CHARACTER OF THE MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL.
Now an “ambassador” in the ordinary sense of that word, signifies one, sent by the head of one state to the head of another state, to be the representative of the dignity, rights, and interests of the one who sends him.
In the world such an ambassador, whilst ever mindful of the dignity and interests of his sovereign and country, will and dare not fail to acknowledge the dignity and to admit and respect the interests of the government and country whither he has been sent and at whose court he is accredited. His bearing and demeanor will be the expression of the majesty of his sovereign and of the dignity of the government of his own country, whilst no less expressing the reverence due to the sovereign to whom he has presented his credentials and to the government of that country.
A similar, if not quite the same, character attaches to the “ambassador for Christ.” But his function, his position, and the dignity of his ministry excel that of the ambassadors of this world, just as far as heaven is high above the earth; for he is the representative of the “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
That sovereign Lord and King of Glory, once crucified and expelled by this world, which was made by Him and knew Him not, said, when risen from the dead, “Peace unto you; as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.” He has sent His ambassadors into this world with a message of life and peace. He Himself “is Light,” the “brightness of glory,” as He was the “Light of this world,” when here below.
But He is not only “Light,” but also “Love.” His ambassadors, whilst reflecting by walk and word the light of Him that sent them, and carrying the light of the gospel of glory into this sin-benighted world, should be the expression of His love no less than of His light. They are inseparable (1 John 2:9-119He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. (1 John 2:9‑11)). Knowing the “terror of the Lord,” His apostle “persuaded men “; but the “love of Christ constraining” him, he “besought” sinners and enemies, to be “reconciled to God.” Even the ambassadors of this world do everything, by a courteous, kind, and obliging demeanor, to gain the confidence and goodwill of those around them and thus widen their circle of influence. How much more should Christ's ambassadors, by their mien, word and action, be the (however imperfect) expression of the love of Him Who sent them, and Who gave Himself for the salvation of those to whom they are sent! His voice should be like the voice of the charmer, not only “charming never so wisely,” which rarely produces real and lasting effect for blessing, and often the very opposite, but attracting and winning souls in their own interest by the enchanting voice and appeal of Christ's love in the evangelist's heart, uttered and ministered by the Spirit, not only of “power,” but of love, and of a “sound mind.”
But how unlike the diplomatist of this world is the “ambassador for Christ”! He does not, like the former, endeavor by pleasing manners to enlist people in his and his court's and country's, but in their own eternal interests, whilst showing them the interest which God with all the untold glorious hosts of His heavenly courts takes in the eternal welfare of their souls, rejoicing over one sinner that repenteth. The policy of Christ's ambassadors it's not like that of this world, “Do ut des” (i. e. “I give that you may give”), but “Do ut accipias” (i.e. “I give that you may receive”).
But the Spirit, Who is to guide the evangelist and be the power of his ministry is not only the “Spirit of love” but first of all the “Spirit of truth.” “The ambassador for Christ” therefore, whilst endeavoring by a gracious, patient and loving demeanor to win souls for Christ, should never, like the diplomatist of this world, stoop to the low policy of flattery, painting over and propping up the old Adam, trimming the empty lamp of the respectable religionist, making pillows for every armpit, and speaking “peace” where there is no peace, for the sake of the “cause,” and of a good attendance in chapel or church, or missionary rooms. Unlike this world's ambassadors, who, whilst ever conscious of the majesty of their sovereign and of the dignity of their office, always are mindful of the reverence due to the sovereign and government, to whom they have been sent, the ambassador for Christ, being fully alive to the glory, majesty and power of his heavenly Master and of the dignity of his office and of the all-importance of his mission, never should flinch from faithfully delivering his message, all-absorbing in its eternal importance, and eclipsing in its divinely glorious character all the vain glories of this world and its potentates. Be it in the presence of the great ones of the earth, or faced by the fury of an impious mob, he delivers his fearless testimony of divine truth to their consciences, whilst with God's “small voice” of grace, he knows how to appeal to their hearts with this message of grace, peace, and life. Unlike the ambassador of this world, who is bound and eager to represent in his grand appearance the power and dignity of his sovereign or government, and to reflect their glory in the style of his living and the splendor of his retinue, Christ's ambassador is prepared and ready to appear as the “offscouring of all things and the filth of the world,” where his Master, the “Lord of glory,” was crucified.”
Such were the apostles of Christ, and such should be His evangelists. What examples are the apostles, especially Peter and Paul, in all this!
But the apostle could add:
“ Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place.
“ For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved and in them that perish.
“ To the one we are the savor of death unto death and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? “
Many of our readers will be aware that the apostle Paul alludes here as he does in other places, to the military customs in the ancient Roman army. When a Roman general returned victoriously from an important war, a triumphal entry into Rome was usually granted him on his return. The captives of war preceded him. A portion of that large crowd was generally destined to death (to fight with gladiators or wild beasts in the Roman amphitheater), and the rest were sold as slaves. Clouds of incense preceded the returning conqueror, covering the crowd of the unfortunate captives of war. Those clouds ascended as a sweet incense to the sky; but to those captives, that were destined to death, they were a savor of death unto death; “whilst to the rest, whose lives were spared, it was a “savor of life unto life.”
It is to this custom among the Romans the apostle evidently alludes. The gospel of God always ascends to heaven as a sweet savor unto God. For is it not concerning His own glory, and the honor of the name of Jesus His dear Son, and concerning the salvation of precious souls, for whom Christ suffered and died and rose again? What else could that gospel be but a sweet savor ascending to heaven?
But the apostle in the sense of his entire dependence upon God and of being nothing but an instrument used by the Master according to His own good pleasure adds: “And who is sufficient for these things?” It is well for the evangelist to bear this in mind more constantly. Then he concludes:
“ For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.”
Let us well heed these four points: 1. “As of sincerity;” 2. “But as of God;” 3. “In the sight of God;” and 4. “Speak we in Christ.”
If all preachers and evangelists (for they are far from being one and the same thing) would take more to heart these four points so essential to every true minister of Christ, it would be well with them and with the fruits of their ministry.