This commission is as great as the one in Matthew 28, if not greater, given its glorious setting. We learn:
1. All the success of the spiritual mission will be dependent on the power and activity of the Holy Spirit.
2. The certain-to-come kingdom will not be political, nor will it accord with earthly expectations and hopes.
3. The apostles and those who follow them will be witnesses, messengers, preachers, teachers, and baptizers.
The Acts ascension passage comports with Matthew 28 but provides even greater hope: Christ’s authority would be exercised by the Spirit; the ascended Christ would be with them by the Spirit. Paul tells us even more in Ephesians 4: the ascension paved the way for the church’s provision: “he gave gifts to men…the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
The apostles, of course, were already there, but with the giving of the Spirit, they would become new men—gifts!—and, like the church officers that they would ordain, they would bless, rule, and care for the church as under-servants of Christ. The blessing of the Spirit and of the church go together; the commissions are great because they are churchly, not earthly.
Brad Isbell | “The Spiritual Mission” | May 6, 2025
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Brad Isbell
Brad Isbell is a ruling elder at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN, board member of More In The PCA, co-host of the Presbycast podcast, editorial member of Presbyterian Polity, and treasurer of the Heidelberg Reformation Association.
More by Brad Isbell ›
I’m in an Anglican congregation where the Rector is a professor at a Christian University here. He was all out for Christian Nationalism and Theonomy. I’ve even heard him reference Rushdoony. Worse think is the majority of the congregation are college age or just above with an emphasis on cultural influence more than preaching the gospel.
It’s Christian Nationalism and a postmil world. A return to liberalism that leads socialism and communism.
I’d rather have Trump in the Whitehouse more than the other candidates. But I’ll admit. His popularity in America and the world is a bit unsettling. I’m sure there will be a time of peace. But what will it lead too ? Possibly a relaxed society with their heads in the sand.
I heard he passed a bill protecting religions freedoms.
Hey, He’s our Constantine.
I’ve tried to warn those young people. I get why they want an ordered society like I had being from the 50’s.
Good timing for the article.
Hi Victor,
There are federal laws protecting religious freedom but they were passed by Congress years ago. He did issue an executive order, which has some use as it forces, for now, federal agencies and employees to comply with that law.
Theonomy and reconstructionism (I call it the theorecon movement) is a drug. Like weed, it creates the illusion that things are different than they are but 1) it doesn’t actually change things; 2) does a fair bit of damage until the user quits and sobers up. It would be better if the user never started.
Check out the HB resource page on the Therecon movement.
The MAGA debacle with its adulation of Trump as the saviour of America as a Christian nation, would be the epitome of the stupidity and ills of Christian nationalism in my opinion.
Have to agree. There a many levels of error in this thinking, but I suspect what is to come will be increasingly more frightening. The maga move is in its embryonic stage, believe me.