Why Missions? – Stilluntold.org

Why serve people in faraway places as a career missionary?

Why should you believe God and sell all that you have to give yourself totally to serve Him?
Why labor in difficult places to bring unreached language groups of people to faith in Christ and equip them to plant thriving churches in other places?

Because God said…

This is the only reason that will stand the test of time and experience.
Hearing God’s word, believing Him, and taking action in accordance with what He has said is the foundation for endurance in serving Him.

God, through His message to people, The Holy Bible, has a lot to say about why.
(On this topic, this page is not anywhere near exhaustive.)

God is Good.
Psalm 119:68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
Exodus 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth…
Psalm 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

God is the Standard.
Mark 10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

God’s Goodness is learned and taught.
Psalm 25:8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

God is worthy of honor.
Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

God’s plan is that all of the peoples and families of the earth should praise Him.
Psalm 22:7 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

God had a plan for us before He created the earth, sun, moon, and stars.
Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

God created us to fulfill His good purposes.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The fear of God is a worthy pursuit.
Proverbs 9:10 KJV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Seeking good is a good thing.
Amos 5:14 KJV Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

God’s earthly Kingdom is coming.
Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

The Kingdom is God’s, (The whole earth and everything in it.)
Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

For us, God’s Kingdom begins now but endures forever.
Psalm 145:13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

God has priorities for us.
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Seeking God’s priorities is better.
Matthew 6:33 KJV But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

There is accountability for what we do with what we have been given.
Luke 12:47-48 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Loving God necessitates that we tell others about Him.
Matthew 22:36 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Loving people requires that we tell them of the God who is our greatest treasure.
Matthew 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

God is able to keep His promises.
Romans 4:21 KJV – 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

God wants us to recognize Him in all our work and know that there is reward in Him.
Colossians 3:23-24 KJV 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

God will repay each person according to what they have done.
Romans 2:6-7 … righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

2 Corinthians 5:10

Your labor is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

You will harvest what you plant, so plant good.
Galatian 6:7-9 KJV 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Favor with God and man.
Proverbs 3:3-6 KJV 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

God pays attention to our investments.
Matthew 25:21 KJV 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

There is a promised crown of life.
James 1:12 KJV 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Good things are coming.
1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

There is return on investment.
Luke 6:38 KJV Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

There is a prize in Christ.
Philippians 3:14 KJV I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

You cannot please God unless you believe Him.
Hebrews 11:6 KJV But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Exaltation is related to humbling.
1 Peter 5:6 KJV 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

God alone is your provider.
Luke 12:21-36 KJV
22And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Treasure on earth can be stored in heaven.
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. (Luke 12:33-36)

Obey God vs. Love the world.
1 John 2:15-17 – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

You will choose a master.
Matthew 6:24 KJV
24No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Worrying doesn’t provide. Trust God.
Matthew 6:25-34 KJV
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

You are valuable to God.
Matthew 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

You have a choice with consequences.
Matthew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

The quality of your work matters.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15
11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

God values every language group.
Psalm 67 esp. vs 2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

Every language group will be among the redeemed of the Church.
Revelation 5:9b for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Faith comes by hearing God’s word.
Romans 10:17 KJV 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

God’s word is heard from messengers.
Romans 10:14 KJV 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Messengers are sent by those who have heard.
Romans 10:15 KJV 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Continued at:

Five Keys to Missions – https://stilluntold.org/keys/