What Jesus commands us to do is to disciple, or make disciples of, all the nations and peoples of this world. The way that we are to do this is by going out to the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Triune God, and teaching them to observe all that Christ taught and commanded.
Hold fast to the Christ Jesus of the Bible and take comfort in His atoning sacrifice and the forgiveness He has won for you. Abide in Him, for God has promised us eternal life in Jesus’ name!
John urged his hearers to continue in that truth they were taught by him and by the other apostles, in the beginning. They were to let what they heard, in the beginning, remain in them.
For a little while, we may grieve and sorrow - though we still have hope because we know Jesus rose from the dead and will return to raise us up and give us the everlasting joys of heaven. But, in a little while, when Jesus comes again, we shall rejoice with joy inexpressible!
The apostle’s message, the true gospel, is that we are complete in Jesus – our salvation and everlasting life are certain in Him – there is nothing we need add to His redemptive work!
Are you walking in the light or in darkness? Sad to say, many, even among professing Christians, are walking in darkness. To continue on in darkness leads to death! To walk in the light leads to forgiveness and life everlasting!
This parable of Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a man who sows his seed and waits until the seed, of itself, springs up and grows, maturing until the harvest. Then the farmer puts in the sickle for the harvest. The farmer can only sow good seed, cultivate the crops, and wait for the fruit to mature. He himself cannot make the seed grow and produce fruit.
Jesus gave to His disciples the Holy Spirit and a task to carry out — to preach “repentance and remission of sins” in Jesus’ name “among all nations,” beginning right where they were, in Jerusalem (Luke 24:46-47; cf. Matt. 28:16-20). They were to forgive the sins of the penitent and retain the sins of the impenitent as long as they did not repent.
