Recently, I began thinking more about our role as believers in the world. More specifically, I was considering our role in message propagation. I started with the obligation Christians have to spread the Gospel. Gospel proclamation is large responsibility of the Christian. This is not a surprise to many of you. (Or any of you) Most people who have been around church for any amount of time could quote Matthew 28:19–20, which says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (NET) Jesus tells us that we are responsible to broadcast the Gospel.
Most Christians agree we have this responsibility. But there are several different ways, or roles that messages are dispersed. I didn’t want to focus on the non-personal forms of communication. Plus, I wanted to stay within biblical framework so I narrowed my comments to two types of communication agents. The first is the messenger, the second is the ambassador.
There are numerous examples of each in the Bible. Both of them carry a message they did not create. Both of them have a responsibility to communicate this message to the person or persons they were assigned. But these two people/positions are not the same. I came up with some differences between the two I thought significant for the conversation.
Messenger:
- Impartial to the message
- Only needed when has a message
- Only represents the message, not the one who gave the message
- May not even know the meaning of the message
- Has one task, deliver the message
- Does not have to agree with the message
- No authority to speak to other concerns
Ambassador:
- Cannot be impartial to the message
- Always represents the governing authority
- Always represents the message creator
- Has to be intimately acquainted with the message and even represent that message
- Has many tasks as a representative
- Must agree to serve in good conscience
- Authority give to speak about many areas
This is a simplified view but hopefully, you get the message. I hope I am not an impersonal messenger, only focused on the message. Instead, I hope I desire to be an ambassador for Christ. I strive to be a good representative of Christ to the world.
2 Corinthians 5:20 “Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” (NET)