Johan SlabbertPhoto: Marcus Woodbridge
Matthew 16:20 “Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.”
A Strange Command
Jesus had just received Peter’s bold confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” Then why did he almost immediately command his disciples to keep this confession a secret? Did he not want the world to know who he was?
The answer lies in what the disciples had not yet fully understood who Jesus was. While they recognised him as the Messiah, the full purpose of his mission remained beyond their grasp. Peter, by divine illumination, had understood who Jesus was—but neither he nor the other disciples understood what Jesus had come to accomplish.
Misunderstanding Jesus
Without knowing Jesus’ mission, there is a risk of spreading a distorted view of Christ, leading to false worship. Think back to the Old Testament story of the golden calf, where the Israelites declared, “These are your gods!” They attempted to worship the one true God but ended up with an idol of their own creation. A twisted picture of Jesus can mislead people in the same way—toward a false Christ, which ultimately is no Christ at all.
Today, we face similar misconceptions of Jesus’ purpose, such as those proclaimed in:
- The Prosperity Gospel: Some see Jesus as a promise of physical well-being and material success, believing that he came to meet every earthly need.
- The Social Gospel: Others believe his mission was to change society, fight injustices, and liberate people from oppressive systems. While Jesus’ compassion and power undoubtedly touch every area of life, his ultimate mission reaches beyond these earthly pursuits.
- The New Age Jesus: Some believe Jesus to be one of a number of so-called enlightened beings, such as Buddha, Mohammed, as well as various Hindu godmen, teaching others how to find a path to true enlightenment.
- The Ethical Teacher: Some see Jesus as a great philosopher and ethical teacher who existed to establish his teachings in the world.
The Mission of the Church
Across various denominations, people often equate the church’s mission with social activism or moral improvements. Churches pour time and resources into ‘upgrading’ society, ‘fixing’ morality, and trying to ‘reshape’ culture. The mission of the church is not primarily towards ethics or social reform.
Jesus’ call is not a call to rearrange objects in the kingdom of darkness. His mission, and by extension the church’s mission, is focused on building his kingdom in a way that brings people out of darkness into light. That means not only freedom from society’s evils but true liberation from sin and death.
Kingdom Justice
This does not mean that Christians should ignore issues of justice, morality, or culture. But these efforts must flow from the central mission of the church, not replace it. In recent decades, the church has faced challenges from New Age beliefs, redefinitions of Christ, and other ideologies that blur the lines of Jesus' actual mission.
What is the Mission of Jesus?
Christ came to build his church. He came to create a spiritual community on the confession of who he truly is: the Son of the Living God. His victory over sin, death, and hell ensures that the gates of darkness will not prevail against his church.
By entrusting the church with ‘the keys’ to this kingdom, Jesus empowered his followers to unlock the doors of freedom and command others into salvation. Through faith in him, people find true liberation from death, sin, and hell, not just temporary relief from worldly struggles.
Timing is Everything
Jesus’ warning to keep his identity quiet was temporary. After the disciples had understood his mission, he gave them the Great Commission, telling them to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-20). But first, he wanted them to know his mission in full.
Understanding Jesus’ mission should shape every believer’s witness. Jesus came to build his church on the truth of who he is and what he accomplished, defeating sin and death forever.
So, the ultimate question remains: What does your confession of Christ look like today? Does it point others to his true mission?
Looking Ahead
By exploring the true church of Jesus Christ, we will examine how the Christian’s knowledge of who Jesus is and what he came to do shapes our mission and responsibility to the world.
We will then gain a deeper understanding of the power and purpose of the church.
Call to Action
Reflect on what happens when an adjective is added before the word “justice”, for example, social justice or restorative justice. Is the resulting “justice” what the Bible describes as justice?
What is Biblical justice? Reflect on Isaiah 58:1-12.
Write down your thoughts and insights.