I’m sure you’ve noticed I place a strong emphasis on the need for us to learn to tell others the good news about Christ. I do so, in part, because it tends to get neglected in the midst of our busy lives and the busyness of all our church activities. Since many of us feel inadequate for such a challenging task, it is easy to occupy ourselves with other matters and never get around to telling anyone else about Christ (2 Corinthians 3:5-6). Even so, it is something the Lord himself really wants us to do, and so I emphasize it.
Yet there are other vital aspects of the mission God has given us as well. Jesus demonstrated a balanced ministry of: 1) doing good deeds, 2) telling good news, and 3) giving good teaching (Matthew 4:23; 9:35). It appears to me that even though we often neglect 2) the telling of the news, we have improved quite a bit with 1) doing good deeds for others. As far as the other matter, 3) giving good teaching, circumstances just today have reminded me how essential that aspect of the mission is, particularly with newer believers. I’m afraid taking care of and equipping new Christians is something I have neglected far too many times over the years.
He preached Christ to non-Christians but wasn’t finished until he had preached Christ, warned, and taught them to the point of maturity in Christ.
For all his emphasis on telling non-Christians the good news, Paul nevertheless saw clearly that we must also help new believers mature in Christ (also called discipleship). One day Paul received word that the gospel had come to the city of Colossae, that a number of people heard and embraced it, and that it was changing their lives (Colossians 1:3-8). From the very day he heard about this, Paul began praying that the Colossians would mature in their faith. The specific matters he prayed about are instructive for us: having a better grasp of God’s will, living better and bearing fruit, growing in the knowledge of God, having strength to endure patiently and joyfully, and giving thanks to God for what he has done for us (Colossians 1:9-14).
He then powerfully declares to them many aspects of who Jesus is and what he has done (Colossians 1:15-23). This is something these new Christians really needed to hear because it seems that a false teacher at Colossae was emphasizing a deceitful philosophy of rules and regulations that resulted in a neglect of Christ (2:8, 16-23). So Paul gives the new church there a healthy dose of strong teaching about the One we are seeking to become like (1:15-23). In this context we find an extremely important and powerful verse:
“Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28).
Paul proclaimed Christ to non-Christians (Acts 9:22; 17:2-3; 18:5) to be sure, but he didn’t stop there. Colossians 1:28 tells us he also warned and taught all who responded to Christ so that he could present them mature in Christ. Clearly this was extremely important to him because he worked really hard at it (toiled, struggled in Colossians 1:29). This he did by the power of God working in him.
Sometimes it is helpful to think about about telling the good news to non-Christians separately from helping new Christians mature. This can help ensure we really are doing something about both of those aspects of God’s mission. On the other hand, though, separating these two important functions can also lead us to focus on one and neglect the other. Paul’s description of his practice in Colossians 1:28 sounds like he viewed these two aspects as one thing. He preached Christ to non-Christians but wasn’t finished until he had preached Christ, warned, and taught them to the point of maturity in Christ. Though Acts has much to say about the first part, telling the good news, it also shows his concern to encourage and strengthen new believers (Acts 15:35-36; 18:11; 20:20).
Shortly after being convicted of the need to take care of and strengthen new believers, I decided to reach out and do something. I had a brief but significant exchange with a newer believer I’m concerned about, and I hope it may lead to additional opportunities to proclaim Christ, to warn, to teach wisely and to assist in them becoming mature in Christ. This, too, is a vital aspect of our mission, one we must not neglect.
Is there any less mature believer you need to reach out to today?
Empowering Subjects 