The Biblical Basis for Missions

Change. Most of us don’t like it.  After all, change makes us uncomfortable.  Our routines get upset, and new habits have to be learned.  But you and I know Jesus Christ today because God pushed the early church outside its own backyard, and into a different, sometimes frightening, world.

In reading the Bible, one finds a unified message from Genesis to Revelation; that those of us who are blessed with the knowledge of the love of God, and the salvation that the death and resurrection of Christ gave us should spread that blessing to all peoples of the earth.  To do any different is to disobey the direct commands of God Himself.  Many are called to go, and many are called to send and support those who go through prayer and finances, but there is no one exempt from involvement in this command to make disciples of all nations.

When we begin by looking at the Old Testament, we see that the purpose and intent of God in seeing His name exalted throughout all of His creation started in Genesis.  In Chapter 12:3, God told Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."  The Abrahamic Covenant, God’s promise to Abraham, is the instrumental event in the story of redemption.

God then sends Moses to free the Israelites from captivity in Egypt.  And in Exodus, God explains why He has let the Pharaoh remain in power, “But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:16) God raises up men in a strategic way to make His name known.   In Joshua 4:24, God tells the people His purpose in drying up the Jordan River was so that all the people of the earth would know, “He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”

And even in the Major and Minor prophets we see clear statements of God’s purpose in working with Israel and ultimately all the nations.  In Isaiah 45:5-6, 14, 18, 21-22 tells us, This God must be proclaimed, acknowledged and worshiped in all the world.  And finally, in Malachi 1:11 God tells us, “My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD Almighty.”  This is a small presentation of almost the whole of Christian doctrine.  All these universal claims of God require worldwide action in evangelism and missions.

As we have seen, the concept of making disciples of all nations is not originally a New Testament idea.  But with the arrival of the Messiah, something changed.  The Abrahamic Covenant finally found fulfillment.  God had told Abraham that, “…through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." (Genesis 22:18)  Paul makes clear in Galatians that Christ is that promised offspring. (See Galatians 3:16)  Christ “…he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility...” (Ephesians 2:14) to allow all nations into covenant with God.

And now, Jesus has commissioned His disciples with the well-known command, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)  Yet, the Great Commission is really an old commission, because Christ is re-stating God’s promise to Abraham.  Think of it, Christ is restating the Abrahamic Covenant thousands of years later!

Moving on to the book of Acts, we see that after the crucifixion, and just before Jesus’ ascension back to heaven, He restates the commissioning of His disciples by telling them, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) 

Next, we look at Galatians 3. Paul says in this chapter, “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’ So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” (Galatians 3:8-9)  So this verifies that God’s eternal plan was to bring Gentiles into covenant with Him.  We now have some much needed unity to the Old Testament and New Testament in theme and intent.

And finally, John writes about his vision, “…before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9)  What is John seeing?  He is seeing the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant!  That is a vision of heaven to look forward to, when every people group will be worshiping the Lamb of God! 

You have now been introduced to the heart of God for the nations.