Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
What it means to be initiated into the secret of the mystery. Part 103. The antagonism of the world system toward believers and Bible doctrine, Part 6. Royal Ambassadorship.
Thursday, October 13, 2005
1. Because the kosmos system hates Christ, JOH 15:18.
2. Because once a person is in the plan of God, as a believer priest, they no longer belong to the world, JOH 15:19.
3. Verse 20 - the slave is not greater than his master.
The Doctrine of Ambassadorship.
Point 1. Definition and Description.
An ambassador is a high ranking minister of state or of royalty sent to another state to represent his sovereign or country.
By analogy we are spiritual aristocracy as members of the Royal Family of God, and Christ is the King who has sent us into a foreign country, the cosmic world.
Point 2. The Profile of the Ambassador.
a. An ambassador does not appoint himself.
God also gives us the power and ability to handle the job, ACT 1:8, HEB 4:12; PHI 4:13.
b. The ambassador does not support himself.
The Church-age believer, as an ambassador for Christ, is provided by logistical grace.
c. The ambassador’s instructions are always in written form, so he has no doubt as to what he should do.
We have the policies, problem-solving devices, instructions, principles, doctrines, and concepts in written form in the scripture.
d. The ambassador does not belong to the country to which he is sent.
COL 1:13 For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
PHI 3:20 For our citizenship [politeuma, or heavenly privilege] exists in heaven, from which place we eagerly anticipate the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
GAL 4:26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
EPH 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,
JOH 15:19 “If you were of the world [second class condition, but you are not], the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
Billions and billions of years ago, when election was put into operation, EPH 1:4-5, you were snatched out of the kosmos or the cosmic system.
e. The ambassador does not live in the foreign country for his own personal interest.
We subordinate all personal interest to the function of our ambassadorship, which includes the attainment and function of the spiritual skills, the filling of the Spirit, cognition of Bible doctrine, and execution of the PPOG.
Our production skills, which include our ambassadorship, are in place as of the moment of salvation, but are not effective until we develop spiritual skills.
f. The ambassador does not treat any insult to himself as personal.
g. When an ambassador is recalled, his recall is tantamount to a declaration of war.
When the Rapture of the Church takes place in 1TH 4:16-17, all of our Lord’s ambassadors are recalled back to heaven -
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.”
1TH 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.
The Tribulation period begins - analogous to the period of war.
Point 3. The Royal Ambassadorship is Specialized and Intensified in the Gift of Pastor-teacher.
There is a special need for those who communicate doctrine to do so with confidence.
With spiritual self-esteem the communicator speaks with confidence no matter what the attitude of his listeners.
Point 4. The Royal Ambassadorship is also Related to Evangelism, 2CO 5:20.
We are not to witness only through our lifestyle. That is cowardice.