Connections
Category : Blogpost
The Great Commission is not a separate topic from justice, mercy, forgiveness, servant leadership, and nonviolence. It is the framework that holds them all together. Jesus commands us to make disciples who practice these things. He does not just want believers who assent to doctrine; he wants followers who live as he does.
Moreover, the Fruit of the Spirit is not a separate topic either. It is the character that makes it possible to forgive the unforgivable, to serve when you would rather be served, to turn the other cheek instead of retaliating, to seek reconciliation instead of revenge. You cannot live out Jesus teachings in your own strength. You need the Spirit to produce the fruit.
Here is the question: Are you trying to fulfill the mission without the character? Or are you cultivating the character without engaging the mission? Neither works. The call is to both: to go and make disciples, and to walk by the Spirit so that the fruit grows naturally in your life. The mission and the character belong together. They always have.
Stay tuned!