Journal: Journal of Dispensational Theology
Volume: JODT 27:75 (Autumn 2023)
Article: Editorial
Author: Ron J. Bigalke, Jr.

Editorial

Ron J. Bigalke

What is the mission of the church? Any answer to that question must consider the reason for the death of Christ. The witness of Scripture is that God was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to Himself (2 Cor 5:19). Christ purchased the church “with His own blood” (Acts 20:28) and then commissioned his people: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matt 28:19a).

The Great Commission only has one primary verb, “disciple” (all the other verbs are participles), and there is only one direct object, “all the nations.” Worthwhile to note also is that the Greek word used for “nations” is ethnos (“people groups or nations”) not laos (“people as individuals”). The Great Commission embraces entire nations rather than indicating individuals among them. In other words, the Great Commission requires one to think first nationally, rather than individually. Discipling the nations is the foundational component of the church’s interaction with the world. The church needs to disciple the nations.

Many are concerned with the direction of the nation and world, and feel compelled to do something in response. All too frequently when believers seek to impact the political realm, they do not give much deliberate thought as to how their actions will make disciples. Witnessing the moral decline, believers feel compelled to correct certain unbiblical behaviors and then God will outpour his blessing. Of course, such thinking is a denial of the gospel because (according to Rom 2) the moralist is just as guilty before God. God’s judgment abides upon both those who approve of sinful living (Rom 1, the pagan) and those who disapprove of sinful living (Rom 2, the moralist).

The problem is not people promoting immorality, which is just a manifestation of the problem. The problem is the rejection of God. Therefore, according to Romans 3, all humanity (the pagan, the moral, and the religious) is guilty because they are sinful in character and conduct. Witnessing the moral decline of the nation, believers feel compelled to do something, to uphold morality, to do something. However, one must always think how those actions fulfill the Great Commission. More thought should be given as to how or why the church should engage the political realm because those answers are derived from considering the mission of the church. In the first part of his series addressing Christian nationalism, Gary Gilley addresses such attempts to change the world and whether such effor...