Colossians 1:24-2:5, Part 2
Paul writes that he wishes to "present everyone perfect in Christ" (1:28), that it is "to this end" that he labors (1:29), and adding that it is his "purpose" for believers to have "complete understanding" (2:2). When he refers to the ministry offices of the church – apostles, prophets, evangelists, and so on – he writes that they were given "so that the body of Christ maybe built up…and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-13). He does not even mention evangelism or conversion.
What we call the Great Commission does not tell us to make converts by preaching a simple gospel message. Instead, it tells us to "make disciples of all nations…teaching them to obey everything" (Matthew 28:19-20). Our task is not just to make people enter, but to make them abide, take root, and become productive. And our message is not the bare minimum, if there is even such a thing with God, but the whole word of God – everything. This is not something added to the Great Commission, to be performed after our evangelism leaves us with a surplus of resources; rather, this is the Great Commission, and to neglect this is to disobey it.
One of the most notable but neglected fact about the church's mission is that its main concern is not the conversion of sinners, but the perfection of believers, those whom God has chosen for salvation. If I leave my home and walk to a destination, I do not call the act of getting up from my chair, or the act of opening the door, or even the act of walking itself my destination. Each of these is only a step, albeit a necessary step, on the way to my destination. Likewise, conversion is not the goal, but a necessary step to the goal, which is perfection in Christ.
Thus the mission of the church is not evangelism, but discipleship. Evangelism is necessary only as a step by which the elect undergo conversion so that they may become lifelong disciples that strive to attain perfection. Notice that this does not undermine the importance of evangelism – we insist that it is necessary – but it points out that our task does not end in the conversion of sinners, but it continues in helping them attain maturity in the faith, "so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ" (1:28). Of course we may present conversion as the goal in contexts where evangelism is the immediate task at hand, but it is never the overarching goal of the church.
It is of tremendous importance whether our position on the mission of the church is biblical or unbiblical, and whether it has continual or only limited relevance for the entire spiritual development of all believers. Whether we perceive our main objective as conversion or perfection will impact every aspect of the church's agenda, including every decision involving church outreach, allocation of resources, parenting education, marriage counseling, charity programs, church discipline, the topic, content, and style of every sermon or sermon series, and many other such things. In the end, it will determine whether we are able to accomplish our true goal. That is, if God defines our mission as the perfection of the saints (with evangelism as a necessary but only one of many tasks), and we decide that it should rather be the conversion of sinners, then it is improbable that we will accomplish that which God requires us to do, since we would not acknowledge or strive for it at all.
To organize our efforts as if evangelism is the main mission and as if conversion is the ultimate goal is a mistake. It is unbiblical, so that it is disobedient to Christ's command. It is impractical, since it takes away the momentum from all other necessary ministry efforts, especially those that also closely contribute to the true goal, which is the perfection of the saints. The correct approach is to make the perfection of the saints not an afterthought but the overarching goal, the first and last consideration, at the outset of all church programs and activities. Here we speak in a relative manner, since to honor God is our actual first and last objective. But how do we honor him in our church agenda, and in the church's interaction with people? How do we obey him in ministry? It is to make the perfection of the saints the highest priority.
Another advantage is that this way of thinking is implemented in the individual believer without any need for modification. Just as the church's mission is the perfection of the saints, the proper objective of the individual believer for himself is perfection, in knowledge, in reverence, and in holiness. (When it comes to ministry, the mission of the individual is the same as the church – the perfection of the saints – since the church is nothing other than a collective of individuals.) A Christian who thinks in accordance with Christ's commission to all the church understands it is not enough just to be converted, but true believers have been given a new heart, and a disposition to strive for maturity and fullness in Christ.
February 22 2008 | Expositions