The Successful Christian Mission

Pastor Ethan Kallberg

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I. The Principle of Success

Matthew 28:19–20 NASB95

19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

THE OBSERVANCE OF ALL BIBLICAL TRUTH MUST BE TAUGHT

BIBLICAL TRUTH MUST BE OBSERVED

IS LOVE MORE IMPORTANT THAN DOCTRINE (BIBLICAL TRUTH)?

Intro: There is a lot of misunderstanding about love today. For many today, love means lust, or a sexual act it also means a temporary feeling of affection such as “I’m have fallen in love with someone or something.” It also means a permissive attitude toward someone.

Using that permissive concept of love, people will then apply that faulty concept to God. Many people today will say things like, “If God is loving, how could He send people to hell?” or, “God is love, so He would never be judgmental toward anyone.” It just seems so unloving to many people today to tell someone they are wrong.

The founding fathers of the USA wanted a free and moral nation, so they established a country based on the rule of law rather than the whim of a monarch, why? Because they knew that to be a good and moral society, that society would need to be defined and upheld by the laws of that country.

Similarly, the Christian faith is to be a faith of love, but how do we know what love is? The only way, is to have it defined and upheld by the truth of the One and only God.

A Series of questions that will help us explore the question, “is love more important (primary) than doctrine (truth)?”

1. What did Christ say characterizes a true disciple?

“31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”” (, NASB95)

Application: Are you continuing in the Word? Are you acting upon and living your life according to the Word of Jesus Christ?

“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (, NASB95)

[chicken or the egg first?]

Application: Are you continuing in the Word? Are you acting upon and living your life according to the Word of Jesus Christ?

2. If someone claims to love Christ, how must he prove his claim?

“15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (, NASB95)

“6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (, NASB95)

Do you realize what that means? Jesus does not just have truth. Jesus is not just made of truth. Jesus is not defined by truth. Jesus is the truth! The Bible then is the character of Jesus in written words.

If you want to be a loving person, you must be a person of truth.

For Jesus the question of “is love more important than doctrine?’ does not apply because He is both. His person and character define both truth and love.

As I said at the beginning, Many people today will say things like, “If God is loving, how could He send people to hell?” or, “God is love, so He would never be judgmental toward anyone.” The world twists into saying, love is a relative, non-judgmental tolerance of other people and their idea of truth and therefore if god is love, then He (or she) is a relative, non-judgmental god.

The interesting thing is that they have defined love by their own doctrine or truth and then applied their doctrine to God. What they end up with then is a false god. The true God has clearly revealed Himself to man.

So, what is the answer, “Is love more important than doctrine?” For us, the answer is no. Truth must come first as a foundation leading to the virtue of love.

If you want to be a loving person, you must be a person of truth.

3. How was Timothy to reach his goal of love?

This is how we distinguish true biblical love from the perverted love of the world.

4. Is love supposed to be the content of our speaking or is it simply the best way to communicate?

“11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;” (, NASB95)

Indirectly, He did. By teaching the truth, by word and life, these men were gifted “lovers.”

4. Is love supposed to be the content of our speaking or is it simply the best way to communicate?

“15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,” (, NASB95)

“15 ἀληθεύοντες δὲ ἐν ἀγάπῃ αὐξήσωμεν εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή, Χριστός,” (, NA27 w/GRAMCORD)

[if you’re sick and you go to the doctor and you have a brain eating amoeba. 1) He could lie to you in a really nice way. 2) She could tell you the truth in a harsh, hurtful way. Or, 3) she could tell you the truth in a compassionate, constructive way. Which would you rather have? Which would you want the least?]

Are you speaking the truth? Or do you shy away because it might “hurt” someone? Are you speaking in love? Or, do you bludgeon people with truth?

4. How was Timothy to reach his goal of love?

“14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. 15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,” (, NASB95)

These people who were preaching Christ from envy and strife had not perfected love yet, but they had the basics down that would lead to love.

6. How was Timothy to reach his goal of love?

“3 As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, 4 nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. 5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (, NASB95)

“2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (, NASB95)

Is your goal love? How will you reach that goal? Only through the truth, only through doctrine.

The amazing thing is Jesus is love (not the modern day concept of love) but real love. “7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (, NASB95) His person and character define true love. But how do know that God is love? Through the revelation of God’s truth! Through doctrine!

The amazing thing is Jesus is also love (not the modern day concept of love) but real love. “7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (, NASB95)

The answer to this of course is it cannot.

1st let’s realize that the Bible is not just an impersonal book.

“16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;” (, NASB95)

“12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (, NASB95)

2nd let’s realize what doctrine (truth) really is

“6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (, NASB95)

For Jesus the question of “is love more important than doctrine?’ does not apply because He is both. His person and character define both truth and love.

So, what is the answer, “Is love more important than doctrine?” The answer must be, no. Truth must come first as a foundation leading to the virtue of love.

If you want to be a loving person, you must be a person of truth.

2 John 1–9 NASB95

1 The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father. 5 Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. 9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.

The greater you practice biblical doctrine, the greater you you are loving Christ.

Jesus wants His church to succeed in the mission that He gave to us. We will not be a success if we abandon truth so that people won’t feel badly through confrontation, or if we abandon truth so that more people will hear the gospel and become justified, or if we abandon truth even for uniformity (as opposed to true unity in doctrine and practice) among fellow Christians.

The deep conviction of God’s precious truth which leads to heartfelt obedience of all of Christ’s commands is the definition of success.

II. The Content of Success

III. The Price of Success

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