Disciples Global Network

The Book of Revelation concludes with an image of the immense and glorious city of “ New Jerusalem ” populated by the “ innumerable multitude ” of men and women redeemed from every nation. It represents the fulfillment of the covenant promises to Abraham of “ land ” and “ blessings to all the nations .” All this has been accomplished by the shed “ blood of the Lamb .” The City of God will be populated!

The covenant of Abraham is foundational to the biblical concept of redemption, including the promise that “ all the nations of the Earth would be blessed in Father Abraham .” The Patriarch would have innumerable descendants, but how and when would the covenant bless the nations? Who are his descendants, and who is the “Seed of Abraham” destined to inherit the promises?

After his resurrection, Jesus declared: “ All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations! ” He then dispatched his disciples to announce his Lordship and salvation to the “ uttermost parts of the Earth .” The Era of Salvation commenced with his death and resurrection; therefore, his life-giving message must be announced to all men. The Son of God has achieved salvation for his people!

After his resurrection, Jesus declared: “ All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations! ” As the Sovereign over all things, he dispatched his disciples to announce his Lordship and Salvation to the “ uttermost parts of the Earth .” The Era of Salvation commenced following his death and resurrection; therefore, the message of reconciliation must be announced to all mankind. The man named ‘ Jesus ’ had achieved salvation for his people.

Jesus performed miracles, exorcised demons, and taught with great authority, often attracting large crowds. Nevertheless, his contemporaries failed to recognize who he was despite displays of supernatural power. In the end, only the Roman centurion on duty at Golgotha perceived him to be the “ Son of God ” when the Nazarene breathed his last.

The  Book of Revelation  presents us with paradoxical images and visions that do not conform to our expectations about how God works. His purpose in subjugating His enemies and judging the nations differs radically from so-called “human wisdom.” Just as his contemporaries did not understand Jesus, so we fail to comprehend the “ Slain Lamb ” and how he shepherds the nations from his Throne.

In the  Book of Genesis , God implemented His plan to redeem humanity by establishing His covenant with Abraham, beginning with the summons for the Patriarch to leave his homeland and journey to the “ land I will show you .” Yahweh would produce a “ great nation ” from him, and the covenant would bless all the “ Tribes of the Earth .” From the start, the promise of territory was central to the Abrahamic Covenant.

The Gospel proclaimed by Jesus is  NOT  about reforming society or fixing governments. His message summons all men and women to repent and join an entirely new social order and political reality, namely, the  Kingdom of God , and his message contradicts the political ideologies of the present “ evil age .” Responding positively to his invitation is vital considering the approaching end of the existing world order and its disappearance from the Earth.

Men are not put in right standing before God from the works of the Mosaic Law, but instead, from the faith of Jesus Christ .  In his letter to the assemblies in Rome, Paul demonstrated that all men have sinned. Jews and Gentiles both have violated God’s revealed will, therefore, no one is justified before Him “ from the works of the Law .” Jews have the Mosaic Law but fall short of its requirements. Gentiles have the witness of their conscience yet live and even revel in their sins. If no one is set right before God “ from the works of the Law ,” how can anyone be reconciled with Him?

In  Romans , Paul presents his most detailed explanation of the “ Good News of God ,” a message centered on His Son, Jesus Christ. He was dealing with conflicts between Gentile and Jewish believers in the Assembly of Rome and preparing the ground for taking the Gospel to the western regions of the Roman Empire. In the process of doing so, he addressed several related topics, including death, redemption, the Law, resurrection, and the New Creation.

Paul begins his  Letter to the Romans  with a lengthy introduction in which he identifies himself and his mission. The calling and “grace” of God have equipped him to preach the “ obedience of faith ” to the “ Gentiles .” In his introduction, he includes a brief description of the Messianic qualifications of Jesus of Nazareth, and links what God did in him to His promises recorded in the “ Holy Scriptures .”

Jesus commanded his followers to announce the same message he preached: He summarized it as the “ Good News of the Kingdom of God .” His Church would establish this Kingdom in unexpected and paradoxical ways. By his return, his sovereignty over all nations will be established and his “ enemies ” will be subdued, including the last one, “ death .” Until then, his disciples must proclaim his message to the “ uttermost parts of the Earth .”

The promise to bless all nations in Abraham is brought to fulfillment by Jesus of Nazareth, the true Seed of Abraham .  Basic to the biblical perspective of the redemption of humanity is the Covenant with Abraham and his “ Seed .” This Covenant includes the promise that “ all the nations of the Earth will be blessed in him ,” and that he will have innumerable descendants. But how and when will the nations be blessed by the Patriarch? Who are his descendants, and most importantly, who is the true “Seed of Abraham” destined to inherit the promises?

After a curt introduction, Paul began his  Letter to the Galatians  with a stern warning and a sharp rebuke. What some members of the congregation were contemplating would replace Jesus with a false messiah and a counterfeit gospel. Abandoning the “ faith of Jesus Christ ” by engaging in circumcision and other “ works of the law ” for justification before God would lead inevitably to being severed from Christ. Thus, the seriousness of his language.

As the Gospel of Matthew declares, Jesus is the “ son of Abraham .” The lowly man from Nazareth is the Messiah and King of Israel, the promised “ Seed ” of the Patriarch. He brings the covenant promises to fulfillment. He is the covenant heir, and our receipt of the inheritance is based on our faith in him.

Is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God a message of hope for only SOME nations, or is it Good News for all nations and peoples?  Too often in church history, the Gospel has been perverted into Good News for some nations, but apparently bad news for others, or at least for the latter, a less appealing message. And this occurs whenever representatives of the church of the same Jesus who gave his life for the entire world associate and even identify his name and Gospel with certain nations, races, cultures, and political ideologies.

According to the Apostle John, “ life ” is found in the “ Word ” or ' Logos ', and this life is the “ Light of men .” It is “ shining in the darkness ,” and the darkness “ cannot seize ” or suppress it. This same “ Word ” has become the Living Word in Jesus of Nazareth. In him, the glory and life of God are fully manifested - (John 1:1).

Paul wrote his  Letter to the Romans  with at least two purposes in mind. First, to prepare the ground for his visit to the city and his planned missionary trip to Spain. Second, to deal with conflicts between Jewish and Gentile believers in the assemblies of Rome. In the Letter’s first half, he explains his Gospel. In the second, he addresses the status of the Jewish people and the specific conflicts in the congregation.

In his  Letter to the Romans , the Apostle Paul argues from plight to solution. The Gospel that he proclaims is the “ power of God for salvation .” Due to sin, two forces are at work in the world –  Righteousness  and  Wrath . In his Son, God has provided the solution to the desperate plight of all men that is now available to all on the same basis - “ from the faith of Jesus Christ .” Moreover, this “ Good News ” was promised beforehand in the Hebrew scriptures and is now being fulfilled as the Gospel is preached.