Sadly, as a church, we are very good at twisting Biblical truth to suit our own ends.

One of the major misinterpretations is that of the 'Great Commission'.   

We see it as being a command to preach the word to others, get them to say the so called 'Sinners Prayer', counting them as another soul won to the kingdom.

Our measure of success in church is on numbers of conversions, of 'bums on seats', rather than radical life change.      

Let us see what the Great Commission actually says. The highlights are mine.....

The Great Commission         

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)   

The instruction of Jesus is not to make converts, but rather, obedient disciples.   
Following Jesus is not easy. Multitudes followed Him early in His ministry, but by the nearly all had fallen by the wayside. The Parable of the Sower explains this graphically.....   

3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. (Matthew 13:3-7)

Conversion, sowing the seed, was just to be the first step. Seed grew (sinners prayers said) but soon died through poor husbandry (lack of discipleship). Only some seed grew to maturity and even then, the crops (spiritual fruit) varied tremendously.....

8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. (Matthew 13:8)     

The reality is, if our lives displayed the characteristics of Jesus, others would be attracted to Jesus naturally. There is a song we used to sing at school that makes this point. "Give me 10 men who are stout hearted men, and I'll soon give you 10,000 more."     

The story of the 'Rich Young Man' illustrates the cost of discipleship.....  

16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, ”‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 19:16-19)     

Now that would, in itself, require a huge life change for us in today's world! But it is still not enough!    

20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:20-1)     

Living a good life is not enough! We must also be prepared to give up the things that are the most precious to us, in order to follow Jesus. In this man's case it was wealth, and he wasn't prepared to make the sacrifice.  

22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Matthew 19:22)      

Jesus stated the cost, the stripping away of our lives, that is required in order to follow Him, in the illustration of the camel and the eye of the needle.

23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:23-4)

Yes, conversion is just the first step in our 'walk with Jesus'

The result of conversion is to be continually renewed in an ongoing process of becoming more like Jesus. Paul explained it well.....       

9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (Colossians 3:9-10)     

This is called the process of sanctification. It was commanded of His followers by Jesus.....       

17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (John 17:17-18)  

And reinforced by Paul....           

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-4)      

The end result of sanctification is to be holiness.....  

19 I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. (Romans 6:19)

Holiness, rather than a past memory of conversion, wonderful though that was, is to be the goal of our lives.....       

Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

(2 Corinthians 7:1)       

So what is holiness?    

Firstly, it is important to understand what holiness is NOT. Sadly, man's religious take on holiness is to create a set of rules. e.g. No makeup, no jewellery, wear a hat in church (women) or no hat (men), etc…. It would be so easy if holiness was this simple!  

I have related the story before of visiting Holiness Churches in Africa where the people were bound by the many rules imposed on them by their movement. Most graciously, the Holy Spirit came in power and freed them from their religiosity. The change was amazing! The people were now able to smile and laugh! Religion is restricting, while the Holy Spirit brings liberation! As Paul said.....

17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, (Romans 14:17)      

Obedience to manmade laws will not lead to holiness but obedience to God's Word and will for your life, certainly will.....     

16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 19 I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. (Romans 6:16-19)      

The role of the church therefore, is not just to put 'bums on seats' but to encourage and help believers come to maturity, to attain Christ-likeness.

11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)   

Discipleship, righteousness, holiness, maturity, Christ likeness..... These are the call of the kingdom, through which we will see the fulfilment of the 'Great Commission'.