“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. ” (Mt 28:19-20)
This is the Great Commission. It is not the “great suggestion”. It is a command to make disciples, not just getting people saved.
We are living in a time when this command is severely neglected. People often say: “The most important thing is to get people saved.” That is not really true. If people get saved and then not trained to become disciples of the Master to observe all that He commanded, we have failed in our task.
Paul warned about this. He wrote to Timothy: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” (2 Ti 4:3-4)
Christians today are flocking to listen to preachers and teachers who “suit their own passions”. They want to hear what God can do for them and how they can be blessed and successful in life. Basically this is the essence of idolatry. An idol is a god you make in order to serve your interests and desires.
But God was not created to serve us. We were created to serve Him. And in order to do that we must become disciples, learning from our Master.
What was Paul’s solution? Paul began the previous chapter by explaining the real problem: “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money…” (2 Ti 3:1-2) People will become selfish in the last days and this is why they will not want to hear sound teaching to correct them and discipline them. This is where we are today. Paul then continued to tell Timothy:
“You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings … Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (v. 10-13)
True disciples must be prepared to endure persecution and suffering. That is not very popular. Then came the charge to Timothy:
“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (v. 14-18)
We must begin to teach people the Holy Scriptures, all of them, from Genesis to Revelation. This is our only hope! Only the Scriptures can make us wise for salvation, producing a godly character in our lives by reproving us, correcting us and training us in righteousness.
This is why Paul then gave Timothy the following serious charge, which applies to all pastors and teachers:
“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word [all Scripture is breathed out by God]; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” (2 Tim 4:1-2)
May God raise up many such faithful laborers today as Yeshua said:
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.” (Mt 24:45-47)
We must begin to make disciples again and not just get people saved. This is the Great Commission! The reward for those who obey it will be great.
The Bible is our only hope in these last days.
