So there has been a great deal of ink and time and treasure expended studying missions and mercy and one has to wonder if the time and energy spent studying would have been better utilized in actually witnessing to Christ in the world and might have resulted in the number of Christians being increased. Believe it or not some don’t even like the idea thaat missions should be about increasing numbers of Christians. Time and effort has been expended in trying to figure out what the “mission text” is and the consensus is it is not Matthew 28 and the great commission. There have even been arguments that the Old Testament was not about missions and that the prophets were not interested in anything but the people of Israel. Of course then you have to deal with the Israelite hymn book and psalms like this.
Psalm 117 –
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! 2 For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!
