Biblical Mandate for World Mission:

Relevant Old and New Testament Texts

By

Okpe F. Joseph
SID# 23691569

Submitted to

Dr. Ebele ADIOYE

ICST 500

Liberty University

April, 2011
 Table of content

Introduction

Old Testament scriptures supporting world mission

Genesis 1:1

Genesis 12:1-3

Psalms

Isaiah 45:22

New Testament scriptures supporting world mission

Mathew 28:16-20

John 17:17-21

Acts 1:8

Conclusion
 Biblical mandate for world mission: Relevant Old and New Testament texts
Biblical scholars generally agree that without the Bible, world evangelism would not be
only impossible but actually inconceivable. 1 it is in the written pages of the Bible that we find
and draw our mandate to evangelize. Stott also adds that the Bible lays upon us the responsibility
to evangelize the world, gives us a gospel to proclaim, tells us how to proclaim it, and tells us
authoritatively that it is God’s power for salvation to every believer. 2 In order to establish that
the mandate for world evangelism is rooted in the Scriptures, and in this case both the New and
Old Testaments this research paper will provide and evaluate relevant Old and New Testament
Scriptures directly related to the mandate for world mission.

First, determining the relevant Old and New Testament texts mandating world mission
within the scope of the Bible requires at least some basic understanding of what constitutes
mission. In contemporary usage, missions generally refer to cross-cultural ministry. In biblical
terminology, however, mission centers around a person’s (or group’s) commissioning (e.g.,
Matthew 28:18–20; Luke 24:46–48; John 20:21–23) to a particular task, in the present case
focusing on the proclamation of the gospel, the message of God's gracious salvation and
forgiveness of sins in Christ Jesus which is to be appropriated by faith. 3 Having said that, the
next pages of this paper will present and review a number of relevant Old and New Testament
Bible texts that are directly related to the mandate for world mission.

Old Testament scriptures supporting world mission

One of the most compelling verses of Scripture in the entire Bible is, “for God so

-----------------------------

1
Ralph Winter, D. and Hawthorne C. Steven, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader,
4th ed. John, R. W. Stott (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2009), 21.
2
Ibid.
3
Scott A. Moreau, Gary R. Corwin, and Gary B. McGee, Introducing World Mission: A Biblica,
Historical, and Practical Survey, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 17.
loved the world that he gave his only begotten son . . .” 4 No phrase is better known or better
captures the depth and extent of God’s love for humans.  Christians are clear about this in the
New Testament.  We know God wants others to come to know Him too because creation is His
(Job 41:11, Deuteronomy 10:14).  We understand the Church, His called out people, are to
spread the Gospel around the world to every people.  We know the eternal consequences for
those who are never reached. But think a minute about the nations of people in the Old
Testament. Were they not to be reached?  Did God not love them, too?  Simply put, can a clear
case for Christian mission be made from the Old Testament? To these questions Moreau, Corwin
and McGee suggest two answers from two different schools of thoughts. To the school of
evangelical missiologists the answer is a resounding yes. On the contrary, the other school of
thought argues that Israel had no responsibility towards other nations; they also add that the New
Testament should not be read into the Old Testament. 5 Moreau et al rejects the later argument
and points out that, from the opening words of the Bible important themes in mission appears
that are expended on throughout the Old Testament. 6 They go on to conclude that these Old
Testament themes were invaluable in laying the foundation for what is found explicitly about
mission in the New Testament. 7 Some of these Old Testament texts include:

Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This verse of
scripture is the very first in the entire Bible and forms the basis for world mission. That God is
the creator of the universe establishes His concern for the people and world He created and this
concern is not limited by racial, political, geographical, gender, economic, or religious
boundaries. 8 It is a sovereign declaration that God created the universe and the whole world
belongs therefore to Him. In verse 27, we are told that He also created human beings, and it was
Gods intention that human beings stands in a
-----------------------------

4
John 3:16 (New Reversed Standard Version).
5
Scott et al, Introducing World Mission, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 27.
6
Ibid.
7
Ibid.
8
Ibid.
special relationship with him and find happiness in him (Math. 22:37). This verse of scripture
clearly stresses the universal message of the Old Testament. God is the creator of the whole
world and as such the whole world is His mission field and because He is intimately interested in
humans, God is in the process of making himself known long before missionaries arrived on the
scene. He is the patent owner and all He is asking in return is our glorification of Him. This
according to Moreau is the foundation for mission and is implicit in the creation story. 9
Genesis 12: 1-3. The calling of Abraham is perhaps the most missiological passage in the Old
Testament. It is one of the foundation stones of the Christian mission. 10 This is the great
command of the Old Testament God said to Abraham, “Leave your country, your family, and
your relatives and go to the land that I will show you,” and concludes with, “. . . and in you all
the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 11 From these texts we see God calling Abraham and
made a covenant with him, promising not to only bless him but also through his posterity to bless
all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:1-4). Notice the emphasis “to bless all families of the
earth,” this sounds indeed like a story of a missionary. More importantly this is the story of a
sender, a God who will use people to fulfill his aim. As a mandate for world mission we see that
Israel was not allowed to focus only on the existence of its own people alone. Instead Israel was
to be God’s missionary to the whole world, and so are we by virtue of our identity as Abraham’s
spiritual descendants. 12 For Abraham’s descendants’ (through whom all nations are being
blessed) are Christ and the people of Christ. 13 In other words if by faith we belong to Christ and
Abraham’s spiritual children as a result we have a responsibility to reach all mankind.

-----------------------------

9
Scott et al, Introducing World Mission, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 28.
10
Ralph Winter and Hawthorne Steven, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, (Pasadena, CA:
William Carey Library, 2009), 21.
11
Genesis 12:1-4 (NRSV).
12
Ralph and Hawthorne, Perspectives on the World Christian MovementPasadena, CA: William Carey
Library, 2009), 11.
13
Ibid., 22.
 Another prove of the Old Testament book as a mandate for world mission comes from the
entire book of Psalms. Several commentators have made passing mention of the universal and
missionary implications of the Psalms.14 Recently Wetzel made a very similar case for the
apologetic use of the Psalms, 15 but the most complete and useful comments so far have been
made by Hedlund, Peters, Kaiser, and several contributors to Perspectives on the World
Christian Movemen.16 Opponents of this position argue that the Psalms are strictly about God’s
chosen people (Israel), and not about Gentiles. 17 While one may correctly argue that most of the
Psalms are directed to the Israelites, but in the process, an amazing number address, or make
significant reference to, the peoples of the world. 18 Some of the Psalmist texts that make
significant reference to Gentiles being called to worship or obey God include; Psalms 1, 2, 22,
24, 33, 40, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 58, 66, 67, 68, 145, 146, and 148.
According to Landon Psalm 47 displays the Israel-centric view of many psalms that can lead
interpreters to ignore the missionary implications. The authors mention Abraham (47:9), clearly
state that God chose Israel (47:4), and proudly proclaim that "He subdued the nations under us"
(47:3), yet the purpose of the psalm is to call "all you nations" (47:1) to come praise God! Why?
"For God is the King of all the earth" (47:7). Landon goes on to conclude that first, the psalms as
a whole are missionary because they were written by a missionary as a record of his mission.
Second, all the psalms are missionary because they teach about God and expect faith and praise
in return. Third, they are missionary because they are an instrument for continued outreach. 19
The Psalms, according to one count, speak to a universalistic note 175 times, among them
Psalms 67 and 96. 20
-------------------------------
14
Stuart W. McCullough, Introduction to Psalms (vol. 4 of IB; Nashville: Abingdon, 1955), 13
15
Robert C. Wetzel, "An Apologetic of Praise," Leaven 1 (summer 1999): 138.
16
Roger E. Hedlund, The Mission of the Church in the World (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991); George W.
Peters, A Biblical Theology of Missions (Chicago: Moody Bible Institute, 1972), 98.
17
Michael Landon, “The Psalms as Mission,” Retoration Quarterly: 165.
18
Ibid., 166.
19
Ibid., 170.
20
Elmer A. Marten, “Impulses to Global Mission in Isaiah,” Direction 35/1 (2006): 68.
 Isaiah 45:22, "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth." Is another one of the Old
Testament texts that provides a clear mandate for world mission.  The book of Isaiah as a whole
claim that God is powerful over nations and in control of them while at the same time
uncompromising holding that there is no god but the LORD (Yahweh): "Before me no god was
formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior"
(Isaiah 43:10b-ll). Martens carefully make the point that, this claim that Yahweh is the exclusive
deity is buttressed by the assertion that God is the Creator. Since he "created the heavens" and
"formed the earth," it follows that he is "the LORD and there is no other" (45:18). 20 That could
be the end of the argument except that Isaiah returns to it repeatedly so that the force of the claim
shall not be lost (44:24; 45:7, 12, 14; 48:13; 51:16). The theme of God as Creator sets the
ideological context for Israel's global mission and by extension the Old Testament as a mandate
for world mission.
In conclusion I must point out that the few Old Testament texts listed above are not alone in
sounding the note of God's global concern. Other Old Testament Scriptures like Ezekiel refers
often in the context of nations to a future time: "and they (other peoples) shall know the Lord"
(e.g., Ezekiel 35:15; 36:36; 37:28). There is also the book of Exodus 19:6 that talks about Israel's
role as priest to the world whose mediating role was to teach God's ways (Mai. 2:5,7).
New Testament scriptures supporting world evangelism
There is no doubt that the Bible as a whole gives a clear mandate and message for world
evangelism and nowhere is this clearer than in the New Testament. After the fall of man in the
book of Genesis God’s promise for the deliverance and redemption of all human is fulfilled in
the New Testament in the person of Jesus Christ (John 3:16). According to Scott et al, “sending
was an important element in the Old Testament picture of mission. However, it is even more
clearly central in the New Testament. 22 A complete circle of the world mission mandate is seen
in God sending Jesus (John 3:13; 20:21), Jesus in turn sends His followers (Mark 16:15-18;
Mathew 28:16-20), and empowers
-----------------------------
21
Elmer A. Marten, “Impulses to Global Mission in Isaiah,” Direction 35/1 (2006): 60.
22
Scott et al, Introducing World Mission, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 40.
them with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; John 15:26, 16:7). The following are New Testament texts
that mandate world mission:
 There is no any other place to start or establish the mandate for world mission in the New
Testament other than Mathew 28:16-20. In mission circles this certainly is the most widely used
version of Jesus’ commission to his followers to evangelize the world. 23 Among Christians this
verses of Scripture is popularly referred to as the “great commission.” Also see Mark 16:14-18;
Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-23). For most contemporary Christians, the "great commission" as
presented in Mathew 28:18-20 represents the preeminent evangelizing text in the Gospel of
Matthew. 24 This text has the weight and authority of Christ tied to it (Mathew 28:18)
consequently there is no higher mandate, no greater authority in heaven or earth than the
authority of Jesus Christ and His mandate to make disciples of all nations. Simply put the basis
of our mandate for world mission is in 18, “Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. Therefore go . . . .
The Gospel of John 17:17-21 is one of the not so widely quoted texts mandating world
evangelism. This text of Scriptures does not only mandate world mission but carries with it the
Lord’s Prayer for us to be fruitful in reaching the world (italic is mine for emphasis), “ Sanctify
them through thy truth: thy word is truth.  As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I
also sent them into the world?  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be
sanctified through the truth.  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe
on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that
they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” The RSV and
NIV emphasize, “so that the world may believe . . .” An imperative for the Church to succeed in
her mission to evangelize the world is our unity. This Scripture is profound because Jesus didn’t
ask God to take Christians out of the world but instead to use them in the world to reconcile all
people.
----------------------------------

23
Scott et al, Introducing World Mission, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 42.
24
James I. Bailey, “Church as Embodiment of Jesus' Mission (Matthew 9:36-10:39),” Currents in Theology
and Mission 30:3 (June 2003): 189.
 Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be
my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This text
is one of those New Testament mandates in today's church that help people think about
evangelism and mission. According to Kuck, when someone in the church wants to talk about
mission, it's a good bet that the book of the Acts of the Apostles will soon come into the
discussion. This seems natural, since Acts is all about the mission expansion of the early church.
25
Acts 1:8 is not just a mandate to evangelize the world but carries with it impetus (power or the
dynamic ability to carry out the mandate though the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit). The
mandate, expressed with a future-tense verb (will be), can be taken as both a command and a
prophetic promise. Luke may well have intended that it be understood in both ways. Not only
does he show the church obediently carrying out this mandate (Acts 2:47; 4:31, 33; 6:4, 7; 8:4;
11:19-20), but he also shows how God intervenes at strategic points to give impetus and
direction for taking the mission across another cultural threshold or into another geographical
region (Acts 8:16-17, 26, 29; 10:9-16, 19-20). God in his grace makes sure the mandate is
completely fulfilled through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion

There is no doubt that world mission is a central theme in the whole bible, while evangelism
is not an initiative of people or an additive of human philosophy to the bible. It is a plan of God
in accordance with His word. Mission or world evangelism is the will of God and this will is
clearly supported in both the Old and New Testament. Consequently from the forgoing Scriptural
Bible texts there should be no doubt that our mandate for world mission comes from the whole
Bible and from it we know that not until the Gospel reaches the ends of the world would the end
come (Mathew 24:14; 28:20; Acts 1:8).

------------------------------------

25
David W. Kuck, “Preaching on Acts for Mission Formation,” Currents in Theology and Mission 31:1
(February 2004): 32.
 Bibliography

Bailey I. James. “Church as Embodiment of Jesus' Mission (Matthew 9:36-10:39),”

Currents in Theology and Mission 30:3 (June 2003): 189-196.
Kuck W. David “Preaching on Acts for Mission Formation,” Currents in Theology and

Mission 31:1 (February 2004): 33-39.

Landon Michael. “The Psalms as Mission,” Retoration Quarterly: 165-175.

Marten A. Elmer. “Impulses to Global Mission in Isaiah,” Direction 35/1 (2006): 59-69.
Moreau A. Scott, Corwin R. Gary, and McGee B. Gary. Introducing World Mission: A

Biblical, Historical, and Practical Survey. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004.

Peters, A Biblical Theology of Missions, Chicago: Moody Bible Institute, 1972.

Robert C. Wetzel, "An Apologetic of Praise," Leaven 1 (summer 1999): 111-138.
Roger E. Hedlund, The Mission of the Church in the World, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991.
Stuart W. McCullough, Introduction to Psalms, vol. 4 of IB; Nashville: Abingdon, 1955.
Winter D. Ralph, and Steven C. Hawthorne, C. Steven. Perspectives on the World

Christian Movement: A Reader, 4th ed. Stott R. W. John. Pasadena, CA: William Carey
Library, 2009.