COMMENTARY

What is your goal as a Christian? Why do you go to church? Why do you read your Bible and pray? Is it because your parents do it or because it feels like something you should do? Do you engage in these practices to make yourself look good? It’s important to ask yourself why you identify as a Christian. The Apostle Paul understood his goal as a Christian very clearly. In the NIV, Paul states, “He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.” This verse outlines three key points that highlight what our goals should be as Christians. The first thing we as Christians need to execute is to “proclaim Christ.” This means we should share the message of Jesus and all that He has done for us! It’s an essential aspect of being a Christian and should be one of our main goals: to reproduce and cultivate fully devoted followers of Jesus. Have you ever received a new, flashy pair of shoes or clothes? What is the first thing you do when you get them? You show them off to all your friends and wear them everywhere, right? This is exactly how we should share our faith in Christ. Many Christians, myself included, receive Jesus into our hearts but don’t share this incredible gift with anyone, even though it’s the greatest gift we have ever received. We need to flash or proclaim Jesus with everyone we know and even those we don’t know. Second, Paul emphasizes the importance of “admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom.” We not only need to share the message of Christ, but we also have the responsibility to teach people the Scripture. What good are traffic signs on the road if they only indicate where the road does not lead? You won’t get very far, right? It’s the same with Jesus. If we only tell people that they are going to hell and that they need to repent and turn to Him, what good is that? Without guidance and teaching, the people we proclaim Christ to will not be able to grow and have an authentic relationship with Jesus. “Admonishing” means telling someone very seriously that they have done something wrong. We as Christians need to be able to teach and guide new and seasoned Christians. But why do we proclaim and admonish? What is the goal of being a Christian? Paul finishes the verse in the NIV by saying that by sharing the message of Christ and admonishing and teaching, “we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.” That is the goal: to be fully mature in Christ. This is the goal of proclaiming and admonishing, to make fully devoted followers of Jesus. The call to all Christians, not just pastors and youth leaders, but everyone, including you, is to become fully mature in Christ. Remember, it is our highest goal!