As with many believers, I too, believed that the Great Commission is a title given to an important verse in the bible. I had memorized this verse and always knew it to be the great commission. But is it just an important verse with a title?

What is the Great Commission?

The Great Commission is not just a verse. It’s a mission. A command. A divine assignment given by Jesus Himself — not to a chosen few who are supposedly gifted and called, but to every believer. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave His followers this final instruction:
“Go and make disciples of all nations.” He didn’t say, “If you feel called,” or, “Tell all the pastors and evangelists to make disciples of all nations.” He said, Go to all believers. That means you and me. Every single person who follows Jesus.

But more than a command from the Lord, it is a call to share the BEST NEWS of all with everyone. We are no longer slaves to sin. There is now no condemnation for us who believe in Christ. We have been set free from the law of sin and death through faith in Christ Jesus. We have eternal life in Christ. We are truly free from the power of sin. Do you really understand what that means? It is because of sin that there is so much hatred and violence in this world. People are greedy, corrupt, they hate others, or are jealous of others, or have ego clashes and arguments, the broken relationships, illegitimate and orphaned children, wars among nations, crime, everything else wrong in this world that causes hurt and sorrow is a result of SIN. The root cause of everything wrong in this world is SIN. Just imagine a world full of love, peace, joy, and happiness among all nations, all races, all people without the need for armies, weapons of destruction, police stations, hospitals, or prisons. You would say, that’s impossible!! You are living in fantasy land!!

This is possible friends!! A world full of love is possible through faith in Christ. That is the good news. Freedom from sin and death. Eternal Life!!

If you had a dying tree with withered leaves, withered flowers, and hardly any healthy fruit on it, what would you do to try to fix it? Wouldn’t you try to heal its roots? The tree is dying because of a sick root. Likewise much of man’s health issues such as headaches, stomach aches, fevers, and nosebleeds are symptoms of an underlying sickness. Superficially treating these with pain killers is just addressing the symptoms without healing the underlying sickness. We are deceived into believing that no pain or discomfort equals health. Similarly, the different nations of the world are trying to fix the symptoms of a broken world with economic reforms, wars, health programs, poverty alleviation programs and more without dealing with the underlying issue of SIN. But Jesus came and took care of the root; the SIN problem, for all of the world. Now, do you realize the impact of what he has done for us?

How can we that KNOW this truth not share it with the rest of the world? If you were dying of cancer and got healed and went into remission, would you not tell others? If you knew how to swim and saw someone drowning, would you not rescue the victim? If there was a child in a burning house and it was within your capacity to rescue that child, would you not do so? Well, how about something we all can relate well to. If you found a restaurant where you had the yummiest meal ever, would you not tell everyone about that place?

The bible says, Taste and see that the Lord is good – Psalm 34:8 NLT

The great commission is “great” not because it’s easy, but because it matters more than anything else in this world. Nothing compares to seeing a soul saved and restored to God. In fact, it is not an easy task at all. It is quite the opposite.

The Heart of the Great Commission: Making Disciples

Notice what Jesus said:

“Make disciples, not just converts.”

It’s not about getting people to attend a church service or pray a quick prayer. It’s about walking with them, teaching them, and helping them grow into mature followers of Jesus. That takes time, patience, compassion, love, and intentionality. Most people in the world are unaware of the issue of sin, but subconsciously are seeking God in some form or the other. Why are there so many religions in the world? It is because people are seeking God and they think they have found a way. But none deal with the root cause of separation from God; which is SIN. And hence, although they try their best to keep good morals, they fail when it comes to dealing with the consequences of sin such as anger, jealousy, greed, lust, hatred, pride, arrogance, and unforgiveness. These further manifest into violence, rape, murder, divorce, and other forms of abuse.

Christianity is not a religion. It is a personal and intimate relationship with God. This relationship transforms a person from within. Therefore, when one from another religion at first comes to know Christ, it takes time to unlearn everything he or she has known about life, God, and good morals. It takes time to understand and learn the true nature of a loving and forgiving God. It takes time to adopt God’s nature of love. I was a Hindu prior to learning about Christ and about sin in my own life. It took me years to get to where I am now. I am sharing my journey with you on this site hoping it will be a blessing to you.

Believers who have studied the bible for a while and have been walking with the Lord for sometime have learnt the truth about the issue of sin, battling sin and overcoming it. Jesus came for one reason and that is to deal with the issue of sin. 1 John 3:5-6 – And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is. Therefore, it becomes every believer’s primary goal to battle sin in their lives and overcome it. Such a person is called a disciple of Christ.

Battling sin every day is accompanied with failures, scars, defeat, discouragement, and frustrations. This is why it takes a “disciple” to make another “disciple”. Believers and converts cannot make another disciple. This is why it takes love, compassion, understanding, and patience for a disciple to make another disciple. And Jesus’ command to go into all the world was to make disciples, not just converts. And the first step towards leading a lost person to life is to share the good news of salvation through Christ. Then teach them to follow His ways. This will require us to walk WITH them in love and truth. Once they mature into disciples, they will then do the same. This is the great commission.

There is one organization I know of that fulfills this command very effectively. Bible League International.

But Isn’t That For Missionaries?

No, not at all. The early church in the first century grew and multiplied as a result of enthusiastic disciples sharing the good news from house to house. Their “transformed lives” were a living testimony to the message they carried. A prideful and abusive and violent person suddenly is full of love and compassion (Paul the apostle). An uneducated and a scared fisherman is suddenly bold enough to preach the good news to highly qualified individuals and even lovingly willing to endure life threatening situations to ensure the message gets out (Peter). A person who would not believe anything unless he saw it for himself travelled across oceans to preach this good news to a lost people in India (Thomas). The vast majority of schools and hospitals across the world today is a result of compassionate and loving Christians who genuinely cared for people and their well being. Why? It was not because they all wanted to create a new “religion” and gather a following. It was because they encountered the love and forgiveness of Christ and understood the issue of sin. They wanted the whole world to know this too.

A Missionary is a title given by the world to faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. But the great commission is for all disciples of Jesus Christ. Every one who bears the name Christian, would be selfish not to share this amazing news of freedom from sin and the gift of eternal life. The Great Commission begins with the people right in front of you within your circle of influence. Your immediate family, friends, and relatives.

How Do I Participate?

Here are simple, practical ways:

1. Pray for the lost around you and across the world.
2. Live your life in a way that reflects Christ’s love and truth.
3. Share your testimony and what Jesus has done for you.
4. Invite people into your life, into your church, or into Bible study.
5. Disciple someone new in the faith — walk with them, encourage them.

You don’t need to know all the answers — just point them to the One who has all the answers and is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. After all no human being can change another person. We are not professional sales people of the gospel. We are not selling a product or building a following. It takes the power of God Himself to change a person’s heart. It takes the Holy Spirit but a person gets an opportunity to listen to God speaking when we share the gospel. It is up to the person to accept or reject God’s calling. But God’s love is unfailing and He will keep on calling out of love. The bible says, “John 6:44 – For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.” This is why the concept of “conversion” is false, because no one can really convert anyone.

Many people misunderstand evangelism as “conversion.” But the gospel is never about forcing someone to change their religion.

Christianity offers an invitation, not coercion. We share the message of salvation because we love others, and we believe that Jesus truly is the only way to eternal life. Because He is the only one who dealt with SIN. The proof of his life and purpose and his promise of eternal life for us is in His resurrection. If he did not rise from the dead and ascend into heaven, then all our faith is useless and we are still in our sins. But he rose from the dead, is alive today and will return again. Every person has the freedom to choose. The gospel respects that freedom — and simply calls people to make the most important decision of their lives.

The Promise Attached

“And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

You’re not alone in this. Jesus didn’t just send us — He promised to go with us. You may feel unqualified, shy, or unsure — but He gives you the strength, wisdom, and courage through the Holy Spirit.

Can you imagine how your life would be if Jesus was always by your side? Most times, we do not feel like He is by our side. In fact, more often than not, it is quite the opposite. But I tell you by personal experience, the times I have sincerely felt Him closest to me was when I was sharing the gospel with someone. He is more eager for a person to accept His invitation than you can ever be. You can rest assured, He is close to you whenever you are participating in the great commission.

The Great Commission is not a burden — it’s a privilege.

You’re not just living for yourself anymore. You have a divine purpose. You are part of God’s mission to rescue a lost and broken world.

So don’t wait. Don’t wonder. Start where you are. Open your heart. And go.

Because the gospel is not meant to be kept. It is meant to be shared.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21

“Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭32‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”
‭‭Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬