Defining Terms

You can judge the quality of a book when it is still life-giving the fourth or fifth time you read it! I'm finishing off Let the Nations be Glad for my final class period tomorrow – and I was struck again. This time it was something simple but extremely helpful.

What is a missionary? The term is not found in the Bible, it's root is Latin meaning "sent." But even if the term is not in the Bible, is the concept there?

One of our pastors here at Bethlehem gives a short answer from 3 John 7, "they went out on behalf of the name [Jesus], accepting nothing from the Gentiles [pagan nations]." He comments, "here is perhaps the best definition of a missionary in the New Testament...a missionary is propelled by a deep love for the name and glory of God" (LNBG 2003, p.237).

So, let us test our own motives day in and day out. Are we people living for the fame of God's name? And for those willing to be sent out and go to places where there is very little witness for Jesus, let us make sure God is our motive and that God is goal.