The mission of the people of God
Purpose and Scope
We are the people of God. Our actions come out of who we are. Jesus, knowing who He was, secure in His Father's love, willingly submitted to His Father's plan for His life. Knowing who we are in Christ (children of God, citizens of His eternal kingdom, members of His body) enables us to serve God and His purposes. Secure in His love we are free to choose to submit to His plans for us.
God describes in various ways what He has called His people to do. In Isaiah, He says that He has called and prepared us to serve Him. He has revealed Himself through us to bring His salvation to all nations. Jesus says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." We are to live in a love relationship with our Father and let Him love others through us. In God's love and upon Jesus' authority, we are to go into the world as God's people and make disciples (followers and learners of Jesus) of all nations. We are also to baptize these followers of Jesus and teach them to obey what Jesus teaches. We are not left to our own resources or methods because Jesus has promised His presence as we do our part in carrying out the Great Commission.
Primary source passages: Isaiah 49:1-6; Matthew 22:37-39, 28:18-10; John 10:17, 18:17.
Our Relationship with the World
God has sent His people into the world to reflect His character. By our lives we demonstrate love, justice, mercy, humility and other godly characteristics among those who don't yet know God personally. Jesus says that He has chosen His followers to go into the world and bear fruit (both the fruit of the Holy Spirit and new and fruitful members of His body). As we go through our days on earth, we are to give off the aroma of Christ.
There is a tension between caring for people within the body and caring for those who aren't yet members of the body. As God's people, we are not here for our own sake. We are in this world for the sake of those who don't know Christ. Jesus was known as a "friend of sinners" and we should be known as this also. We aren't to be afraid of people who don't yet know Christ, but to expect tensions as we seek to penetrate the world around us with the gospel. In fact, Jesus warns us to expect misunderstanding, hatred and persecution, but to respond in love. We are to point people and bring people to God by being among and associating with them (not expecting them to come to us), and by adapting to them (not expecting them to adapt to us). We are to demonstrate love and justice and we are not to sin. This can only happen as we abandon ourselves to Jesus Christ and His purposes. As members of the body demonstrate Christ-like love and unity, we will be witnesses, revealing God and His purposes to the world.
Primary source passages: Matthew 9:9-13:10; John 4:1-42, 13:34, 35; 15:9 - 16:4, 17; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13, 9:19-23; 2 Corinthians 2:15 - 7:1.
Our Enemy
We must ever keep in mind that our enemy is not people, but Satan. Satan is the opposer of God and His purposes. Satan is the one who blinds the minds of those who don't know Christ. He is the accuser who seeks to destroy God's people. He seeks to destroy us by deception and by using our sinful desires to compromise our witness. He is a liar keeping people in bondage to sin, self and worldly ways.
We know that Jesus has conquered sin, death and Satan. God is allowing Satan a limited amount of freedom, but his time is limited and he won't win in the end. Satan is not an equal opposing force to God, but an angel who rebelled against God. His power is dangerous, causing great suffering in the world, but it is limited. God is all-powerful and through our relationship with Christ we have this power available to us. We are to submit to God and stand firm in our faith. If we resist the devil he will flee from us. We are to use the weapons and armor of God to battle the enemy and destroy his strongholds. We are to go boldly into Satan's territory and take captives for God, delivering them from the effects of Satan's work, and by cooperating with God's work, faithfully advance His kingdom.
Primary source passages: Matthew 11:12, 12:29; John 8:44; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Ephesians 2:1-3, 6:10-20; Hebrews 2:14, 15; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:6-11; Revelation 12:10, 11.
