What is the most important thing to carry with you all the time?
In a world filled with distractions and challenges, it’s easy to lose sight of who we are and what we stand for as Christians. Our identity matters, and as ambassadors of Christ, we have a responsibility to carry that identity with us everywhere and at all times. The apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:20:
**NLT:** “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!'”
**AMPC:** “So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.”
**KJV:** “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.”
**TPT:** “So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.”
As followers of Christ, our identity is rooted in Him. We are called to reflect His love, compassion, and grace in all that we do. Just as ambassadors represent their home country even in foreign lands, we represent Christ and His kingdom in a world that often lacks His light. It’s crucial to remember Galatians 2:20:
**NLT:** “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
**AMPC:** “I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
**KJV:** “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
**TPT:** “My old identity has been co-crucified with Messiah and no longer lives; for the nails of his cross crucified me with him. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, and dispenses his life into mine!”
Carrying the identity of Christ means living a life of purpose and intention. It’s about demonstrating Christ’s teachings through our actions and words. In Colossians 3:17:
**NLT:** “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”
**AMPC:** “And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.”
**KJV:** “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
**TPT:** “Let every activity of your lives and every word that comes from your lips be drenched with the beauty of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. And bring your constant praise to God the Father because of what Christ has done for you!”
Our daily interactions, decisions, and pursuits should all reflect the values of Christ.
It’s easy to become complacent and prioritize worldly concerns over our identity as Christians. However, as 1 Corinthians 9:16 boldly declares:
**NLT:** “Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!”
**AMPC:** “For if I [merely] preach the Gospel, that gives me no reason to boast, for I feel compelled of necessity to do it. Woe is me if I do not preach the glad tidings (the Gospel)!”
**KJV:** “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!”
**TPT:** “Yet preaching the wonderful news of God’s kingdom realm is not something I can boast of. For I am compelled to do so and it’s an uncontainable woe upon me if I do not preach it!”
We are called to share the message of Christ’s love and salvation with those around us. This doesn’t necessarily mean standing on street corners, but rather embodying the Gospel in our actions and conversations.
Carrying the identity of Christ also means embracing humility and selflessness. Philippians 2:3-4 urges us:
**NLT:** “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”
**AMPC:** “Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves].”
**KJV:** “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”
**TPT:** “Be free from pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity. Don’t allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves.”
In conclusion, our identity as Christians is a powerful force that should permeate every aspect of our lives. As ambassadors of Christ, we have a sacred duty to carry this identity with us wherever we go. Let us remember to live purposefully, spreading the message of Christ’s love through our actions and words. May we never shy away from our responsibility to represent Him in all that we do, for as Romans 1:16 states:
**NLT:** “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”
**AMPC:** “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
**KJV:** “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
**TPT:** “For I refuse to be ashamed of the wonderful message of God’s liberating power unleashed in us through Christ! For I am thrilled to preach that everyone who believes is saved—the Jew first, and then people everywhere!”
The Message Bearer, Cornelius Bella
corneliusbella 