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About Jesus - Steve (Stephen) Sweetman Disciple
The Nations Jesus told His apostles
that God had appointed Him to be the ultimate authority over both heaven
and earth. He, therefore,
commanded them, and I believe us as well, to go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
teaching them to obey everything He has commanded (Matthew 28:18 - 20).
Much can be said about this passage but I will just comment on the
one word "nations" because if you understand "nations"
in this passage to be like today's nations with geographical borders,
constitutions and forms of government, you will surely misunderstand what
Jesus told you to do. Our English word
"nations" in Matthew 28:19 is translated from the Greek word
"ethnos" which differs in meaning from our understanding of
"nations" today. We
derive our English words "ethnic" and "ethnicity" from
"ethnos." How we
define the words "ethnic" and "ethnicity" is what
"ethnos," and thus, "nations" mean in Matthew 28:19. Ethnos suggests a group
of individuals who share a like genetic identity, language, culture,
religion, and other communal concerns.
Once knowing this, was Jesus telling us to Christianize or make a
nation His disciple? Can a
country actually be a disciple? Can
you baptize a nation in water? Can
a country obey Jesus' commands, one of which is to be born again by
receiving the Holy Spirit into its life?
The answer to these
questions is "no." Jesus
did not tell us to Christianize our nations as we understand nations by
making them His disciples. According
to the Greek word "ethnos," Jesus told us to make disciples of
all ethnic peoples, all ethnicities, no matter which geographical nation
or country they lived in. He
was not telling me to Christianize Canada. He was telling me to
Christianize people in Canada, whether English, French, Israeli, Asian, or whatever.
If you, like me, live in
a democratic nation, we have a measure of freedom to promote our political
views based on our perceived Biblical presuppositions.
If in the process we disregard Jesus' command to make individuals
His disciples, we fail to obey our Lord and Saviour.
We fail to define the word "nations" in Matthew 28:19 as
it was meant to be understood.
Scripture
References Matthew 28:18 - 20
"Then Jesus came to
them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the
very end of the age.'"
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