JUST THINKING: A Mandate For Missions
I was just thinking about how prone many of us are to overlook spiritual truth in Scriptures we have known for most of our lives. Let’s consider, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV). Have you ever associated that verse with our mandate for missions? Here are some thoughts about that:
• The heart of missions is divine. God so loved! The Father didn’t express the depth of His love with “so,” He revealed the manner by which He demonstrated His love. That was by sending His Son to die that we might live. Missions is about sending, and God did exactly that. The Lord wants His believers to love like He loves — unconditionally, without prejudice and, definitely, with great concern for those who are lost.
• The scope of missions is global. God loves the world! When I think of that truth, I am reminded of that Sunday School song we learned as children: “Jesus Loves the Little Children.” A part of it says, “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.” The colors of people who need salvation can be found around the world. God doesn’t just love children; He loves the young and old, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, and He loves all, even while they are still sinners!
• The cost of missions is sacrificial. God sent His Son, not to be a goodie-two-shoes, but to be a sacrifice to atone for the sins of mankind. Jesus was not murdered by a rebellion. He was sacrificed by His Heavenly Father for the rebellious, lost world. When it comes to finding the mandate for missions in John 3:16, we need only recognize that the cost of global missions is great and often requires sacrifices. Missionary families sacrifice their lives of comfort in the U.S. to serve all around the world. While we may not go ourselves, we should be willing to sacrifice by supporting missions with times of intercession and monetary gifts to help them remain on the mission field.
• The need for missions is universal. Whether in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, the Far East or right here in the United States, people need salvation from the condemnation of sin. We know the truth: “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one’” (Rom. 3:10 NIV). Then, there is: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23 NIV). The truth is that people need the Lord everywhere — in every nation, in every neighborhood.
• The reward for missions is eternal. The greatest missionary ever left His place in Heaven to come to the largest mission field in existence — planet Earth. He came to seek and save those who are lost. What would we do if He had not come? What would we do if someone had not told us about what Jesus did when He died for us? The missions work of Christ, taken on by a believer, reached out to us who now believe, and the reward is eternal life with Him who loved us so. Friends in Christ, we must answer the mandate for missions — share the good news!
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Dr. Tom Mitchell
Dr. Tom Mitchell pens a column titled, Just Thinking, in which he addresses many topics relative to the Baptist Missionary Association. His Trailblazers series provides biographies of many BMA trailblazers from the past.
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