AUTHORITY-JESUS CHRIST
The
fundamental basis of all Christian missionary enterprise is the universal
authority of Jesus Christ, “in heaven and on earth.” If the authority of Jesus were circumscribed on earth, if He were
but one of many religious teachers, one of many Jewish prophets, one of many
divine incarnations, we would have no mandate to present Him to the nations as
the Lord and Savior of the world. If
the authority of Jesus were limited in heaven, if He has not decisively
overthrown the principalities and powers, we might still proclaim Him to the
nations, but we would never be able to “turn them from darkness to light, and
from the power of Satan unto God” (Acts 26:18). Only because all authority on earth belongs to Christ dare we go
to all nations. And only because all
authority in heaven as well is His have we any hope of success.
John Stott
The Great Commission, One Race, One Gospel, One Task, 1966.