PART 3: THE GREAT COMMISSION: Make Disciples

Posted on by BETH

Jesus commanded to “. . . go and teach (mathetuo) all nations” (Matt. 28:19).  The literal meaning of this Greek word ‘matheteuo’ is ‘go and make disciples.’  This is the very pattern Jesus followed. “. . . Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John . . .” (John 4:1-3).  Even those who ask WWJD (What would Jesus do?) should at least make disciples like Jesus did.  It is true that the King James versions translates this word as ‘go ye therefore and teach all nations.’  However, it is just as true that the command Jesus gave is to go and make disciples of all nations.  If we expect to please our Father we will not neglect this command.

One wonders why the word ‘disciple’ is so seldom used today except by Total Commitment groups.  (They wrongly ‘disciple’ people to their own peculiar leaders and organizations, not to Jesus as they claim.)  Has the gospel changed?  Is this command of God no longer valid?  The word disciple is the primary word used to describe Jesus’ followers.  It is used 269 times in the New Testament.  In contrast the word ‘Christian’ is used three times in the New Testament.  Both words are valid words to describe God’s children, but God used one word far more than another for a reason.  It is not traditional to use the word disciple today.  The Jews could not find the truth of God because they were bound by their own traditions.  To find God’s truth they would have had to have left all of the teaching of men and listened only to Christ.  We are no different today.  When we insist on following our peers’ tradition, we are liable not to obey God.  We need to obey his command and go and make disciples of all nations.  That brings us to our next question.  How do we make disciples?

AFTER EARTH, WHAT WILL GOD HAVE LEFT IN HIS HAND?

Posted on by BETH

When this universe is burned up at the end of the world (2 Pet. 3:10-13), what will God have left to show for all of his work?  Only the unseen eternal things will be left.  Minds, hearts, and souls –  the inner eternal nature of man will be left (2 Cor. 4:16-18).   What is in each mind, heart and soul is going to be of utmost importance on judgment day.  If a man’s heart is full of evil, God can not use him.

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.  If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?   (Luke 16:10-12).

God is concerned about our hearts.  Are they faithful?  Note God’s judgment of the heart.  Why is this principle true?  If the heart is faithful in little, that same heart is faithful.  It does not matter how much or how little it has.  It will always be faithful in every circumstance and time.  Conversely, if the heart is unfaithful, the amount will not matter.  God’s question is: are we faithful with what he has given us now?  We are faithful, if our hearts are faithful.  If our hearts are unfaithful here on this earth, they will be unfaithful in heaven.  Moses was faithful here.  He has the same kind of heart.  He will be faithful no matter where he is.  Faithfulness is a matter of the spiritual heart.  What is our mind, heart and soul going to be like when we leave this world?  God is very concerned about this because these and what is in them will be what God has left when this world has ended.

THE CHRISTIAN RACE

Posted on by BETH

God sets a race to run before every child he receives encourages us to “run with patience the race that is set before us” (He 12:1).  The picture of a runner running for the crown is one of the clearest pictures God gives us his purpose.  He That race has a crown to win (1 Cor. 9:24-27).  There is a definite mark or finish line (Phil 3:14).  There are specific unbreakable rules (2 Tim 2:5).  Several months before Paul died  he said: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:7,8).

Paul knew where to run and did.  The runner who does not know the mark, will run aimlessly, without heart.  He will run toward every bright light that beckons.  The Lord does not want anyone to be “tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14).  The one who believes in a wrong goal runs heartily, but will arrive at the wrong mark. “And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully” (2 Tim. 2:5). We must see God’s plan as it is.  What avail is it for a man to choose what he wants to believe, only to find a few moments after he dies that he missed the mark?  He warns us that many will be shocked who not only knew him, but they were absolutely certain that they were serving him (Matt. 7:21-23).  Even on judgment day they will still believe they knew him and were serving him.  We don’t want that to happen to us.

It is not a question of doubt.  It is a matter of faith – faith in God’s word – every word.  We need to know the truth – all of the truth.  God’s plan can be made to be too hard or too simple.  To do so is to miss the mark.  Many, like the Pharisees, will miss the mark because tradition is strong.  Some have said: “If ‘so-and-so’ has not taught it, it is not so.”  Faith in men is the wrong faith.  Paul did not use his own words so “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:5). Our faith must be in God – in every word that proceeds out of his mouth.  This is not our natural inclination.  “No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better” (Luke 5:39).

On judgment day, we will all wish we had heard and understood every word. God has never said that the gospel is simple.  The closest we can come to a ‘simple’ gospel is in 2 Corinthians 11:3.  The word ‘simplicity’ is literally singleness (not folded), which is ‘sincerity.’  There are first principles in the gospel for babies (Heb. 5:11-14) but there are second principles of the gospel which are not easy to be understood (2 Pe 3:15,16).  God hid this wisdom of the gospel from the foundation of the world so that no prophet or anyone else ever imagined what it is (2 Cor. 2:6-11).  He tells plainly that he revealed these things in wisdom.  God’s wisdom is not simple.  Paul preached the gospel in all wisdom (Col 2:28).  The gospel makes disciples (Mt 28:19), baptizes those who have been made disciples, and then teaches them all Jesus taught them – the complete truth (John 16:13).  This is not simple.