God, in His own character, is so caring that John says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). The nature of love is to give. “God so loved that He gave…” (John 3:16). As we grow spiritually, we too take on God’s giving nature.
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:16-18).
Like true faith, true love takes action! The early Christians set a great example. They gave generously, like God gives, to help the needy (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-37).
Love also meets spiritual needs. Many people have not yet benefited from the Good News. They face a terrible destiny in eternity (Matthew 7:13-14; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9). Only by hearing the Gospel can they believe it and be saved (Romans 10:13-17). That is why Jesus shares His mission of mercy with us, giving us the Great Commission. Jesus completed the work for rescuing all people. Now He wants us to tell this Good News so that others too can enjoy its new life (Mark 16:15-16).
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20).
What kind of Christianity did Jesus plan to pass along to each new disciple? Matthew 28 answers, “Observe [obey] all that I [Christ] have commanded you [apostles].” The apostles were His special spokesmen (Mark 3:14; Acts 1:6-26). Thus the same Christianity Jesus gave His apostles must go on to the ends of the world, and to the world’s end.
The Great Commission’s wording keeps alive this unchanging truth: Jesus wants only His own kind of Christianity. He has “all authority.” That being so, how much authority is left over for others to make changes as they wish? We must spread Scripture’s original Christianity, not later changes made by others.