The Christian's Responsibility to the World

“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, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  (Matthew 28: 19,20  NIV)

Image courtesy of NASA

   The last words that Jesus gave His disciples clearly set forth their responsibility and our responsibility to the peoples of the world—tell them all about Jesus and the Good New He brought.  We are told to tell them about the three members of the Trinity, Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  We are to teach them to obey everything, that’s right, EVERY COMMANDMENT that Jesus taught.  Now that’s quite a job—to teach everyone and to teach them everything.  I know very few people qualified to do this.  We are all qualified to tell how Jesus has had an effect on our own lives.  That will do much to obey this command of Jesus.  Telling of our personal experience with Jesus Christ is the most effective sermon we can preach.

   Matthew 7:12 tells us of another responsibility we have:  “Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior:   Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them.  Add up God’s Laws and Prophets and this is what you get.”  (MSG)   This is commonly known as the Golden Rule.  I like the way the Message translation reads.  It tells us to take the initiative and do good first.  When we do this, people are blessed, and God is glorified.

   Additional words of Jesus give the same message in a different context.  In Matthew 22:36-40 we are told, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?  Jeus replies, ‘Love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it:  “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  If each of us were to love his neighbor as he loves himself, there would be much more peace in the world.  It sounds very important when Jesus says that it is like the greatest commandment, love God with all you’ve got.

   In a vision that was given to Isaiah, the prophet, God was specific and to the point: “Learn to do right; seek justice.  Defend the oppressed.  Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”  (Isaiah 1:17  NIV)  

   The Word of the Lord has shown us many responsibilities that the Christian has toward the world.  All we have to do is what Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”