Deeper Reflection
THIS WEEK WE WILL REFLECT ON FAITH EXPLOIT 3 – Disciple the Nations. This global task is of such scope and immensity! No local church nor denomination can accomplish it alone. It is a task for the global Church, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to work together in unity, concert and partnership. Discipling the nations is, as expressed by the Lausanne slogan, “The Whole Church taking the Whole Gospel to the Whole World”⁸.The Apostle Peter described his addressees as “those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours” (v.1). All believers in Jesus Christ are equal in God’s eyes, regardless of their background, ethnicity, status and title. Gentiles and non-apostles who have faith in Christ can be confident that their faith – received⁹ as a gift from God – is in no way inferior to that of Christian Jews and the apostles. The Gospel is for all peoples in the whole world! In Christ, all believers are fellow children of God and fellow servants of Christ.The whole Gospel centres on Jesus Christ! A fuller knowledge¹⁰ of Jesus Christ starts with believing in who He is (the Son of God) and trusting in what He has done (died on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for our sins and rose on the third day). Such knowledge results in believers receiving the forgiveness of sins and the righteousness of God as a gift by His grace. They are reconciled to God their Creator and King, saved from condemnation, and will one day enter God’s glory. The whole Church must therefore disciple people in the knowledge of Jesus Christ!

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⁸ https://lausanne.org/content/twg-three-wholes (accessed 2 Dec 2021). ⁹ The Greek verb lagca,nw (lanchanō) is translated as “obtained” in the ESV and “received” in the NIV. It means “obtain by lot”, “receive”. … and has “the connotation of reception of a gift or in the least reception of something that one does not deserve”.: The NET Bible translation notes. ¹⁰ The Greek noun evpi,gnwsij (epígnōsis) used in verses 2, 3 and 8 means a fuller knowledge. “As an intensified form of gnōsis, epígnōsis (“apt-experiential knowledge”) refers to knowledge gained through direct, personal experience. This “fits” the individual situation and hence is “appropriate, suitable” (“apt”) knowledge”: The Discovery Bible HELPS Lexicon.