My duties as college and seminary president require me to be away from campus frequently. While I’m gone, my executive assistant, Tom Johnson, must often speak for me and act on my behalf.
One day, as he and I were working together, we were interrupted by a loud pounding on my office door. Before I could respond, a young man burst into the room. “I’m here to serve some court papers on George Brushaber,” he said.
Looking past me at Tom, who was near my desk, he asked, “Are you he and if not, can you sign for him so I can get these papers served?” I motioned for Tom to accept the court notice in my name.
What does it mean for one person to act and speak on behalf of another? How do I represent someone else? And what does it require of me?
Legally speaking, we are familiar with such actions as granting “power of attorney,” appointing a guardian for a child, or selecting an executor for one’s estate. But these responsibilities and prerogatives are limited in scope and time. Only in very specific situations do I exercise a power of attorney. And as executor, I have my tasks clearly defined by the court.
However, no such limitations are imposed on our appointment as representatives for Jesus Christ. Paul, in the midst of his letter to the Colossians, said “Whatsoever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” And he wrote to the Corinthians urging them to glorify God in all of life, including what they ate and drank. Moreover, for Paul, believers represent Christ as his “letters of commendation” and speak as his “ambassadors” resident in this society on his behalf.
All of these figures of speech carry the notion of continuous and comprehensive representation of Christ. It appears that we are—without exception—to act and speak on his behalf. We are “on the record” as his spokespeople all the time.
The concept of believers serving as personal representatives of Jesus Christ fascinated the church fathers. What did it mean to speak and act in the name of the Lord Jesus? I am challenged by the way these early saints dealt with Paul’s assignment to the Colossians. Here are some examples of what they said:
• Speak no words you cannot imagine Christ uttering and use no tone or inflection of voice that would be out of character for him.
• Before speaking out, making a decision, or taking an action, reflect on what you plan.
• Can you pray without hesitation or shame for Christ to bless and prosper what you propose to do?
• What attitudes prompt you? What values are you about to embody? What intentions give you motivation? What purposes will be served?
• Can Christ be associated with all of these?
These are certainly rigorous and intimidating criteria—the more so because we have no license to use them selectively or occasionally. This is no mere power of attorney or assistantship or limited assignment as executor for Christ: Our identification with him must be more comprehensive and intensive. Whatever we do, is to be done in the name of Christ as his representatives.
Of course, such criteria for the believer’s speech and behavior ought not be nebulous. The Scriptures acquaint us with a very practical, down-to-earth Master who was direct and explicit in his conversations and human relationships. His ethic was incarnational and specific to ordinary life. Both by precept and example he demonstrated his way of speaking and living. The Scriptures, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, make the criteria very concrete.
To represent Christ is a big order. But it’s a marvelous privilege: a right that far outweighs the accompanying responsibility.
