The great omission

Most Christians are familiar with what is called the Great Commission given by Jesus just before He was taken up to heaven. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" (Mt.28:19,20). Sometimes the emphasis given by different church groups differs. Some emphasise going (or sending). Some focus on making disciples of some kind, some on baptism, and some on teaching. But very few seem to emphasise 'doing' or observing what they have learned from Jesus! Hardly any preacher is telling them to 'do' something about the way they are living. But that is such a serious omission! After saying everything that He said in the sermon on the mount, Jesus said that the wise man was the one who acted upon what he heard (Mt.7:24,26). What is the use of missionary projects, disciple training, baptism and teaching if finally people do not bother to do everything they have learned? But people seem to be satisfied thinking that they are active in Christian work. Are they assuming that 'the doing' must be taking place automatically?

So we develop people and churches where there are lots of activity and Bible teaching, but where people's lives are not being changed to show more and more of the fruit of the Spirit, the life of Christ.

When we are busy with Christian activities, is our life just like that of other people to whom we are sharing the Gospel – worried, anxious, angry, quarrelling, unforgiving, revengeful, lustful, backbiting, gossiping, going after money, position, fame, pleasure and possessions, etc. Then the gospel gets fitted into this way of life, offering people comfort with the love of God and an eternity with Him, while not showing them how their practical lives can be changed. People learn instead how to find justification for their defeated lives by blaming their human weaknesses, other people, circumstances, etc.

People are not being shown their personal responsibility for the choices they are making in the time of temptations. They are not taught the way of having to deny themselves in order to do God's will (Lk.9:23). Instead they are given to imagine that the Holy Spirit will automatically transform them as they trust in Jesus. They learn to trust in Jesus for forgiveness, but they are not even told that Jesus wants to give them victory right here and now (Ro.6:14). Just check how many times words like sin, victory, overcoming, self-denial, taking up the cross, obedience, humbling ourselves, etc., occur in the usual sermons and messages!

Yet without self-denial there is no obedience, without obedience there is no victory and without victory there is no becoming like Jesus. People remain who they are, and then that leads to misunderstandings, envy, quarrels, discouragement, backsliding, divisions, etc. Are we moving away from following Jesus? Will our house stand without obedience?