The Goal of the Church

Jesus tasked his disciples with proclaiming the Good News of God’s Kingdom and salvation to men and women of every nation.

The Good News proclaimed by Jesus is not about reforming fallen societies or fixing corrupt governments however much this statement contradicts what we hear from popular preachers. His Gospel summons men to repent and join an entirely new and vastly different social and political order, the Kingdom of God. His realm is fundamentally incompatible with the ideologies, practices, and values of the existing world order.

Responding positively to this call is vital not only for the Church but also for the larger world, especially considering the approaching end of the age when the present political order will cease to exist. The New Testament envisions the coming radical transformation of the Universe, and not just small temporary fixes here or there to a system that is enslaved to sin and under Satan’s boot.

[Photo by Gaël Gaborel - OrbisTerrae on Unsplash]

This change will occur when the Church completes its mission of proclaiming the Gospel to every nation. God’s transforming “power and wisdom” are found in the proclamation of the “Crucified Messiah,” not the barrel of a gun, political power, or material wealth – (Matthew 24:14, 1 Corinthians 1:17-21).

The preaching of the Gospel will culminate in the return of Jesus, the resurrection of the dead, the consummation of God’s Kingdom, total victory over the “last enemy, Death,” and the arrival of the “New Heavens and the New Earth.” All this will occur when the Son of Man appears “on the clouds of Heaven” to gather his “elect” and judge the nations – (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).

Satan has succeeded too often in misdirecting the Church and corrupting the Gospel with ideas like ‘Christendom,’ “Christian nation,” and even ‘American Christendom.’ Rather than a forward-looking hope of salvation for all men, “Christianity” becomes watered down and is little more than another social group with a political agenda.

Unlike the political operatives in many of our pulpits, Jesus dispatched his disciples to proclaim this Good News to all the nations of the Earth. As he declared before his Ascension, “All authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations.”

Christ’s Gospel is the only world-changing message that all men must hear. There is no life, truth, justice, salvation, or access to God apart from Jesus of Nazareth, “Christ Crucified,” a scandal to Jews, foolishness to the rest of humanity, and yet the Crucified Messiah is God’s salvation for one and all.

Just before his Ascension, Jesus commanded his followers to wait in Jerusalem until they “received power when the Holy Spirit came upon them.”  Thereafter, they would be “his witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the uttermost part of the earth” - (Acts 1:7-9).

The last clause is derived from the Second Psalm and its vision of the Anointed Son of God ruling over the Earth. His reign began following his Resurrection and Ascension - “Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession” – (Psalm 2:7-8 – Emphasis added).

As Abraham’s heir, Christ inherited the Earth and its nations, and he now sends his heralds to announce his reign and offer his salvation. This process will culminate in the bodily resurrection of the dead and the New Creation.

FROM FAITH

The Apostle Paul declared that the “righteousness of God” is received through faith in Jesus by all who believe, both Jew and Greek. With God, “there is no distinction” or “respect of person.” Everyone stands or falls before Him on the same basis.

Sin is the Great Equalizer that places every man and woman in the same predicament, Jews and Gentiles alike. All have sinned; therefore, all will die in the end. Our nationality, social status, or economic position has no bearing on our standing before the Judge of all the Earth. What matters is repentance and faith in Jesus. For those who respond positively to the Gospel, death will not have the final say.

Every man and woman who responds to the Gospel with faith is set right before God on the same basis, whether Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, male or female, and that is from the faith of Jesus. There is no basis for human self-confidence “since all have sinned and lack the glory of God” - (Romans 3:22-30).

Paul appealed to his monotheistic faith to support this proposition - “Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one and will justify the circumcised from faith and the uncircumcised through faith.” The one “God and Father of Jesus Christ” is the God and Creator of all men and women. No man or woman is advantaged or disadvantaged before Him because of ethnicity or gender – (Romans 3:29-31, Colossians 3:9-11).

God is creating a new humanity and a very different “Kingdom” through His Son, a people, singular, composed of men and women from every nation, people, and culture. What they all have in common is the “faith of Jesus Christ.” The task of his Church is to proclaim this message until Jesus appears “on the clouds of Heaven” - (Matthew 24:14).

The day is coming when the destructive works of the Devil will vanish from the Earth.  Sin, Satan, disease, injustice, and death will be eliminated forever. This victory will coincide with the “arrival” of Jesus when he resurrects the righteous dead, vanquishes death, rewards his faithful followers, judges the wicked, and ushers in the final reign of God in all its grandeur - (1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).

Everyone who responds in faith to the Gospel will receive salvation and everlasting life. Everyone who rejects His gracious offer will reap something far less pleasant. In the meantime, we must decide whether we will serve His Kingdom or the existing world order, and above all, we do so by proclaiming his salvation and lordship to all men.

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SEE ALSO:

• His Salvation Offer - (The Good News announced by Jesus of Nazareth and preached by his Church offers salvation to men and women of every nation and people)

• The Sign of the End - (The End will not come until the Gospel of the Kingdom of God has been proclaimed to all nations – Matthew 24:14)

• Hastening the Day - (The apparent delay in Christ’s return is due to God’s mercy as He waits patiently for the Gospel to reach all nations)

• Notre Tâche - (Jésus a chargé ses disciples de proclamer la Bonne Nouvelle du Royaume et du salut de Dieu aux hommes et aux femmes de toutes les nations)