"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.'" (Matthew 28:18-19)
The Great Commission is not merely a church mandate or traditional religious activity, but a divine, universal calling for every believer to participate in God's redemptive plan. This article presents a comprehensive vision of human responsibility before this heavenly calling.
Theological Vision: Partnership in the Divine Project
The Great Commission represents a direct expression of the Lord's eternal intention to involve humanity in the work of salvation. The Lord has entrusted this responsibility to humanity as partners in His universal project, where the revelation of Christ's lordship is completed through human response to this calling.
The Lord's trust in humanity represents a cosmic mandate, where spiritual authority has been delegated to bring the universe under Christ's lordship. This lordship is not achieved through political domination, but through the submission of hearts and minds to divine truth.
Evangelism: The Heavenly Call and Existential Response
Evangelism is not a secondary option in Christian life, but an existential response to a call emanating from the Lord's own heart. It is an existential act reflecting human awareness of responsibility toward the divine plan.
True evangelism is not limited to transmitting religious information, but is:
· Proclamation of new life
· Transmission of the Lord's presence
· Embodiment of heavenly authority
· Extension of Christ's work in the world
Existential Transformation: From Listener to Partner
Readiness to respond to the Great Commission means an existential transformation encompassing:
· Change in humanity's position in the world
· Redirection of will and decisions
· Redefinition of life's meaning in Christ's light
