The Bible makes it very clear that we are in the last of the last days and there is no time for christians to waste. However, a vast majority of christians are walking around with no purpose or understanding of what their mission on earth is. The church in America looks very much like the world as both these groups share similar ambitions and passions. As we read in 2 Timothy, we live in the perilous times of the last days. An effeminate and compromising brand of Christianity is sprung up in the western world, which is obsessed with pleasure more than godliness. It has rather been an order of cheap evangelism, with a rather cheap evangelistic message that is not worthy, in the high sense, of being called the true new testament gospel.
More than ever before, true christians need to understand what their mission on earth is and then execute on it , if they want to fulfill their God given calling and finish the race they are called to.
Here are some of the questions that we will try to answer about the great commission.
1) What is the great commission?
2) What is the message of the great commission?
3) What is my role in the great commission?
4) Who is my audience?
5) What are the tasks involved in this great commission?
6) How do we execute the plan?
What is the Great Commission?
The great purpose of Jesus Christ in coming to the world was to establish the kingdom of GOD and the great commission is GOD's strategy to achieve that purpose. GOD intends to make Himself known among the world, by means of the knowledge of His being and perfections, which we the disciples of Christ would communicate to all nations. The great commission is for the salvation of the world. It is laid out loud and clear in Matt 28:18-20 where Jesus said "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen". The great commission is to go to all nations, to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan unto God, that they might obtain remission of sins, and an inheritance in heaven where GOD dwells.
When Jesus gave the great commission to the church, HE gave a mission to the church to be GOD's representative in the world. Just as Jesus came to express GOD to mankind, so the Church is necessary in expressing Jesus Christ to the world. The working of the church is to be apparent in demonstrating to the world the practicability and desirability of the kingdom of heaven, that all men may desire the rule of Jesus in the salvation of men (Lake). This will happen as we proclaim the gospel through preaching (Col2:23) and living a lifestyle that will exhibit GOD's values in front of a dying world. Glory be to GOD.
The gospel has to be proclaimed and preached to every creature under heaven as we read in Col 2:23.
What is the message of the Great Commission?
Just as important as the 'go' part of the great commission is, so is the "message" part of this great mandate. Many embark upon the great commission, ready to go to cities and nations, however not able to fulfill the mandate given by GOD due to lack of proper understanding of the message that they need to take to nations. Thus it defeats the whole purpose of the great commission. First of all, note that the great commission is not a quick fix scheme but a discipleship movement. Discipleship requires time and teaching. As we invest time in a particular place or city, our primary goal is to embed the deep truths of the gospel into the minds of the hearers. The message of the gospel as given by the LORD Jesus Christ and His apostles are clear and final. We don't need to add to it or take away from it. The message of the gospel is complete and whole. There is nothing missing in it. And the true gospel proclaims that the earth in its current form has been contaminated by sin and corruption. And GOD is calling us to repent and turn away from our sinful ways, and be reconciled to HIM through the Blood and Spirit of His Son Jesus Christ, and then rearranging our lifestyles according to the Word of
GOD, patiently run the race and look forward to the new heavens and the new earth that GOD will establish soon.
What are our roles' in the great commission?
It is very important for us to realize and understand what it is that GOD is doing and order our lives accordingly, growing into well grounded Christian maturity. As we look into the bible, we are able to see two roles particularly that pertain to great commission.
a) Workers
2 Cor 6:1 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. We are chosen to be workers together with GOD. GOD in HIS sovereign plan saw it fit to have man work with HIM while reconciling the world to HIMSELF. What a great privilege we have today to be in the same team with GOD and work out HIS great plan for mankind.
As David Guzik puts it, the word “workers” itself is important. There is something good and important in work itself, so much so that God wants us to be workers together with Him. God’s best for our life is never a state of ease and comfort and indulgent inactivity – even if we did all those things together with Him. God wants us to be workers together with Him, not “couch potatoes” or “pew potatoes".
As workers in GOD's team, we have to be in alignment with GOD's agenda and be careful not to bring our fleshly wisdom and agenda into GOD's grandeur plan. Yet we see today, many so called workers of GOD mixing man made philosophies and wisdom into GOD's great commission and contaminating the pure gospel and doctrine presented to us by our LORD. As Guzik points out, we need to realize that it is not our personal work that GOD supports instead we are doing HIS work. We need to stop trying to persuade God to help us with our work, instead find out what God’s work is, and do it with Him.
b) Soldiers
Another role that GOD has called us to play in the great commission is that of a soldier. GOD wants you to become a disciplined soldier ready for service. The service in GOD's army entails actively being involved in reaching the lost. Some are on the front lines spreading the gospel of life and immortality while others are training new recruits and equipping them for the work of the ministry.
c) Ambassadors
Another role we have in the great commission is being the ambassadors of Christ as we see in 2 Corinthians 5:20. An ambassador can rightly be described as working together with his king. Yet, the ambassador himself has no power or authority or agenda on his own. It is all bound up in his king. Yet the king delegates power and authority to the ambassador, and reveals his agenda to the ambassador, and the king expects the ambassador to fulfill that agenda. As we go out representing King Jesus, there is going to be an awakening in the world from ocean to ocean, from pole to pole as never before.
Are you faithfully doing your part as a worker and ambassador of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you win souls and help others? Does your lips feed many ? Is your hearty counsel sweet to your friends ? Do you sharpen your friends? Living and dying without being a faithful servant of GOD equates to a wasted life.
Who is my audience? Is this message for all or only for a select few?
The Bible makes it crystal clear that the gospel is for all. As we read in 1 Timothy 2: 3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. GOD has promised in these last days, that there is going to be a mighty outpouring of HIS Spirit upon all flesh when the flame of GOD will catch the soul of mankind (lake).
Yes GOD wants all men to come to the knowledge of the truth. Adam Clarke writes "GOD, who is the maker, governor, and preserver of all men, of every condition, and of every nation, and equally wills the salvation of all. The truth-the Gospel of Christ, should be proclaimed to all men; and it is the duty of all who know it, to diffuse it far and wide, and when it is made known, then it is the duty of those who hear it to acknowledge and receive it. This is the proper import of the original word, that they may come, to the acknowledgment of the truth-that they may receive it as the truth, and make it the rule of their faith, the model and director of their life and actions.
Adam Clarke also points out, we see who were the objects of the apostle's ministry: the Jews and Gentiles; every man, the whole human race. Every man had sinned; and for every sinner Christ had died; and he died for them that they might be saved from all their sins. The apostles never restrained the offers of salvation; they made them frankly to all, believing that it was the will of God that all should believe and be saved: hence they warned and taught every man that they might, at the day of judgment, present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; for, although their own personal ministry could not reach all the inhabitants of the earth, yet it is by the doctrines which they preached, and by the writings which they have left on record, that the earth is to be filled with the knowledge and glory of God, and the souls of men brought to the enjoyment of the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of peace.
What are the tasks involved in the great commission?
a) Proclamation of the truth of the gospel
Part of the mystery of the work of grace is that includes the proclamation itself. God's grace characteristically operates through the divinely appointed means (see Romans 10:14-15). This is certainly not to set bounds to the sovereign grace of GOD. It is to note that, as a normal rule, GOD has committed himself to working through the proclamation of the gospel. GOD's plan of salvation for mankind takes up within itself both the work of the evangelist and the understanding of the hearers. As the evangelist works, God works; as he preaches, God opens the understanding of the hearers; as he lays before them the facts about Jesus, they recognize those facts as true. (Wright)
You may ask what is the truth that you should proclaim. Here it is as Clarke puts it in short, simple, and plain language. 1. You believe there is a God. 2. You know he has made you. 3. He requires you to love and serve him. 4. To show you how to do this he has given a revelation of himself, which is contained in his law, You have broken this law, and incurred the penalty, which is death. 6. Far from being able to undo your offences, or make reparation to the offended majesty of God, your hearts, through the deceitfulness and influence of sin, are blinded, hardened, and filled with enmity, against your Father and your Judge. 7. To redeem you out of this most wretched and accursed state, God; in his endless love, has given his Son for you; who has assumed your nature, and died in your stead. 8. In consequence of this he has commanded repentance towards God, and remission of sins, to be published in his name in all the earth. 9. All who repent, and believe in Christ as having died for them as a sin-offering, 5:21,) shall receive remission of sins. 10. And if they abide in him they shall have an eternal inheritance among them that are sanctified.
b) Proclaiming the victory of the cross
2 Cor 2:14: But thanks be to GOD, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the savour of knowledge by us in every place. We are called to be the part of the triumphal procession of the victorious army. A triumph, among the Romans, to which the apostle here alludes, was a public and solemn honour conferred by them on a victorious general, by allowing him a magnificent procession through the city (Clarke). “That is the picture that is in Paul’s mind. He sees Christ marching in triumph throughout the world, and himself in that conquering train. It is a triumph which, Paul is certain, nothing can stop.” (Barclay)
And today we are sharing in the triumph of Jesus, the Captain of the Lord’s Army, and are marching on to the different parts of the world over devils, idols, superstition, ignorance, and vice, wherever they came. As we march on, we spread the sweet fragrance of GOD’s victory to different nations. Fragrance, in the form of incense, was common at the Roman triumph parade. And today we are the fragrance of GOD, the sign and smell of GOD’s victory. And as the world sees us they should smell the victory of GOD in us. That is why Apostle Paul says in v.15 we are the fragrance of Christ to GOD among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. When people smell GOD in us and in our circumstances, they really wonder if there is something invisible helping them out. Thus even when we take the gospel out to the far parts of the world, they are going to smell the fragrance of GOD in us. Some will receive the sweet smell with joy and some with contempt. Some are going to receive the news of the victory that GOD has attained for us in Jesus Christ and enter into righteousness where as others will reject the message of the cross as foolishness and turn away for their own condemnation and judgment. (Guzik) In Paul’s mind, this fragrance is like the knowledge of God, which people can smell when the triumph parade winds by.
c) Praying for the Lost
As we see in the Bible, a veil lies on the heart of mankind (2 Cor 3:17). A veil that separates them from seeing Jesus and His finished work on the cross. But thanks be to GOD who is able to take those veils away and reveal His truth. But most times, GOD wouldn't unveil the blinded minds unless we pray. This points to the essential need of prayer in evangelism.
d) Binding the strong man
You might ask who is this strong man? The strong man as the verse refers to is satan. The bible says unless we use our GOD given authority to plunder and bind satan, you really cannot make much inroads in your commission. The Bible says the prince of the air has blinded the mind of unbelievers through ignorance and false religion. We should ask God to shine His light, to bind the blinding of Satan, and to give faith to overcome the unbelief that invites the blinding.
e) Demonstrate the works of the LORD
2 Cor 4 DG That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest
That in our preservation, the success of our ministry, and the miracles we work, we might be able to give the fullest demonstration that Jesus is risen again from the dead; and that we are strengthened by him to do all these mighty works.
How do we execute the plan ?
a) Labor
Apostle Paul knew the value of hard work. We find in the bible that Apostle Paul labored more abundantly than most other apostles. As we read in Colossians 1:29. Whereunto I also labour, says Apostle Paul. Here we see Apostle Paul labouring with the utmost zeal and earnestness; and with all that strength which God has bestowed upon him to accomplish the great commission. God worked energetically in St. Paul, and he wrought energetically with God; and all this was in reference to the salvation of mankind (clarke). There is no magic formulas or snapping of fingers by which we execute GOD's plan for mankind. GOD in His wise counsel has chosen the way of diligent labor to proclaim His good news. Ap. Paul's ministry wouldn't have had the impact it had if it weren't for the hard work he had put into it, of course with the grace of GOD combined. We read that in 1 Cor 15:10 where Ap. Paul acknowledges that " Yet at the same time, I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Paul knew that men had to play their roles well in the great commission unlke some ministers who are like idle drones sit around waiting for GOD to drop something out of heaven.
We read in 2 Cor 5:9 - Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. We also read in 1 Cor 15:58 "therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, let nothing move you, always give yourselves fully to the work of the LORD, because you know that your labor in the LORD is not in vain. Apostle Paul exhorts us not to fear persecution or death for Christ's sake. Instead boldly proclaim the gospel of Christ as ones who don't love their lives. He says we have a resurrected body waiting for us which will never see death again. So all we do now is trust GOD in what HE has done by raising Jesus Christ the firstfruits from among the dead and then we will follow; all of us who are born of the new order of life in Jesus Christ.
b) Communicating the truth in love
Communication of the truth is such an integral part of the great commission such that we see Apostle Paul requesting prayers for him to proclaim the mystery as clearly as possible. Many christians are guilty of either brash arrogance or boring complacency when communicating the truth of the gospel. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit exhorts us to let our conversation be full of grace, meaning both GOD's grace and human graciousness, seasoned with salt. As Wright puts it, Paul knows a tedious monologue is worse than useless in evangelism. Christians are to work at making their witness interesting, lively and colourful.
c) Master the rudiments of faith
Another important thing every christian ought to do is to ensure that they have thoroughly mastered the rudiments of their faith so that you may know how to answer everyone. Outsiders will ask christians about their new life as their lives start to reflect Christ and His wisdom. That is why apostle Paul emphasized the importance of giving the world no reason to criticize or gossip about the behaviour of christians. Blameless life lays the foundation for gracious witness, as christians make the most of every opportunity.
We are called to gather an end time harvest of souls for the kingdom of GOD. We have to put aside all ease and comfort aside and get busy for the LORD and be fellow laborers with HIM in this great ministry of reconcilation. As we read in Proverbs "he who wins souls is wise' and will shine like stars.
Adam Clarke puts it well regarding the great value of this work, "As one immortal soul is of more worth than all the material creation of God, every man who knows the worth of his own should labor for the salvation of others. To be the means of depriving hell of her expectation, and adding even one soul to the Church triumphant, is a matter of infinite moment; and he who is such an instrument has much reason to thank God that ever he was born. He who lays out his accounts to do good to the souls of men, will ever have the blessing of God in his own. Besides, God will not suffer him to labor in vain, or spend his strength for naught. At first he may see little fruit; but the bread cast upon the waters shall be found after many days: and if he should never see it in this life, he may take for granted that whatsoever he has done for God, in simplicity and godly sincerity, has been less or more effectual."
C'mon let us move from our comfort zones and finish the great commission assigned to us. Since we now understand the great calling over our lives, we ought to follow what our forerunner Jesus Christ has done, who gave up his life for us and redeemed us and now is calling every believer born of HIS Spirit to arm themselves with His same mind, willing to lay down one's life, push love to the limit and save many out of the destructive pit of sin for the praises of GOD's glory. As William Carey once said "Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God".
Godspeed,
Your brother in Christ & partner in GOD’s work
Junu
References:
John G Lake - Complete collection
Adam Clarke Commentary of the whole Bible
David Guzik commentary
LetGodBeTrue.com
--- The Great Commission
The Great Commission given by our LORD Jesus Christ is no longer a popular phenomenon in the church today. Most churches today have left the Word of God for fables and entertainment (II Tim 3:4-7; 4:3-4). Today, the church's mission has been replaced with social programs, women's day, flag football, golf outings and other entertainment as if pleasure is the ultimate mission. However Jesus had other things in mind when He birthed the church. So then what is the great commission? and what is my ultimate duty as a christian?
pilgrims' map
