Believers are called to share the Word of reconciliation as Christ's ambassadors, while God alone opens a lost person's heart to believe.
Believers are to present the truth of Scripture and tell a lost world that reconciliation has been accomplished through Christ. At the same time, they cannot force belief or open blinded hearts; that is the Lord's work. Lydia's example shows both truths: Paul shared the Word, but the Lord opened her heart.
Acts 16:14 — Shows that even though Paul spoke to Lydia, the Lord was the one who opened her heart to attend to his words.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 — Gives believers the ministry of reconciliation and calls them ambassadors for Christ who beseech others to be reconciled to God.
Paul writes that God "hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation." God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, "not imputing their trespasses unto them," and "hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." Believers are therefore "ambassadors for Christ," and through them God beseeches the world: "be ye reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). Romans 10:14-15 asks, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" This shows that human messengers are necessary for people to hear and believe. Scripture also makes clear that the heart is opened by the Lord. In Acts 16:14, Lydia "worshipped God" yet was unable to respond until "whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul." And 2 Corinthians 4:4 says the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who believe not, "lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."
Les Feldick teaches that believers have a real and necessary part in spreading the gospel because God has chosen to put His Word in human hands. He says God did not leave the Word in the hands of angels, but in the hands of people, and has almost always used one human instrument to lead another human to a knowledge of salvation. This is why Paul tells every believer to be a minister of reconciliation and an ambassador for Christ, sharing what they know with those who have never heard. At the same time, Les is emphatic that believers cannot produce salvation by their own efforts. Unbelievers are blinded by the god of this world, and there is nothing believers can do until God takes away that satanically inspired blindness. Using Lydia as the example, Les points out that she was religious, worshipped God, and was a successful seller of purple, but she was as lost as lost can be. Paul and Barnabas did not open her heart; the Lord did. Even the great apostle Paul could not open hearts with his preaching; only the Holy Spirit can open the heart and spiritual eyes, and then the words spoken take root. Les also teaches that believers should become skilled in the Scriptures so they can share the Word clearly when opportunities arise. A true believer will naturally be concerned for lost people, and new converts in particular often become burdened for their families and neighbors. That is why God has left believers here: to remind lost people that salvation is not by what they do or what they think they can become, but by faith — whether they believe and appropriate what Christ has done.
Les says God has committed the word of reconciliation to believers and that every believer is expected to be a minister of reconciliation and an ambassador for Christ. God did not leave the Word in the hands of angels but in the hands of people, and He has almost always used one human instrument to lead another human to a knowledge of salvation. For that reason, believers should learn and become skilled in the Scripture so that when the opportunity arises they can turn someone to a few verses and show what the Word really says.
Les uses 2 Corinthians 4:4 to explain that the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who believe not, and until God strips away that blindness even believers are helpless. Believers have to do their part and open the Scriptures, but they cannot stuff it down a person's throat or force them to believe. Lydia was religious and worshipped God, but she was still lost; Paul and Barnabas did not open her heart — the Lord did. Even the apostle Paul could not open the hearts of his hearers; only the Holy Spirit can open a heart, and then the Word takes root.
Les teaches that believers are ambassadors — representatives of a home government living in a foreign country. Because our citizenship is in Heaven, we are in foreign territory and are to carry out the designs, hopes, and aspirations of our homeland. Practically, this means telling a lost world that everything has been done for them to be reconciled: God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Satanic Blindness of Unbelievers
Les explains that unsaved people are blinded by Satan and that believers can do nothing until God removes that blindness, showing why sharing the gospel depends on God's work.
God Uses People, Not Angels
Les says God has put His Word in human hands and almost always uses one person to lead another to salvation, so believers should be skilled in Scripture and ready to share it.
Ambassadors and Ministers of Reconciliation
Les teaches that every believer is expected to be a minister of reconciliation and an ambassador for Christ, and that people cannot believe unless someone proclaims the message to them.
We Do Our Part; God Opens the Heart
Les stresses that believers must open the Scriptures and do their part, but they cannot force belief; conversion takes an act of God.
Lydia's Heart Was Opened by the Lord
Les uses Lydia to show that a religious, successful person can still be lost; it was the Lord—not Paul or Barnabas—who opened her heart.
A Believer's Natural Concern for the Lost
Les says a genuine convert naturally becomes burdened for lost people, and God leaves believers here to remind the lost that salvation is by faith.
Only the Holy Spirit Opens Hearts
Les points out that even Paul could not open hearts with his preaching; the Holy Spirit must open the heart first, and then the words of the preacher take root.
Ambassadors in a Foreign Land
Les explains that believers are citizens of Heaven living in foreign territory, representing their home government by telling a lost world that reconciliation is accomplished.
Acts 16:14: And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
Shows the Lord opening Lydia's heart, making clear that believers present the Word but God gives understanding.
2 Corinthians 4:4: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Explains that Satan blinds the lost, so believers cannot force belief.
2 Corinthians 5:18: And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
Declares that God gave believers the ministry of reconciliation, the believer's role in sharing the gospel.
2 Corinthians 5:19: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
God has committed the word of reconciliation to believers.
2 Corinthians 5:20: 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.
Believers are ambassadors for Christ, the role Les emphasizes from this passage.
Romans 10:14: How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Asks how people will hear without someone preaching, showing why believers must go.
Romans 10:15: And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Emphasizes that preachers must be sent and that preaching good news is beautiful.
No. Les says believers cannot force belief; the Lord must open the heart. Paul and Barnabas could not open Lydia's heart, and even Paul's preaching could not do it. The Holy Spirit must open the heart, and then the words spoken take root.
Because God has committed the word of reconciliation to believers and almost always uses one human to lead another to salvation. Believers are ambassadors who present the truth, and when the Holy Spirit opens hearts, the Word takes root.
Believers should learn and become skilled in the Scriptures so they can show someone what the Word really says. They should let a lost world know that reconciliation has been accomplished and that salvation is by faith in what Christ has done.
As citizens of Heaven living in foreign territory, believers represent their home government before a lost world. They carry out the designs and hopes of their homeland by telling others to be reconciled to God.
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