Missions – God’s Plan for Reaching the World

You may wonder why I believe that missions are so important. You might think that I am too extreme and that although missions are a good thing to do, it is not that much different from any other profession. However, I would like to share with you why I believe that missions are important and show you that God’s plan to reach the world with the Gospel. 

One, because without Jesus, people are going to Hell. 

The Bible very clearly shows us that all people are sinners. In Romans one, two, and three, we see that Paul is making the case that every man, women, and child are sinners. We don’t have time to go into it all, but his case is compelling, and he concludes his arguments in chapter three with several verses that show we are sinners without hope of salvation without Jesus. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one Romans 3:10-12 

We are not good people that only need a change in society to stop sinning. No, we are sinners without hope. 

The Bible also makes it very clear that there is going to be judgment because of our sin. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Hebrews 9:27 After our deaths, there will be a judgment. There is a place called Hell that all sinners will go unless they have trusted in Jesus. That is a strong statement and very unpopular. It is also true. You can talk about Jesus or God all you want, and most people won’t get too upset. However, the moment that you say people are going to Hell people will get very upset. They don’t want to believe that there will be a punishment for sin. 

 Recently while studying the Bible with a young man, we talked about what happens to people that haven’t trusted Jesus. It was one of the hardest discussions that I have had in my life. To look someone in the eyes and tell them that if their grandparents, uncles, aunts, and best friends who haven’t trusted in Jesus are going to Hell is an extremely difficult thing to do. However, the Bible says in John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. The Bible is clear that without Jesus we are condemned. 

Two, God has chosen to use his church to get the Gospel to others.

In the 1790s, a man by the name of William Carey began to consider going as a missionary to the country of India. However, he received significate opposition from pastors and other Christians. They said that if God wanted to save people in other countries that had not heard the Gospel then He would take care of it and did not need William Carey’sCarey’s help. This belief stemmed from their Calvinistic doctrine at the time, and William Carey wrote a book defending his position and showing that God did want men and women to go take the Gospel to others. 

I don’t believe today that many people would say that missionaries should not go; however, I do believe that many people consciously or subconsciously have the same way of thinking. They think that it is wonderful if someone is going to the mission field but assume that God will get the Gospel to those that need to hear and don’t consider if God would have them to go. However, what they have forgotten is that God has chosen his church and Christians to take the Gospel to others. God is going to get the Gospel to the world, and he has chosen to used normal men and women who are saved to take the Gospel to others. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15 Jesus gives the command to go to all the world to his disciples, the believers at that time. 

In Acts 10, we can see an example of this. Cornelius, a lost man, is praying in his house when an angel appears to him. It is fascinating to see what transpires. The angel that appears does not share the Gospel with him or show him how to be saved. The angel was already there, but he does not open a Bible or show Cornelius how to be saved. He tells Cornelius to send someone to find Peter and have him come to his house to share the Gospel. “He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming into him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: “Acts 10:3-5 Peter listens to the messengers and goes to Cornelius house to preach the Gospel. Cornelius and his whole household get saved! I think we can see clearly that God has chosen to use Christians to take the Gospel to others. 

Three, because there is no other way to be saved other than through Jesus. 

There is another reason why missions are so important, and that is because people can only be saved through Jesus. There is no plan B or backup plan. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6 There is no other way to be saved. There is nobody who can be saved outside of Jesus. 

You might be wondering, “What about the person deep in the jungles of some foreign country that has never heard about Jesus?” The Bible says in Romans 1:20 that nobody has an excuse because God can be seen from his creation. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Romans 1:20  The Bible says that they are without excuse and therefore need the Gospel. 

This is why missions are so important. Because we must reach the people who have never heard, and we must reach them before it is too late. There is a world that is dying and going to Hell without Jesus. God has chosen us, believers in Christ, to get the Gospel to the world. That is why there is urgency. That is why we should consider giving up everything to take the GOspel to people who have never heard. Because without Jesus, they are destined to spend eternity in Hell. There is no other plan. God has chosen us to go. 

I hope this helped you see the importance of missions. God has chosen to use us to get the Gospel to others. Are you doing your part? Are you going or helping send others? Missions are God’s plan for reaching the world. Are you involved?