Missiology Through Scripture: Declaring God’s Perfect Rule
“Say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.’”
– Psalm 96:10
This passage was once used to assert the earth (and not the sun) is at the center of the universe. Instead, this verse contrasts the instability of life apart from God and the stability found only in Christ. The unchanging nature of God provides our certainty. Our lands are not established on a moral or ethical foundation, but on the never changing characteristics of the immutable Yahweh.
God has created the nations, governed the nations, and will judge the nations. Through his purposeful actions Christ will create stability and peace. God’s perfect justice will be the ruling force over all the nations. John Wesley said, “God hath now set up his kingdom in the world. The nations of the world shall by the means of it enjoy an established and lasting peace.” The psalmist declares the kingship of God over all the nations. Through God’s judgment and rule the nations will enjoy the perfect harmony found only in Christ.
The Lord has called his missionaries to go into the world and proclaim God’s perfect rule always has and always will be in place. The people are not to seek the fairness and goodness as determined by the world. The fairness which can only be found in the perfect rule of Christ is our eternal goal. A missionary is not to enter a new culture and declare to the people their culture and lifestyle is acceptable and perfectly laudable. Every culture, every government, every lifestyle which is void of Christ is detestable and sinful. Disciples of Christ do not seek to infuse Jesus into someone’s life to make it a little better. Our missionaries are to learn cultures, so they can reach the people within and teach their lifestyle, as it is, is an affront to the perfect God. Christ must not be a part of our life but must reign over every facet of our lives.
Mike Pettengill is a veteran MTW missionary and the director of MTW West Coast.
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DAY 23: Pray for a new family as they embark to start ministry in a new location—pray that their ministry and family would thrive in their Muslim-majority context.
DAY 22: El Salvador: Pray that young people would hunger for the truth of the gospel.
DAY 21: Pray that the Lord would raise up new workers in locations all over the world, including Australia/New Zealand/Pacific Islands, Japan, Mexico, the Middle East, and Slovakia, to name a few.
DAY 20: France: Give thanks for the 50 years of Jean Calvin Seminary and its impact; pray for guidance in addressing the current decline in residential students.
Give thanks to God for all He did through the Global Missions Conference! Please pray that conference attendees would take their next step in missions, be it multiplying, going, leading, caring, or giving.
DAY 19: Pray for teams located in the Middle East who are striving to minister well to locals amid nearby fighting.
DAY 18: Pray for God to raise up a new generation of pastors and church leaders for Japan.
DAY 17: Pray for those in Turkey continuing to rebuild from last year's earthquake, and for continuation of the spiritual growth seen as a result.
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