In an article titled "Is the Great Commission for Every Individual Christian?" by Dr. John Piper (see here), Piper expresses my views completely on the "Great Commission." If one will go to my blog (hardshellism.blogspot.com) he will find my eleven chapters on the Great Commission relative to Hardshell history and beliefs. See here for the first chapter in that series. The other chapters can also be accessed in the archives from the above page. Piper wrote (emphasis mine):
"Jesus delivered the Great Commission. In it comes the command for all the peoples of the earth to be reached with the good news. But who was Jesus speaking to? Was it to the original apostles only? To the church at large? To particular local churches? To frontline, missions-minded people? Or is it given to each and every Christian?
Who’s going to actually get off their rear end and risk their life penetrating the remaining unreached peoples of the world? That’s the critical issue. Every individual doesn’t do it, and the church as a whole doesn’t do it. Specific human beings do it.
Hopefully these people are supported by every individual and supported by the whole church. It’s individual people that take the gospel across cultures to other people. Where do they come from? Who are they? How do they come into being? How do they get authorized, gifted, equipped, sustained?
So how will the nations and peoples be reached? By means of believers opening their mouths and telling the good news deposited by the apostles in the New Testament concerning the gospel of Jesus. And who are those cross-cultural emissaries? Who are they? Individuals.
So my answer is that the Great Commission is to be loved and supported and advocated for by all who love what Jesus loves. How can you not?"
Amen!
Every born again soul should be saying "here am I, Lord, send me."
"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." (Isa. 61:6)
Any volunteers?
No comments:
Post a Comment