We have been discussing how The Great Commission is to make disciples, not just converts. Disciples live to learn from their Master, Jesus, and to become like Him. To do this, they daily sit at His feet and then seek to abide in Him all day. These find their place in His body, because we cannot be rightly joined to the Head without also being rightly joined to His body, the church. It is here that we are to be taught, trained, and equipped for our specific purpose, our calling and ministry, which all Christians have. This is where our worldview is shaped so that we begin to see the world as Christ does, from the position of His kingdom that is coming.

         The true Christian life is the greatest adventure we could ever experience. There is no other life as fulfilling and exciting as being a follower of our King. There is nothing as boring as religion, and the true Christian life is not a religion, but a relationship with God.

         The false religious spirit compels people to work to gain God’s approval. However, we work from a position of having His approval, which was gained for us at the cross. We fulfill our calling and purpose because we love Him, and we love His work that He seeks to do through us.

         It is basic to the work of God on earth to do the ministry of reconciliation, seeking to reconcile all to God. This is the evangelism that we are all called to, and regardless of how mature we become in Him, it is something we will be engaged in until the world has been fully reconciled to Him.

         After reconciliation comes restoration. This begins with turning from our wicked ways and having our minds renewed so that we think as He does and see the world as He does. This is a process that takes time. In case you have not learned this, taking time is one of the basic characteristics of the Lord. To abide in the Lord also requires much patience. This is why we are told that it is “through faith and patience we inherit the promises” (see Hebrews 6:12).

         The Lord says five times in the Book of Revelation that He is coming quickly. That was almost two thousand years ago! His definition of quickly and ours are usually very different. It is interesting that in the writings of the “Early Church Fathers” they all seemed to know that it would be nearly two thousand years before the Lord returned. The Early Church Fathers were the direct disciples of the first apostles, and so we can assume that it was from their mentors that they received this perspective. Even knowing this, their focus and devotion was to prepare for His coming kingdom. How much more should that be our devotion now?

We build our biblical worldview first on the basic doctrines of the faith that are established by the Scriptures. About these, all Christians should be in agreement because they are basic to the faith and to staying on the path of life. To those we add understanding God’s purpose for us personally and His purpose for the church. Then we add His redemptive purpose for the world and how we are God’s vehicles for accomplishing this. Doing this, we prepare the way for the coming of the Lord and His kingdom, and we prepare ourselves for our calling to reign with Him.

         The church is the main thing that God is doing in the world today. It is first of all being prepared to be the bride of Christ. Every true friend of the Bridegroom will be motivated to see the Lord have the bride that He is worthy to have. For His sake, we devote ourselves to helping her to become what she is called to be. This was the primary devotion of the first century apostles and will be the devotion of every true apostle, and also all of the equipping ministries listed in Ephesians chapter 4. This is Christ working through His ministries.

         The most important thing we can do for the sake of the world is to fulfill our own purpose. We can only do this as functioning members of the body of Christ. As we mature together, the body of Christ will become what she is called to be. As we come into this maturity together, we will gain the perspective of the Lord for the world. This is the basis for becoming effective in first preaching the gospel of His coming kingdom and then preparing the way for it by fulfilling The Great Commission.