It's no secret that Salvationists have high standards to live up to. When we become soldiers—full members of The Salvation Army—we sign a covenant that confirms both our acceptance of the Army's 11 articles of faith and our willingness to adhere to a disciplined Salvation Army lifestyle.

We are a holiness Movement. Our roots are with John Wesley and we believe that holiness is not an option for the Christian way of living. Our Founders, William and Catherine Booth, along with other early Army leaders, wrote books on holiness and the necessity of Salvationists adopting this way of life. It is part of our heritage.

But it is also very much a part of who we are today. God knows that holiness is sorely needed in a culture that defies the very essence of what it is all about. The world needs people who have a deep passion for Christ and who want to make a difference—ambassadors of holiness who will reach out to a hurting world and share the life-changing gospel of Christ.

Compassionate Hearts
There is injustice all around us. There are people who have been victimized or ostracized because of race or social status, people from broken, dysfunctional home environments, people who are poor or marginalized. The Salvation Army is known to help those in need. But is every person who identifies with the Army ready and willing to go to whatever lengths it takes to show compassion and empathy for these individuals?

As ambassadors of holiness, we need to be ready to show compassion toward those who are hurting and broken. We must be prepared to feel their pain as we reach out to those who desperately need both the loving arms of people who care for them and the all-powerful, all-compassionate arms of their heavenly Father. It is our individual and corporate act of worship. The Bible says that we are to “worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness” (Psalm 96:9).

Spiritual Disciplines
We live in a culture that exalts extravagance and promotes degradation. There are so many choices: food, coffee, clothes, cars, music, videos. At times, it becomes not only confusing, but overwhelming.

Ambassadors of holiness are not perfect, but people who take the whole area of spiritual disciplines to heart in their chosen lifestyle. These include:
Prayer—setting aside time each day to commune and converse with God.
Scripture—daily reading God's Word and integrating it into everyday life.
Silence and Solitude—taking time to be alone, cutting out the “noise” of the world.
Simplicity—trying to live a simple, pure, godly life.
It is a willingness to be disciplined in whatever way God sees fit. “God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).

Humility of Spirit
Sometimes we focus on our accomplishments and skills and believe we're better than others. It is so easy in our society to get puffed up, and this is also possible within the Church. We get a certain recognition and then think we're somehow above others.

Yet when God seeks ambassadors of holiness, he wants people who realize their inadequacies and recognize that true holiness is possible only through his grace and mercy. We are all sinners. Most of us have messed up in our lives at one time or another.

Humility is when we daily come before God, seeking his face, his holiness—asking, in humility, that he impart his blessing upon us. He needs humble people who take this holiness very seriously. We are commanded to “be holy,” for “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).

Christlikeness
General John Gowans (Rtd) wrote a chorus that says simply, “To be like Jesus! This hope possesses me.” Does it really possess us—this desire to be like Christ? Are we passionate about living a life of holiness, to the point of sharing this life with others?

An ambassador of holiness is one who claims God's love, along with his power to forgive, cleanse and restore. Once claimed for ourselves, we can bring hope and freedom to others through his saving grace.

Ambassadors of Holiness is the sessional name for those entering training as Salvation Army officers in September 2009. It will be an awesome task to bear this title, with all its implications. Yet what a privilege to stand before God, in obedience to his call, and humbly offer oneself for service in this way.

Christ calls all of us to be his ambassadors of holiness. How about you? Are you up to the challenge?