Imagine being offered a beautiful, limited-edition Rolex watch. It looks flawless and impressive, something many would be proud to own. Yet there is a problem: it is broken. It tells the correct time only twice a day, and it cannot be repaired. The question is simple—would you accept it? The answer reveals something deeper. Do we value image more than purpose? Are we satisfied with what looks impressive even if it fails to do what it was created for?

That question exposes a real danger in the Christian life. A faith that appears impressive on the outside but does not fulfill God’s purpose is no different from a beautiful but broken watch. Scripture warns of this danger in Matthew 7, one of the most sobering passages in the Bible. There, people stand confidently before Jesus, listing their spiritual accomplishments—prophecy, miracles, mighty works done in His name—only to hear the devastating words, “I never knew you.” The issue is not inactivity, but activity without relationship. At the same time, there is an opposite error: complacency. Some assume that because salvation is by grace, there is nothing left to do. The Apostle Paul rejects both extremes. A Christianity driven by outward impressiveness but detached from God’s reconciling purpose is empty, yet a Christianity that produces no fruit misunderstands grace entirely.

Paul’s own ministry, particularly as seen in 2 Corinthians, was marked by suffering, misunderstanding, and even rejection by those he served. Yet he did not lose heart. Again and again, he returned to the heart of the gospel—explaining the glory of the new covenant, calling believers to live by faith rather than by sight, and reminding them that everything changed when he encountered the risen Christ. That moment on the road to Damascus did not simply alter Paul’s beliefs; it reshaped his motivations, reoriented his life, and gave him a new purpose.

Human motivations are powerful but unstable. People are driven by ambition, success, approval, comfort, pleasure, or fear—especially the fear of missing out. These motivations shift as circumstances change. Paul’s motivation, however, rested on something unchanging: his knowledge of God and God’s character. The first motivation Paul speaks of is the fear of the Lord. This is not a fear of punishment. Scripture makes clear that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and that perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The fear of the Lord is reverent awe—a deep awareness of God’s holiness and glory, and a sincere concern not to dishonor Him. It is the carefulness of someone entrusted with something incredibly precious by a person they deeply respect, not because they are afraid of being harmed, but because they long to honor the one who entrusted it to them.

This reverent fear is sharpened by the reality of Christ’s judgment seat. Believers will not face condemnation, but they will give an account of how they lived and served the Lord. This judgment is not about earning salvation; it is about faithfulness. Knowing that we are saved for good works, and not by them, compelled Paul to live intentionally and to persuade others, so that his life would not dishonor the God who saved him.

The second motivation that drove Paul was even more personal: the love of Christ. Before meeting Jesus, Paul was driven by hatred and zeal, persecuting the church because he believed Jesus was cursed. Everything changed when he encountered the glorified Christ. Paul realized that Jesus had borne the curse of sin not only for the righteous, but for sinners like himself—even for a persecutor. This undeserved, unmerited love became the unbreakable force that compelled him to live for Christ. When Paul says that Christ died for all, he emphasizes the infinite sufficiency and genuine offer of Christ’s sacrifice. The gospel can be proclaimed freely and sincerely to everyone. Paul’s concern was not to entangle the church in abstract debates, but to help believers grasp the magnitude of God’s love and to let that love move them toward others.

With transformed motivations comes a transformed way of seeing the world. Paul contrasts life in Christ with a world that boasts in appearances—power, success, charisma, and status. From a worldly perspective, a suffering Messiah appears weak and foolish. But those who are in Christ no longer judge by outward appearances. If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has passed away, and the new has arrived. Human instincts gravitate toward strength and achievement, yet Scripture reminds us that the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. New creation life means learning to see with gospel eyes, valuing humility over image, faithfulness over flair, and a contrite heart over impressive credentials. It means no longer living for oneself, but for God and for others.

This transformed life finds its purpose in reconciliation. Those who have been reconciled to God through Christ are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation. This calling is not self-appointed but given by God. Christians are ambassadors for Christ, through whom God makes His appeal. The message is clear and urgent: God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. The call to humanity is not to fix themselves, but to respond—“Be reconciled to God.” The passive voice matters, because God is the one who reconciles. Our role is to proclaim what He has already accomplished.

Unlike worldly ambassadors who are chosen for their prestige or influence, Christ’s ambassadors are chosen by grace. Paul’s own life was marked not by honor and privilege, but by weakness, suffering, and rejection. Yet his life testified to the power of God at work in a redeemed sinner. Even more striking is the nature of God’s reconciliation. The offended party takes the initiative. God humbles Himself in Christ, bearing sin so that enemies might become children. Those who represent Him are called to reflect that same humility—taking initiative in love, enduring hardship, and removing obstacles so that nothing hinders others from seeing the beauty of Christ.

Paul’s life became the message. He pursued reconciliation relentlessly, even with those who opposed him, because he did not want anything to stand in the way of others being reconciled to God. A Christian life that is all image and no purpose is broken. But a life shaped by reverent fear, compelled by Christ’s love, reoriented by the new creation, and committed to reconciliation fulfills what it was created for. To live as Christ’s ambassadors is to allow God to make His appeal through ordinary, redeemed people—lives that point beyond themselves to the grace of God in Christ.