CHRIST'S AMBASSADORS by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 12, 1901

CHRIST'S AMBASSADORS

By John Norton Loughborough

“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.” 2 Cor. 5: 20.

An ambassador is “a minister of the highest rank, sent by one government to another to represent that government.” In this text the ambassadors of Christ are represented as if speaking to the people “in Christ’s stead”—Christ’s representatives. How important, then, that we all, as Christ’s servants, in all our labors and demeanor, be actuated by the Spirit of Christ, and that the Christ life be wrought out in our daily life, and in our efforts to communicate to others the truths pertaining to the kingdom of God. This is well expressed by the apostle Paul, in these words: “That utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Eph. 6: 19, 20.

This boldness is not the boldness of self, or self-importance; but boldness to declare the plain truth of Christ’s kingdom. “The little incidents of everyday life often pass without our notice; but it is these things that shape the character. Every event of life is great for good or for evil. The mind needs to be trained by daily tests, that it may acquire power to stand in any difficult position. In the days of trial and of peril you will need to be fortified to stand firmly for the right, independent of every opposing influence.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. IV, page 561.

“Jesus requires that those who have been bought by the price of His own life shall make the best use of the talents which He has given them. They are to increase in the knowledge of the divine will, and constantly improve in intellect and morals, until they shall attain to a perfection of character but little lower than that of the angels.”—Id., page 563.

“Those who are proclaiming God’s message to the world must not be captious or overbearing. They should not be too free to criticise or condemn others. They should be careful not to let their words wound, but should let pure Bible truth cut its way to the heart. When tempted to speak impatiently, remember, brethren, that when Jesus was reviled, He reviled not again. Give the reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. With fear lest you have not the truth?—No; but with fear lest by some unwise, impatient word you may close hearts against the truth. If you can not be calm in answering the accusation of enemies, it is better to keep silent.”—Gospel Workers, pages 396, 397.

It is true that our Saviour said: “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” Luke 17: 3, 4. Mind, our Saviour does not say, Take heed to your brother that you rebuke him; but the great caution is, “Take heed to yourselves.” This is thus stated by the apostle Paul: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Gal. 6: 1, 2.

In addressing the Romans, the same apostle said: “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning; that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.” Rom. 15: 1–7.

As encouragement to this mode of dealing with the erring the apostle James wrote: “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” James 5: 19, 20.

Here is also excellent instruction which the Lord has been pleased to give us as ambassadors of Christ: “Do not try too hard to mold your brethren. If you see that they do not meet the requirements of God’s word, do not condemn; if they provoke, do not retaliate. When things are said that would exasperate, quietly keep your soul from fretting. You see many things which appear wrong in others, and you want to correct these wrongs. You commence in your own strength to work for a reform; but you do not go about it in the right way. You must labor for the erring with a heart subdued, softened by the Spirit of God, and let the Lord work through you, the agent. Roll your burden on Jesus. You feel that the Lord must take up the case, where Satan is striving for the mastery over some soul; but you are to do what you can in humility and meekness, and put the tangled work, the complicated matters, into the hands of God. Follow the directions in His word, and leave the outcome of the matter to His wisdom. Having done all you can to save your brother, cease worrying, and go calmly about other pressing duties. It is no longer your matter, but God’s.”—Testimony for the Church, No. 32, pages 103, 104.

Again we read: “If a person is in error, be the more kind to him; if you are not courteous, you may drive him away from Christ. Let every word you speak, even the tones of your voice, express interest in, and sympathy for, the souls that are in peril. If you are harsh, denunciatory, and impatient with them, you are doing the work of the enemy. You are opening a door of temptation to them, and Satan will represent you to them as one who knows not the Lord Jesus. They will think their own way is right, and that they are better than you. How, then, can you win the erring?”—Special Testimonies, No. 1, page 11.

“Ministers of present truth, while they bear a pointed testimony, reproving individual wrongs, and seeking to tear away the idols from the camp of Israel, should manifest forbearance. They should preach the truth in its solemnity and importance; and if this finds its way to the heart, it will accomplish that for the receiver which nothing else can. But if the truth spoken in the demonstration of the Spirit, does not cut away the idols, it will be of no avail to denounce and bear down upon the individual. It may appear that some are joined to their idols, yet I saw that we should be very reluctant to give up the poor, deceived ones. We should ever bear in mind that we are all erring mortals, and that Christ exercises much pity for our weakness, and loves us although we err. If God should deal with us as we often deal with one another, we should be consumed. While ministers preach the plain, cutting truth, they must let the truth do the cutting and hewing, not do it themselves. They should lay the ax, the truths of God’s word, at the root of the tree, and something will be accomplished. Pour out the testimony just as straight as it is found in the word of God, with a heart full of the warming, quickening influence of His Spirit, all in tenderness, yearning for souls, and the work among God’s people will be effectual.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1, page 383.

Still later we read: “Christ himself did not suppress one word of truth, but He spoke it always in love. He exercised the greatest tact, and thoughtful, kind attention in His intercourse with the people. He was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never gave needless pain to a sensitive soul. He did not censure human weakness. He fearlessly denounced hypocrisy, unbelief, and iniquity, but tears were in His voice as He uttered his scathing rebukes. He wept over Jerusalem, the city He loved, that refused to receive Him, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They rejected Him, the Saviour, but He regarded them with pitying tenderness, and sorrow so deep that it broke His heart. Every soul was precious in His eyes. While He always bore himself with divine dignity, He bowed with tenderest regard to every member of the family of God. In all men He saw fallen souls whom it was His mission to save.”—Desire of Ages, chap. 37, par. 12.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.