Article 8: Christian Living

We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, living out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor, and justice for the oppressed. With God's Word, the Spirit's power, and fervent prayer in Christ's name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ's commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.

God's gospel calls us to Christ-like living and witness to the world.

(This commentary is based on a book, entitled Evangelical Convictions: A Theological Exposition of the Statement of Faith of the Evangelical Free Church of America. The exposition I have adapted from that book is shorter and re-drafted to fit the Statement of Faith we are proposing at LAC. I am thankful to my theologian friends—Mike Andrus, Bill Jones, Bill Kynes, David Martin, Ruben Martinez, and Greg Strand—both for the work together and for the opportunity to post this material. Though many contributed to the commentary, the writing was done mainly by Dr. Greg Strand and Dr. Bill Kynes. Your pastor accepts responsibility both for the abridging and for the re-focusing of the commentary now being made available to us.)

Commentary

      The Bible’s message about faith and life has been commonly misunderstood in two equally dangerous directions. On the one hand, some believe that following Jesus is largely a matter of our own works, of our obeying rules and living well enough to earn God’s acceptance. But the gospel message assumes that we have all fallen short of God’s expectations and have already broken his laws. It is only in union with Christ that our sins are forgiven, our guilty consciences are washed clean, and the righteousness of Christ is made ours. This all happens apart from our good works (cf. Eph. 2:8–9). On the other hand, some, seeing that our salvation is not a matter of how we live, conclude that how we live does not matter. The attitude is that we should simply believe the message and then live as we want.

            In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul addressed this very issue. After setting forth the depth and breadth of human sin and the even greater power of God’s grace in the first five chapters, Paul raised a logical question: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” (6:1). In other words, can we be indifferent to the moral character of our lives? Paul answers emphatically:

      By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:2–4).

            Paul pointed us to the secure path that avoids the pitfalls on both sides. When we follow Jesus, grace and godliness coexist. We have died with Christ, who has atoned for our sin, and we have been raised with him to live a new life. Therefore, in our SOF we affirm that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from his sanctifying power and purpose.

I. Grace and Godliness: God’s Justifying Grace and His Sanctifying Power and Purpose

            We have declared already that we are justified by God’s grace alone through faith alone. As a once-for-all act of God, our justification means that “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). But God’s saving work is not limited to the forgiveness of sins and our rescue from God’s wrath. The God who justifies us also works in us to conform us to the image of Christ so that we might share in his glory (cf. Rom. 8:29–30) in an ongoing process we call “sanctification.”[1] As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:9, God “has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.” We have not been saved from sin only to continue to live in sin.

            Justification and sanctification must never be confused, but neither can they be separated. Both are aspects of God’s gracious work in our lives, and both are consequences of our union with Christ by the Spirit. We are first declared righteous as, in union with Christ, we are clothed with his righteousness. Then we progressively become righteous in ourselves as we live out our new life in Christ by God’s power. God’s grace in the gospel compels us to seek godliness.[2]

            A proper understanding of the gospel leaves no room for nominal Christianity, i.e., following Jesus in name only. Without some evidence of God’s sanctifying work in a person’s life, we have no reason to believe that a person who makes a Christian profession has, in fact, been truly justified by God’s grace. Again, our good works earn us nothing (cf. Eph. 2:8–9), but there is such a thing as a dead faith. In James’ words, a faith without works is the faith of demons (James 2:14, 19, 26; cf. Titus 1:16). We are saved by God’s grace alone through faith alone, but that saving faith never stands alone. It is always accompanied by the regenerating work of the Spirit, which introduces us into a new sphere of life (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17). Therefore, the faith that saves is a faith that works, bearing the fruit of the indwelling Spirit in the life of the believer.
            The Christian life entails growth, for we are to “continue to work out [our] salvation” (Phil. 2:12). But we live in the assurance that “it is God who works in [us] to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:13), confident “that he who began a good work in [us] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).

            One of the most beautiful sights in the picturesque city of Cambridge, England, is King’s College Chapel, a magnificent Gothic building completed during the reign of Henry VIII. One of the great attractions of the chapel is a painting by one of the Old Masters, Peter Paul Reubens, entitled, “The Adoration of the Magi.” But in 1974, in an act of political protest, a vandal entered the chapel and defaced this magnificent painting by scratching the letters “IRA” deeply into the canvas. It was thought then that this irreplaceable work of art was ruined forever, but soon there appeared a notice alongside it that announced, “It is believed that this masterpiece can be restored to its original condition.” And it was—in all its glory.

            That is the message of the gospel: this masterpiece of the human person, created to glorify God as his image but defaced by the ravages of sin, can be restored to a glory even beyond its original condition. This is God’s sanctifying purpose, and by his gracious power we are to grow in godliness and so display the glory of God. As Paul wrote, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:8–10).

            What are these “good works” that God, the Master Craftsman, has in mind when restoring his creation? Article 8 describes three ways in which we are to live out our faith to the glory of God: obeying the Great Commandment, engaging in the spiritual battle, and carrying out the Great Commission.

II. The Great Commandment

            “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus was asked. “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:28–31).

            What does God want from us? To live lives of love. He has saved us from sin for this very purpose.

A. We Are to Love God Supremely

            First, God commands us to love him supremely—with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is the first and greatest commandment because God himself is love (1 John 4:8, 16). He has existed eternally as a loving union of three equally divine Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Love is central to who he is. And who could be more worthy of our love than God himself? To love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is simply what it means to function properly as a human being made in God’s image. That function has been corrupted by sin. But in our union with Christ that proper function begins to be restored as we come to share in the Son’s relationship with the Father and enter into the triune life of love. Loving God is not only our supreme duty but our highest privilege and the source of our deepest joy as we respond to the God who has first loved us (1 John 4:10).

            What does it look like to love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Loving God means, first, that he is the supreme object of our worship. In loving him, we declare his worth above all else. Worship is not only an expression of our love for God; it is also a means of loving him more. When we worship we call to mind just how worthy God is of our love. We remember his greatness in his work of creation and his goodness in his work of redemption. Our worship is an act of love.

            We love God when we express to him our thanksgiving and our praise. We love him when we long to hear his voice through the reading and exposition of his Word. We love him when we acknowledge our dependence upon him as we come to him in prayer. We love him when we guard our affections, lest we be drawn away after other objects of our devotion, for anything that usurps God’s place in our hearts becomes an idol. We love God when we humbly submit our wills in obedience to him. “If you love me,” Jesus said, “you will obey what I command” (John 14:15; also vv. 21, 23–24; 15:9–10). And, as we shall see, we love God when we love our neighbor.

            God’s sanctifying purpose is that his image in us be restored—that image that was displayed in all its glory in his Son, Jesus. And that image is properly displayed when all of our loves, all of our desires, are rightly ordered and our love for him is above all else. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” Jesus said. “This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matt. 12:37–38).

B. We Are to Love Others Sacrificially

            “And the second is like it,” Jesus said. “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 12:39). There is an obvious reason why this should be so important: If we truly love God, we must love other human beings, because they are created in his image. All people are, in that sense, God’s representatives on earth.

            If the President of the United States sent an ambassador to a foreign leader who then disrespected and abused that ambassador, the President himself would be insulted. So it is with God. He is represented in the world through every human being created in his image. How we treat his representatives is how we treat the one whom they represent.[3]

            James pointed out the absurdity of not honoring this connection—“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness...My brothers, this should not be” (James 3:9). John put it even more bluntly: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20). To love the one is to love the other; to hate the one is to hate the other.

            Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Contrary to what is commonly taught in some Christian pop psychology, there is no hidden command to love ourselves here. Self-love is all too natural to us all (in the sense of doing what we perceive to be for our own good). We feed ourselves, we clothe ourselves, and we indulge ourselves in all sorts of ways. Self-love in this form is simply assumed; the command is to curb that self-love and turn it outward toward other people—to that neighbor, whomever he or she may be, God is setting before you.[4]

            “A new command I give you: Love one another,” Jesus said. “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). And how did Jesus love us? John told us: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16). So we say, we are to love others sacrificially, i.e., not conveniently, not just when it suits us, when it fits easily into our schedule, when it doesn’t put us out, or when it doesn’t cost us anything. The world loves that way, loving only those who love them (cf. Matt. 5:46–47). But we have come to know the love of God, and we have seen the love of Christ. We are to love others sacrificially (cf. 1 John 4:8–10; also Eph. 5:25). And when we do, both individually and corporately, the world will take notice.

            Our SOF picks out three ways that our sacrificial love is to be expressed. This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but these three do reflect important biblical mandates.

1. Caring for One Another

            We are to live out our faith in the way wecare for one another. Here we are speaking about the special love that we are to have for our brothers and sisters in the family of believers, the church of Jesus Christ. This is what Jesus referred to when he said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). Followers of Jesus must display love toward one another, or the world has a right to ask if they really are his disciples.

            The New Testament is laced with calls to this kind of love, with a myriad of “one another” passages. We are to

            • “be devoted to one another” (Rom. 12:10)

            • “honor one another above ourselves” (Rom. 12:10)

            • “live in harmony with one another” (Rom. 12:16; 1 Pet. 3:8)

            • “stop passing judgment on one another” (Rom. 14:13)

            • “accept one another, just as Christ accepted you” (Rom. 15:7)

            • “instruct one another” (Rom. 15:14)

            • “greet one another with a holy kiss” (2 Cor. 13:12)

            • “serve one another in love” (Gal. 5:13)

            • “be kind and compassionate to one another” (Eph. 4:32)

            • “speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Eph. 5:19)

            • “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph. 5:21)

            • “bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another” (Col. 3:13; Eph. 4:2)

            • “teach and admonish one another with all wisdom” (Col. 3:16)

            • “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thess. 5:11)

            • “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Heb. 10:24)

            • “love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Pet. 1:22)

            • “offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Pet. 4:9)

            • “clothe ourselves with humility toward one another” (1 Pet. 5:5)

            Part of the power of the early church’s witness to the world was the way in which they put this “one another” love into practice.

            “Therefore, as we have opportunity,” Paul wrote, “let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Gal. 6:10). Paul said “especially” but certainly did not mean “exclusively.” Our love is not to be restricted to our fellow Christians, for when Jesus was asked, “Who is my neighbor?” he told a story pointing to the example of that good Samaritan, that religious outsider, who showed love to a man he happened to meet along the road while traveling down to Jericho. His neighbor was the person God had placed in his path. We are called by God to love our neighbor, whomever that may be. And Jesus called us to love even our enemies, for that is the way God loves (Matt. 5:43–47; Rom. 5:8–10).

2. Acting with Compassion Toward the Poor

            Another category of people that we are especially called to love in the Bible is those who are poor, which we take to include any who are needy, powerless, and vulnerable, such as widows and orphans, the elderly, the disabled, the unborn, the immigrant, the minority, or the mistreated (cf. Zech. 7:10; Luke 14:13). The Bible is quite explicit and realistic about this responsibility: “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land” (Deut. 15:11).

            This biblical instruction is clear and thoroughgoing:

Prov. 14:21: “He who despises his neighbor sins,

                         but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.”

Prov. 22:9: “A generous man will himself be blessed,

                        for he shares his food with the poor.”

Prov. 28:27: “He who gives to the poor will lack nothing,

                        but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.”

            Jesus condemned a rich man who lived in luxury every day and ignored the beggar Lazarus who lay at his gate (Luke 16:19–31). James told us, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27).

            We are called to have compassion[5] for the poor because this reflects God’s concern. God identified himself with those who have no value in the eyes of the world:

Prov. 14:31: “He who oppresses the poor

                        shows contempt for their Maker,

                        but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”

Prov. 19:17: “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD,

                        and he will reward him for what he has done.”

Though perhaps referring particularly to believers, Jesus nonetheless identified with those who are poor and needy when he said that inasmuch as you have met the needs of the least of these my brothers you have done it to me (Matt. 25:31–46).

            Showing kindness to the poor and giving with compassion to meet their needs is an act of love toward God. It demonstrates a sincere and selfless love, since it promises no return in this world. Jesus commended this kind of love when he said, “When you give a . . . dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:12–14).

            Those who are poor in this world have no resources of their own to depend on; they have no one to turn to. Therefore, God in his compassion becomes their defender. “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5; cf. also 1 Cor. 1:26–29).

            A life of generosity toward the poor flows out of our experience of the gospel (Matt. 10:8). Paul encouraged the Corinthians to contribute to his offering for the poor in Jerusalem by reminding them of God’s gift in Christ:“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). Jesus became poor for us; he entered into our poverty, for before God we are all “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked” (Rev. 3:17). Hearts touched by the gospel, those who have experienced God’s compassion toward them in their own poverty (Matt. 5:3), cannot help but extend that compassion toward others. But the Bible also warns that those indifferent toward the poor may find God indifferent toward them: “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered” (Prov. 21:13).

            The church, at her best, has always lived out the gospel in this way. In the early church, it was evident in the way God’s people cared for those with physical needs, especially among those whom society marginalized. This compassion was also seen in how the church cared for those who were converted from a profligate life, thus losing their means of livelihood. Such were received into the church family and provided for. In another example, inspired by the Spirit-prompted Great Awakening that infused life into the church and a recommitment to the gospel, William Wilberforce started or supported over 60 humanitarian works. This “compassion for the poor” was rooted in his understanding of the gospel.

            Acting with compassion toward the poor is one of the ways we love our neighbor.

3. Seeking Justice for the Oppressed

            Contrary to the one-sided views often heard from those on the political left or the political right, the Bible speaks of various ways that people find themselves in poverty and need. Sometimes such a state is the result of circumstances beyond their control—disaster, famine, illness, injury, or the death of a provider like a husband or a father. Consider Joseph and his family fleeing to Egypt during a famine in Israel or the frequent mention of the plight of the widow and the orphan.[6]

            Sometimes people are poor because of their own deficiencies, e.g., they may lack self-discipline or enduring effort: “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Prov. 14:23; also 6:9–11). Our own failures or irresponsibility, of course, did not stop God from showing compassion to us.

            But another cause of poverty mentioned often in the Bible is injustice and oppression: “A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away” (Prov. 13:23). We live in a fallen world, and the structures of this fallen world often lead to unjust conditions and ill treatment. People in authority take advantage of others, and the rich and powerful make the laws that generally protect their own interests. Because of these structural forms of evil in society, our love for our neighbor ought also to include not just compassion for the needy but also a desire for justice for the oppressed.

            We must take to heart the biblical teaching on this important theme. The commands of Scripture are explicit and unambiguous:

            Ps. 82:3–4: “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;

                                    maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

                                    Rescue the weak and needy;

                                    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”   

            Prov. 29:7: “The righteous care about justice for the poor,

                                    but the wicked have no such concern.”

            Prov. 31:8–9: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

                                    for the rights of all who are destitute.

                                    Speak up and judge fairly;

                                    defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

            Jer. 22:16: “‘He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well.

                                    Is that not what it means to know me?’ declares the LORD.”

            Isa. 1:16–17: “Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!

                                    Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.

                                    Defend the cause of the fatherless,

                                    plead the case of the widow.”

            In the Bible, the Lord is on the side of the poor because no one else is. And he is on the side of the poor because he is on the side of justice:

            Prov. 22:22–23; 23:10–11: “Do not exploit the poor because they are poor

                                    and do not crush the needy in court,

                                    for the LORD will take up their case

                                    and will plunder those who plunder them.”

            Ps. 140:12: “I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor

                                    and upholds the cause of the needy.”

Ps. 68:5: “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”

Deut. 24:14–15: “Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns. Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.”[7]

            This concern for justice[8] is dear to God’s heart. Therefore, we read, “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice” (Prov. 21:3). And the Lord through the prophets Isaiah[9] and Amos[10] refused to accept Israel’s worship when its hands were guilty of injustice to the poor and needy.

            It is important to recognize that the church in the New Testament is not in the same situation as Israel under the old covenant. Israel was a nation-state with the coercive power of a judicial system and taxation at its disposal. The church is a spiritual family composed of people from all nations. Ours is a spiritual power that comes through the gospel. How we seek justice must bear these differences in mind, as well as the difference between the corporate action of the church and the work of individual Christians. But whether it be, for example, through the proclamation of God’s truth about the dignity of every human being deserving of respect and honor or through the efforts of Christians involved in the actual affairs of the political process, we are called to seek justice for the oppressed as an aspect of our love for our neighbor in the world.

            The early church was committed to biblical righteousness in caring for the “least of these.” In the Didache,[11] an early post-apostolic writing, abortion was spoken against strongly because it was considered murder: “you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born.” Later in church history, a similar commitment to biblical righteousness bore fruit in the abolition of slavery in Britain.[12]

            Regarding ministries of compassion and justice, the church has often vacillated between two extremes, either focusing on the physical needs of people while assuming or neglecting the spiritual or seeing people only as “souls to be saved” and disregarding their tangible suffering in this world. The example of the early church in Acts 6 provides a helpful model. In response to the inequitable distribution of food among widows, the apostles saw to it that some were assigned to address that situation. But they did so while maintaining the priority of their ministry of the Word and prayer (Acts 6:2–4). Certainly, our highest priority must be the proclamation of the gospel, for the gospel alone can address our deepest need, and the church alone can bring this gospel to the world. But while maintaining this priority, we ought not to neglect the very pressing material needs of those around us. Love requires no less.

            Love is the essence of that new life to which we are called. John said, “We love, because [God] first loved us” (1 John 4:19), and he has demonstrated that love supremely in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is this love that leads to our next theme: our call to engage in a battle.

III. The Spiritual Battle

            The gospel gives us solid grounds for great joy in this life, but the Apostle Paul, who himself urged us to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4), often wrote of the hardships he endured (see esp. 2 Cor. 11:23–29). In describing one experience, he lamented, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life” (2 Cor. 1:8). We can never forget that we are called to follow in the footsteps of a crucified Messiah.

            As Paul’s experience illustrates, the Christian life involves struggle and conflict. Jesus promised no less. He told his disciples, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Paul urged his young protégé Timothy to “fight the good fight” (1 Tim. 1:18) and to “endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:3; cf. also Phil. 1:29–30). Being a follower of Jesus means that we will be engaged in a struggle, a fight, a battle.

            We must be clear. Ours is not a political or military battle. We cannot establish a “Christian nation” on this earth, for God’s kingdom cannot be contained by any political party, nor can it be imposed by military force. Jesus was a king, but he commanded no earthly armies, and to Pilate the Roman governor he declared, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36). His is a spiritual kingdom, not a political one, and the battle we are called to is a spiritual battle, not a military one. “For our struggle,” Paul wrote, “is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12). God’s kingdom advances not through force of arms, but through the spread of the gospel. God’s rule is manifest where spiritual rebels turn to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith, and God’s glory is exhibited as the gospel flows out in acts of love.

A. Our Duty: To Combat the Spiritual Forces of Evil

            Our responsibility is clear: we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil in the world. The reality of this spiritual opposition, centered in a personal devil, is assumed throughout the Scriptures. Peter urged us, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith” (1 Pet. 5:8–9). Jesus spoke of the devil as “a strong man” who must be bound if men and women were to be set free (Matt. 12:25–29). He is a powerful creature who, in his encounter with Jesus in the desert, spoke of all the world’s glory and splendor having been given to him, and Jesus did not contest that claim (Luke 4:5–8). John wrote in his first letter, “the whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Though Satan’s power is great, as followers of Jesus we must oppose him and all that he stands for.

            In his call to arms, Paul included “the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world” as well as the “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12). There is some debate about the specific meaning of these terms, but the contrast with “flesh and blood” in this verse supports the notion that Paul is referring to demonic, spiritual powers working within the human institutions, cultural enterprises, bureaucracies, and power structures of our world. These spiritual powers shape the “spirit of our age”[13]—and the spirit of our age, or any age, will inevitably conflict with the new age (Matt. 12:32; Eph. 1:21; Heb. 6:5) Jesus came to bring. The battle has been joined, and every day we will be challenged in some way by the devil’s work.

B. Our Means

            To fight this battle, we must be properly armed. “Put on the full armor of God,” Paul wrote, “so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph. 6:11). Since this is a spiritual battle, we must use spiritual means—“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world” (2 Cor. 10:3). Our SOF lists three of the most powerful resources the Lord has put at our disposal.

1. God’s Word

            The devil’s primary tactic is deception. Jesus said, “There is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). From the beginning in the garden, the devil sowed doubt about the truth of what God had said (Gen. 3:1, 4). He denies and distorts the truth so that his lies might appear attractive to us. To combat the devil’s lies, we need God’s truth given to us in his Word.

            Paul’s description of our divine armor using the model of the Roman soldier in Ephesians 6 emphasized this point. His list began with “the belt of truth” and the following pieces of equipment all related to God’s truth in some way. Finally, the notion of truth again became explicit, as Paul spoke of “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). This one offensive weapon repels the spiritual forces of evil like no other, as seen so clearly in Jesus’ own confrontation with the devil in the desert (Matt. 4:1–11).

2. The Spirit’s Power

            Our second resource, closely related to the first, is the Spirit’s power. As we saw in Article 6, the Holy Spirit gave power to the apostolic preaching to convict the world of its guilt so that hardened hearts might be receptive to the message of the gospel (cf. Acts 2:14–41). Against the enemy and his work of blinding the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:4), the Spirit opens blind eyes (cf. Acts 9:17–18) and hard hearts (Acts 16:14) to the truth, exposing the devil’s lies. He who inspired God’s written Word brings that Word to life so that the God who spoke in the past speaks now with power in our hearts (cf. Rom. 10:17; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23). Those so enlightened and softened by the Spirit to see and receive the truth in Christ are transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of the beloved Son (Col. 2:13).

            To those thus transferred, the Spirit also works to encourage and equip us for this battle. It is important to remember that we do not engage in this battle in the flesh. The weapons of our warfare have divine, Spirit-wrought power to destroy strongholds and to take every though captive to Christ (2 Cor. 10:3–5). Since the works of the devil have been destroyed (1 John 3:8), we, through the Spirit, have the authority to render his power powerless (cf. Luke 10:17–19; Heb. 2:14). Indeed, greater is the one who lives within us than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4; 5:18). When we do not know how or what to pray as we engage in the battle, the Spirit intercedes on our behalf (Rom. 8:26). Likewise, in our stand against the schemes of the devil, we intercede on behalf of others (Eph. 6:18). He enables us to resist the adversary, standing firm in our faith (James 5:7–8; 1 Pet. 5:8–9). Ultimately, it is only through the Spirit that we have the power to overcome (cf. Rev. 12:10–11).

3. Fervent Prayer in Christ’s Name

            As we combat the spiritual forces of evil, we are to depend upon the truth of God’s Word, we are to draw on the power of the Holy Spirit, and, to round out this Trinitarian arsenal, we engage in fervent prayer in Christ’s name.

            This, in fact, is where Paul was led in his discussion of spiritual armor: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Eph. 6:18). Prayer could be another part of the armor, but it may be better to see prayer as the activity that stands behind the entire battle. In prayer the truth is made personal as we do not merely talk about God; we talk to him.

            Our faith is activated as we pray, and God acts when we pray. But he acts not because of who we are, for we have no right in ourselves to come before him or to ask anything of him. God acts when we pray because we now come to the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We come in his authority and under his provision. Six times in the Gospels Jesus urged us to pray in this way: “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:14); “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John. 16:24). Because of our union with Christ, we can expect God to act through us in this cosmic battle.

We Do Not Fight Alone

            It is important to notice the “we” in our SOF. “We are to combat the spiritual forces of evil.” We need each other in this spiritual battle (cf. Heb. 3:13; 10:25), for who wants to be alone behind enemy lines? And in prayer we can supply protective cover for others who may be in the line of fire themselves. Paul concluded his words on spiritual warfare this way: “With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18). Even Paul requested prayer for courage to go forth in battle (Eph. 6:19–20). “I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me” (Rom. 15:30). He encouraged the Colossians by informing them that Epaphras “is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” (Col. 4:12). We must not fight alone, and we must strengthen others through our prayer, confident that Jesus himself is our Intercessor before the Father (Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34) and that the Spirit intercedes for us even when we don’t know how to pray (Rom. 8:26–27).

C. Our Confidence: In Jesus Christ Our Victory Is Assured

            Although the spiritual battle in which we are engaged is demanding, we should never become discouraged. The gospel declares that our victory is assured, for Jesus has won the decisive battle through his sacrificial death and his glorious resurrection. Satan, the accuser, can accuse us no longer, for “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). God has “disarmed the powers and authorities” and has “made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col. 2:15). Though not totally destroyed, the devil is a defeated enemy, for Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. “In this world you will have trouble,” Jesus said. “But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). As Revelation reminds us, though Satan accuses believers day and night, we overcome by holding fast to the saving blood of the Lamb (Rev. 12:10–11). We have this assurance: greater is he who is in us, than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

IV. The Great Commission: We Are to Make Disciples

            As we fight against the spiritual forces of evil, we are also contending for the cause of Christ and the kingdom of God. As followers of Christ, we have been commissioned to engage the world with the gospel and to make disciples of Jesus Christ among all people.

            Our marching orders as believers have come from the Lord Jesus himself. His final words to his disciples as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel make this clear: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:18–20). Luke and John record their own versions of this Great Commission. We have been given an assignment of eternal significance, and we stand under a divine command. We are to go and make disciples.

What Is a Disciple?

            Our English word “disciple” commonly translates the Greek word mathêtês, which comes from a verb that means “to learn, or to be instructed.” A disciple, then, is a pupil or student. Jesus used the word in this sense when he said, “A student [mathêtês] is not above his teacher” (Matt. 10:24). A disciple of Jesus is one who learns from him.

            This student/teacher model, however, can be deceptive if we think of it simply in our modern Western sense, for it involves more than simply the passing on of information. In the Jewish world in which Jesus taught, a person became a disciple by attaching himself to a teacher in a relationship of loyalty and submission, and what was learned was more than mere facts or skills but a way of life. Again, Jesus referred to this when, after saying that “A student [that is, disciple] is not above his teacher,” he continued, “It is enough for the student [disciple] to be like his teacher” (Matt. 10:25).

            We might use the word “apprentice” to capture this idea. An apprentice was attached to a master craftsman. He carefully observes the craftsman as he demonstrates his skill. He listens to his instruction and does what he says under the craftsman’s watchful eye so that, over time, the apprentice can become like him. So, a disciple of Jesus is a follower of Jesus who humbly learns from Jesus so that he may become like Jesus in a process that takes a lifetime and will only be brought to completion when we are glorified with Christ.

            A disciple is not a special kind of Christian. One does not become a Christian and then later become a disciple. “Disciple” is the term used in the Bible for anyone who follows Jesus.[14] To become a Christian is to attach oneself to Jesus and to become a lifelong learner with the goal of becoming more like him. All Christians are called to be disciples, and all are commissioned to make disciples.

A. We are to Make Disciples Among All People

            In this Great Commission, Jesus commanded his disciples to break out of their national and religious boundaries. We are not to restrict ourselves to those who share our Christian heritage or embrace our moral values. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19).

            The word “nations” here is the Greek term ethnê, from which we get our word “ethnic.” It refers more to a cultural community rather than a political nation-state. For that reason, our SOF affirms that Jesus commissions us to make disciples “among all people.” Every people-group of whatever sort is to be the object of our efforts. In whatever language, in whatever part of the world, with whatever educational or socio-economic status or cultural customs or religious tradition—we are to seek to bring this good news of God’s love in Christ to them all.

            For this reason, from the beginning there has been a need for those specially called to take the gospel across the borders of language and culture to new parts of the world. These servants we commonly call “missionaries.” In the pattern of the early church, they move from their own cultural home (Jerusalem) to those nearby but different (Judea and Samaria), and then to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

            The gospel is truly trans-national, embracing people from all backgrounds and uniting them in Christ into a new community (cf. Col. 3:11). John in the Book of Revelation gave us a picture of a future in which this has happened:

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:9–10)

In obedience to Christ’s commission we are to seek to realize on earth what will be true in heaven as we endeavor to make disciples among all people.

B. We are to Make Disciples by Bearing Witness to the Gospel in Word and Deed

            How do we make disciples? If a disciple is a follower of Jesus, obviously we must first introduce people to him. The process of making disciples begins with evangelism, the process of communicating the evangel, the good news that God came in the flesh in Jesus Christ to rescue us from our sin and to redeem a people for himself. We must call people to respond to this message in repentance and faith.

            The biblical expression often used to express evangelism is translated in English as “to testify” or “to bear witness.”[15] A person testifies to what he or she has personally experienced, and the use of this term suggests that evangelism is a highly personal form of communication. In a sense, our own lives are a part of the message, in that the difference it has made in how we live communicates something to our hearers.

            Words often attributed to Francis of Assisi are frequently quoted in this regard: “Preach the gospel all the time; if necessary use words.” This is misstated, for our words are necessary, just as God’s words are necessary for us to understand his message. But it is true, nonetheless, that how we live provides the context for the content of the message we proclaim. It provides the music that accompanies the lyrics of the gospel—the music that helps display the beauty of those lyrics to the world. Thus, proclaiming the gospel in words and living the gospel through loving service to others ought to go hand in hand. Actions without words are insufficient, but words without actions lack credibility. We declare God’s love to the world with more power when we also demonstrate that love in how we live.

            For this reason we affirm that we are to bear witness to the gospel in both word and deed. Jesus taught that we are to let our light shine before men, that they may see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16). Peter insists that we are to live such good lives among the non-Christian neighbors that, though they accuse us of doing wrong, they may see our good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us (1 Pet. 2:12). Making disciples begins with evangelism, offered in a demonstration of loving service, setting before others in word and deed the wonderful news of God’s love in Jesus Christ, and urging them to receive that love by putting their trust in him and becoming followers of Jesus.

            In his Great Commission of Matthew 28:18–20, Jesus mentioned two other aspects of the disciple-making process. First, it includes baptism, which, as we have seen,[16] is a picture of our union with Christ by the Spirit and our public reception into the visible body of Christ. Baptism reminds us that becoming a disciple of Jesus, though very personal, is never private, for it unites us with a new community of those who become fellow-travelers in our journey of faith.

            Second, Jesus spoke of “teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.” A disciple is one who wants to learn how to become like Christ. In the context of grace-filled relationships within the community of the church, we teach one another, we encourage one another, and we hold each other accountable to live out the new life that is ours in Christ, “considering how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Heb. 10:24).

            We are called not simply to make converts, but disciples—apprentices of Jesus who are being conformed to his image. “We proclaim [Christ],” Paul said, “admonishing each one and teaching each one with all wisdom, so that we may present each one complete in Christ” (Col. 1:28). This is the goal of disciple-making—complete, mature followers of Christ.

Conclusion

            “[God] has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace” (2 Tim. 1:9). The same grace of God that takes away our sin also gives us new life, a life that reflects a new desire to love God and love our neighbor, entering into the spiritual battle and obeying Christ’s Great Commission. God’s gospel, by its very nature, compels us to Christ-like living and witness to the world.

To God's glory alone,

Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor