A Word From the Word: Obey
A Word From The Word: Obey
Discipleship is a popular theme in churches today—and it should be, since it is ultimately the purpose of the church to make disciples (Matthew 28:19). Given the fact that Jesus Himself gave this commission to those through whom He would start His Church in just a few days from His statement, it is strange that the average Christian doesn’t fully understand that commission.
Jesus told His disciples (a word which simply means students or followers, and which described anyone we would call “Christian”) to make more disciples. He also told them how to do that! 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.” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV)
They were to baptize that person in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit—immediately upon their profession of faith in Christ. They were then to teach them (literally “continually teach…”) to obey everything He has commanded them. They were to pass on the whole teaching of Christ—all His commands to the disciples—to these new disciples. We can only assume this was because these new disciples needed to know how to live, and Jesus’ commands, passed on by the first disciples, gave them what they needed to know.
This brings us to a very important word in what we have come to call The Great Commission of Jesus. He told them to teach the disciples to obey. That word is tereo, and is often translated observe (King James Version, New American Standard, English Standard Version) or follow (New American Standard 2020 revision). The word was used of guards keeping watch over something valuable such as the walls of their city.
This word is very important both so that we can live faithfully, and so that we can pass that knowledge on to others (an assumption of the command). The word has two primary aspects to it, and we cannot afford to obey only one or the other. The first is the obvious—we are to obey all that He commanded his disciples (which means everything we have that He taught, and everything we have that they taught as they were passing on His teachings). But obey is only part of the word’s meaning. We are to observe these commands as well. This goes beyond simple personal obedience, but making sure that these commands are being preserved and passed on to new generations of disciples. As disciples we are to personally obey all that we know of Jesus teaching from the gospels and the rest of the New Testament. But we are also to ensure that these commands are not abandoned by any new generation of disciples.
This is obviously important today as the pressure on us to adapt to a fast-changing and anti-Christian culture seems to be reaching a boiling point. We have to avoid the temptation to regard anything a new generation presents as progress and therefore acceptable. We need to remember that there have been hundreds of new generations of disciples since Jesus gave this command, and history shows us many of their “progressive” ideas were disastrous for them, others and the Church. Jesus’ commands are not cultural, but eternal.
The task of a disciple is to become like His master, in this case, Jesus. We are told not to let the world reshape us in its image but be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2). This happens by learning exactly what Jesus taught, practicing it (we won’t be perfect) and guarding these teachings from those who would change or adapt them, while passing them on to a new generation of disciples.
Do you want to be close to Jesus? The answer is simple. Continually focus on how He told us to live, and pass that on to others.
Know Jesus and Be Faithful!
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