Before discussing the mission of the church, we must begin with God's motives for sending Jesus on his mission. God's motives for sending Jesus into the world were very simple: love for his own glory and love for humanity. Let's briefly review these motives in reverse order.
Almost every child attending Sunday school can quote John 3:16; but let us also not forget verse 17: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. "
God was moved by love for the human race, blinded by sin. God sent his son to “seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). In fact, some reject light - because they love darkness - while others gladly accept. “I, the light, have come into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me does not remain in darkness,” Jesus said (John 12:46).
And more important than His love for man, God sent Jesus to increase the praise of His own glory through the fulfillment of His purpose by His Son. As strange as it sounds, God's motives were ultimately self-centered. He was legitimately driven by his passion for glorifying Himself. “In him we became heirs, being destined for that, according to the determination of the One who does everything according to the will of His will, in order to serve to the praise of His glory to us, who had previously trusted in Christ” (Eph. 1: 11-12, italics by the author).
