Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. ~ Matthew 28:19-20

These words have often been referred to as the Great Commission, and rightfully so. Some translations say, make disciples, whereas the KJV says, teach all nations.

The mission of the gospel given to the apostles by Jesus was not to solicit decisions in which a moment of belief insures a person is going to Heaven. You will never see such a commission given by Jesus, nor will you ever see Jesus eager for others to make an uncommitted decision of belief.

We have examples in the gospels of those who came to Jesus enquiring about eternal life, and Jesus always set before them commitment in one form or another. Consider for example, the rich young ruler who asked Jesus how to have eternal life.

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. ~ Matthew 19:16-22

Unfortunately, in much of today’s evangelical circles, this man would have been told he only needs to believe in Jesus and he’s going to Heaven, and serving Jesus isn’t a requirement because that would mean salvation by works. On the contrary, if we truly believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, our belief in him will be our motivation to follow him. One who refuses to become Jesus’s disciples has the wrong motive for “believing” and has embraced hypocrisy rather than genuine, authentic faith.

Making disciples is the heartbeat of true evangelism. The problem with much of today’s evangelism is that Heaven is the reward instead of Jesus. Faith has become a sort of spiritual life insurance policy rather than embracing the faith which is to become a disciple of Jesus. 

Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. ~ John 12: 42-43

According to the gospels, the rulers played a major part in condemning Jesus to death, not many days later. And these chief rulers did not confess Jesus (even though they believed), because they would have been put out of the synagogue like the man born blind whom Jesus healed in John 9. They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. 

In the New Testament, we find no subset of believers on their way to Heaven who refuse to follow Jesus as his disciple. Being a disciple doesn’t mean that you have it all together and that you don’t have some areas in your life that need addressing. Being a disciple means you are committed to following Jesus for the rest of your life, and over the process of time, you grow in knowledge, wisdom, and grace. When we see you 5 or 10 years from now, you are more like Jesus than you are today. That’s discipleship!

In Acts 2, three thousand souls were added to the church and began living as disciples, and from Pentecost onward the church continued to grow until there was a multitude of believers who were all referred to as disciples.

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. ~ Acts 6:1-7 

Notice that even among the disciples, they were to choose from among them, those who were of impeccable character: brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Among this multitude of disciples there were some who had just begun their journey in the faith, and others who had not yet grown in grace to the level that others had, yet they were all disciples following Jesus.

Again, being a disciple doesn’t mean you are perfect, or have it all together. It simply means that you are committed to Jesus, and growing in your faith becoming more like him over time, because Christ changes how you live.

Even though they were all at different levels of growth in the Lord, they all had one thing in common: they were obedient to the faith.

The faith which Jesus entrusted to his apostles when he commissioned them to go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is the call of discipleship.

In Romans 1, Paul speaks of obedience to the faith saying, By whom (Jesus) we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name… ~ Romans 1:5

Paul, who was formerly Saul of Tarsus, had persecuted the disciples of the Lord Jesus before his conversion. There is no text that tells us that Paul persecuted people who believed in Jesus, but didn’t follow Christ. Paul was out to stop the growth of the faith through the disciples of Jesus.

And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest… ~ Acts 9:1

Disciples are the ones through whom the Kingdom of God is advanced in this world because they are the ones who follow Jesus in obedience to him as their Master. The one who claims to believe but refuses to follow, is no threat to the kingdom of darkness. Disciples gain a reputation as did the disciples in Antioch who were the first to be called Christians, which associated them with Christ.

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. ~ Acts 11:26