Make Disciples

So, wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptise them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit - Matt 28:19.

Introduction

Every person cannot become a Christian but all can become disciples of Jesus. There are twelve official religions in the world. The Catholic Church acknowledges that aspects of divine revelation are found in all these religions. The sincere adherents of these religions following the precepts and teachings of these religions will be saved, provided that they have not gotten an opportunity to know Jesus and to receive water baptism. Baptism by faith is enough for salvation for all human beings. Those who believe in Jesus will receive this kind of baptism even though they do not receive water baptism. All human beings have a right to know Jesus and be saved. Water baptism and membership in the Church are privileges. The Catholic church teaches the salvation of the non-Christians but some of whom are saved through their faith in Jesus Christ. YouCat 199 says, “For all those who have received the Gospel and have heard that Christ is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), Baptism is the only way to God and salvation. At the same time, however, it is true that Christ died for all mankind. Therefore, all men who have had no opportunity to learn about Christ and the faith but seek God sincerely and live according to their conscience also find salvation (the so-called Baptism of desire)”.

Baptism by Faith

Those who believe and are baptized are saved just as the Gospel writer remarks, “The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). They are disciples of Jesus by faith and by the witness of their love for one another. The Gospel of St John at 13:35 through the words of Jesus reads, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Above all, Jesus said, “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So, there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16) for Jesus is the universal pastor.

Baptism with Fire

While they were praying in the upper room they received baptism with fire—Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them—Acts 2:3. The same baptism came upon the people who only believed in Jesus but did not receive water baptism—While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word—Acts 10:44. People received faith baptism while Peter was preaching the Word of God. After receiving this faith baptism, they received baptism with fire even though they did not receive water baptism. This kind of baptism and anointing make humans as disciples of Christ. It is of personal choice whether or not to be a disciple of Christ!

Manifestations of Faith Baptism

All those who believe in Jesus and receive faith baptism will have manifestations as Jesus explains, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:17–18).

Jesus is the Culmination of Divine Revelation

God has been revealed in different ways in the ancient times, as the Scripture reads, “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but…he has spoken to us by a Son” (Heb 1:1-2). It means Jesus is the fulfillment and culmination of all promises and revelation in all religions. Those who believe in Jesus but do not change the religion will have the fulfillment of all promises in that religion as well. Jesus has come to this world to fulfill the laws and regulations of all religions in His body. The imperfections in human life are a block to the fulfillment of promises. Jesus fulfilled all the laws in his body, for he states, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill” (Matt 5:17). That is the reason, those who believe in Jesus will have the fulfillment of the promises given by God in a particular religion.

Benefit of Belief only in Jesus

Those who believe only in Jesus will have the fulfillment of the promises given in all religions though they do not take membership in all these religions. The Bible reiterates that in Jesus all the promises are a “yes”—For in him every one of God’s promises is a “Yes.” For this reason, it is through him that we say the “Amen,” to the glory of God—2 Cor 1:20. Nobody can take membership in all 12 religions but there are good elements and revelations in all 12 religions. Humans should not be deprived of them. At the same time, one cannot take membership in all the 12 religions and be benefitted of all the revelations in them. There is an opportunity for those who believe in Jesus to benefit from all these religions. This is a personal choice.

Jesus is a Substitute for the Suffering Person

God does not give any evil or pain to any people. God is no way directly or indirectly responsible for the evil in this world but God allows it when the devil demands it (Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 311 mentions, “God is in no way, directly or indirectly, the cause of moral evil. He permits it, however, because he respects the freedom of his creatures and, mysteriously, knows how to derive good from it” and Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCCc) 57 says, “God is not in any way - directly or indirectly - the cause of evil. He illuminates the mystery of evil in his Son Jesus Christ who died and rose in order to vanquish that great moral evil, human sin, which is at the root of all other evils”). When a person believes in Jesus, this evil and pain can be shifted to the body of Jesus. The Catechism (CCC) teaches that all deprivations like poverty, physical illness, mental sickness and others are not from God. But seeing the suffering of humans Jesus has compassion for them. Out of his compassion he took their infirmities and deprivations into his body and saved them. According to CCC 2448:

“In its various forms—material deprivation, unjust oppression, physical and psychological illness and death—human misery is the obvious sign of the inherited condition of frailty and need for salvation in which man finds himself as a consequence of original sin. This misery elicited the compassion of Christ the Savior, who willingly took it upon himself and identified himself with the least of his brethren. Hence, those who are oppressed by poverty are the object of a preferential love on the part of the Church which, since her origin and in spite of the failings of many of her members, has not ceased to work for their relief, defense, and liberation through numerous works of charity which remain indispensable always and everywhere.”

Conclusion

Jesus asked his disciples to go around the world and proclaim the above-mentioned Good News and make them his disciples so that they will be benefitted. Why should humanity suffer when there is a possibility to get rid of it? For a while even disciples of Jesus or even Christians might be afflicted with various problems, sickness, sufferings etc. At that time, they should not give up their faith in Jesus but configure their days of suffering with the suffering Christ, and with that they are crucified with Jesus. Those who are crucified with him will have the share of his resurrection —But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed—1 Pet 4:13. So the Holy Bible in 1 Peter 5:10 comforts with,  “And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you.” All the sufferings will be redemptive as the Catholic church exhorts those who believe in Jesus to configure the days of suffering with him as quoted in CCC 1505, “Moved by so much suffering Christ not only allows himself to be touched by the sick, but he makes their miseries his own”. There are six benefits through this redemptive suffering in our life (Ref: Rhema in Logos pg 25). Let us make disciples of Jesus everywhere in the world without changing one’s own religion and make everybody’s life comfortable through their faith in Jesus.