Chapter CONTEXT From MHCC: The apostle proceeds in showing the reasons why they did not faint under their afflictions, namely, their expectation, desire, and assurance of happiness after death (v. 1-5), and deduces an inference for the comfort of believers in their present state (v. 6-8), and another to quicken them in their duty (v. 9-11). Then he makes an apology for seeming to commend himself, and gives a good reason for his zeal and diligence (v. 12-15), and mentions two things that are necessary in order to our living to Christ, regeneration, and reconciliation (v. 16 to the end).
This chapter has two main themes, that of the temporal vs. heavenly/eternal and that of reconciliation and regeneration. The first runs from v.1-10. Note how Paul ends this first part, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit he says (AMP): For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the [a]judgment seat of Christ,. God herein makes it plainly clear there is no such thing as easy salvation. He issues no $200 Get outta Hell cards.
Paul goes on and the context of our main text contains one of the most widely quoted scripture at least in my memory: (v.17 – KJV) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. A new man is one who is regenerated and reconciled.
It is only they who have been fully regenerated and reconciled to God by Grace through Faith in Christ alone that can become (v.20) ambassadors for Christ. But what does it mean to be an ambassador for Christ? In modern times being a US ambassador has become more like a negotiator but are we as Ambassadors for Christ to negotiate? I would answer emphatically NO!!!! John Gill says it better than I do:
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,…. Since God has made reconciliation by Christ, and the ministry of it is committed to us, we are ambassadors for him; we come with full powers from him, not to propose terms of peace, to treat with men about it, to offer it to them, but to publish and proclaim it as made by him: we represent him, and God who made it by him,
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible extract from 2 Cor 5:20
As ambassadors, Gill says, we are to publish and proclaim the WHOLE GOSPEL MESSAGE without compromise. We are to relay the message without our own emotions, feeling, or interpretations, exactly what Christ left us. No watered-down Gospel message, none of these just say a little prayer, and all will be good scenarios (see the video link below). God calls people to true repentance for their evil (sins) and that is the message we must be His brand ambassadors for.
Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach 