needed to perform the task at hand.  If the work you are currently engaged in requires supernatural wisdom, He will provide it.  If the work you are engaged in requires more faith, or more knowledge, the gift of helps or compassion, he will provide whatever is necessary at the moment it is needed.  The verse would suggest that a single gift may be used in a variety of ways for a variety of purposes.  These gifts are given by God “for the common good” as stated in the above passage.  If every believer was given only one gift, he would be so proud of it that he would be playing with it to show it off for his own gratification rather than glorifying God.  Each individual in the Church is to be about accomplishing God’s work in order to bring honor and glory to Him.   

How do these gifts come to us?  For a gift or gifts to come to a person, the person must just step out in faith and desire to serve and glorify the living God and you will be given the resources needed to fulfill your ministry.  Those resources can come to you in a variety of gifts, a variety of ministries, and with a variety of effects. “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”  (1 Cor. 12:11) (Emphasis mine)

You, too, can have victory in Jesus!  More on spiritual gifts to follow.

Lowell Parrish