by Susan Fleming
I was watching one of those Law & Order type shows a few weeks ago, and the bad guy was very smug in being able to defy the law because he had diplomatic immunity. As a diplomat of another country, he was not subject to the laws of our country - but of course they managed to get him anyway. Hooray for the good guys!
But it got me thinking… Scripture tells us that we are ambassadors for Christ. And we know we are living in the kingdom of darkness, even though we are not a part of it.
When I’ve heard “ambassador for Christ” taught about, it has primarily been with an evangelical message, and that is entirely appropriate. But I think there is another side of it as well.
Because we are ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, we have a certain amount of “diplomatic immunity,” as well. We are no longer under the reign of the law of sin and death, but under the law of grace.
And what does that mean, practically speaking? Here are some examples:
Your friend gets a new computer/car/house/husband, and the law of sin and death (SAD) says you have to be jealous — but YOU can rejoice.
You sin against your friend, and the law of SAD says you have to wiggle out of it, cover it up, shift the blame — but YOU can be honest.
You had an abortion, or did drugs, or got divorced… SAD says you are guilty, condemned, unworthy. But YOU are forgiven, free, and greatly loved.
YOU have diplomatic immunity from the law of sin and death. Will you still be affected by it? Yes. Will you still be hurt? Undoubtedly. But it does not have to control you. You live by the laws of a different Kingdom.
Leave a comment below and let me know how you will use your diplomatic immunity in the service of your King today.
Tags: grace, Kingdom of God
