Kingdom Disciples

The Good News announced by Jesus of Nazareth offers salvation and true life to men and women of every nation and nationality . Jesus claimed that “all authority in Heaven and on Earth is given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations!” He sent his disciples to announce his Lordship and Salvation to the “ends of the Earth,” to every nation. With Christ’s Death and Resurrection, the Era of Salvation commenced, therefore, his life-giving message must be announced to all men and every people. The Son of God has achieved salvation for humanity!

The fullness, grace, and truth of God are found only in the Word made Flesh, namely, Jesus Christ of Nazareth – John 1:14-18. The Gospel of John begins by introducing key themes that are expanded in the book - Life , Light , Witness , Truth , and Grace .  Jesus is the Light of the world , the source of Grace and Truth , the True Tabernacle and Temple where God dwells , and the only born Son of God who dwells in the “ bosom of the Father .” The Prologue concludes by declaring that Christ is qualified to interpret the unseen God since he alone has seen the Living God.

The righteousness of God refers to His faithfulness. He fulfills His promises, and this is demonstrated by the salvation He has provided in Jesus . Paul stresses the “ righteousness of God ” in his Letter to the Romans, the righteousness that is revealed whenever the Gospel is proclaimed. This message is the “ power of God for salvation to everyone who believes ,” including “ Jews and Greeks ” alike. Salvation is available to all men through the “ faith of Jesus Christ ,” God’s “ Righteous One ” (“ From faith for faith… My Righteous One will live from faith ”).

Paul links the bodily resurrection of believers to the New Creation. Both events are vital for our complete redemption – Romans 8:1-23. There is “ now no condemnation ” of anyone who is “ in Christ Jesus .” This happy condition exists because the “ law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death .” In his  Letter to the Romans , the Apostle Paul links our salvation to the inheritance of Christ and the coming  redemption of our bodies and creation itself .

Central to the hope of the Apostolic Faith is the bodily resurrection of the dead. This will occur when Jesus appears at the end of the age . The biblical faith is forward-looking. Foundational to the doctrine of salvation is the resurrection of the righteous dead. That event will also mark the arrival of the New Creation. The New Testament links the resurrection of the saints to two events. The past Resurrection of Jesus, and his arrival at the end of the age. Our salvation will remain incomplete until Christ raises us from the dead.

Salvation and Redemption are found in no other name than ‘Jesus’. He alone achieved victory over Sin, Satan, and Death . Jesus of Nazareth declared: “ All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations .” He sent his disciples to announce the salvation purchased by his death to the “ ends of the Earth .” The Age 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!

Paul presents his gospel to the assemblies of Rome, a message for all men about God’s salvation and wrath . In his  Letter to the Romans , Paul describes the message of salvation that he proclaims among the nations. The “ Gospel of God ” is the “ power of God for salvation ” to all men who accept and believe it. Due to humanity’s sin, two forces are at work in the world -  righteousness  and  wrath . Through His son, God has provided the solution to humanity’s desperate plight, one that is available to all men through the “ faith of Jesus Christ .”

Jesus of Nazareth fulfills the promise to bless all nations in Abraham. Christ is the Patriarch’s Heir and our only source of Salvation . Basic to the biblical doctrine of redemption is the covenant with Abraham, which included the promise that “ all the nations of the Earth will be blessed in you .” The Patriarch would have  innumerable descendants . The fulfillment of the promise is found only in Jesus of Nazareth, for “ there is no other name under Heaven whereby we may be saved!”

Jesus summoned his disciples to proclaim the Good News of his Kingdom to every inhabited corner of the Earth . The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not about reforming society or political systems. Christ’s message calls all men to repent and join a radically new social order and political reality, namely, the  Kingdom of God . This message is contrary to the political ideologies of the present world order. It subverts mankind’s philosophies and popular beliefs.

Jesus is the true Light of the World, the expression of God, and the only source of truth, life, and salvation . “ Life ” is found in the “ Word ” or ‘ Logos ’ of God, and this life is the “ Light of men .” It “ shines in the darkness ,” and the darkness is powerless to extinguish it. This ‘ Logos ’ became the Living Word of God manifested in the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. The glory and life of God radiate through Christ for all men to behold - (John 1:1).

What identifies the people of God and determines membership in His Assembly is Jesus, especially the Messiah revealed on the cross,  and nothing else ! This does not mean that the Law of Moses served no purpose, but it is not the basis for determining who is acquitted of sin by God. Right standing before Him is obtained “ through the faith OF Jesus Christ ,” and not “ from the deeds of the Law .”

The young rich man approached Jesus to ask what he should do to inherit everlasting life. In the passage, the reader is confronted with the cost of discipleship. In the version found in the Gospel of Matthew , this man is described as “ young ,” and in Luke , he is a “ ruler ,” presumably, of the local synagogue. He was someone of status in the community. His haste to ask this question points to his sincerity.

Before his Ascension, Jesus claimed to have been given “ all authority in Heaven and on Earth ,” therefore he would send his disciples to announce his Lordship and salvation to the “ nations ,” to the “ uttermost parts of the Earth .” The Era of Salvation commenced with his Death and Resurrection, and his Life-Giving message must therefore be proclaimed to all men, women, and children. Did he not die for the entire world and not just Israel?

In the first chapter of  First Thessalonians , Paul anticipates the Letter’s main subjects, including the tribulation of believers, Christian hope, and the “ arrival ” of Jesus when, as God did for the three Jewish exiles in the  Book of Daniel , he will rescue his people from “ wrath .” Moreover, he will resurrect the righteous dead, and “ meet ” his assembled saints as he descends from Heaven. On that day, his disciples, both the living and the dead, will “ obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ .”

Salvation includes the resurrection of the saints and the New Creation. Both events will occur when Jesus arrives from Heaven . Redemption is part of God’s salvation. He will not abandon what He created and called “ very good! ” Redemption points to the recovery of what has been lost. The Universe is enslaved by sin and condemned to decay and death. All living creatures die. However, in the redemptive plans of the Creator, the end state of the things redeemed by Him will be vastly superior to their original condition, and this principle is epitomized in the bodily resurrection of men and women saved by Jesus Christ.

The Good News announced by Jesus of Nazareth offers salvation and true life to men and women of every nation and nationality . Jesus proclaimed that “ all authority in Heaven and on Earth is given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations! ” He sent his disciples to announce his Lordship and Salvation to the “ uttermost parts of the Earth .” The  Era of Salvation  had 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!

In  Matthew , an angel informed Joseph that the child carried by Mary was “ begotten of the Holy Spirit ” and instructed him to name the child ‘ Jesus ’ - “ Call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins .” This name pointed to the saving act of God for His people which He was about to reveal.

The equality of Jews and Gentiles before an impartial and just God is pivotal to Paul’s Gospel. They stand or fall before Him on the same basis . Paul wrote his  Letter to the Romans  with two purposes. First, to prepare the ground for his visit to the city and his planned missionary trip to Spain. Secondly, to deal with conflicts between Jewish and Gentile believers. In the Letter, Pual explained his Gospel, and he then discussed the status of the Jewish people and the conflicts troubling the Roman Church.

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 presents his Gospel in Romans from humanity's plight due to sin to the resurrection of the dead and the New Creation . The Apostle Paul presents his most detailed explanation of the “ Good News of God ” in his  Letter to the Romans . Paul was dealing with conflicts between Gentile and Jewish believers in the Assembly and preparing the ground for taking the Gospel to the western regions of the Roman Empire. In the process, he addressed related topics, including death, redemption, the Law, resurrection, and the New Creation.