The Great Commission has two main parts: Make disciples. Then, after baptism, teach “them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). This is more than passing along information. The Lord wants us to “observe”—to actively obey—all His commands.
Again, we cannot force compliance. Our role is to teach, to model, and to stimulate growth. But the Lord gives to the new disciple the responsibility to grow.
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation (1 Peter 2:2).
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).
The disciple must apply himself—“make every effort”—to add Christ-like virtues (2 Peter 1:2-7). The result, given by grace, is effectiveness and fruitfulness (2 Peter 1:8).
In all this, the Gospel remains central to our teaching and practice. Each Sunday, the Lord’s Supper re-focuses us on the death and resurrection that save us (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). We treasure the Gospel as the highest expression of God’s great power and wisdom.
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16).
For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:22-24).