Articles
Reproduction
“Be fruitful and multiply.”
With these words, God instructed Adam and Eve to populate the earth. God has given a similar command to produce spiritual offspring through discipleship. Think about that with me for a bit.
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:27-28).
Isn’t it interesting that God’s first words were not “Learn,” “Work,” “Enjoy,” or even, “Worship.” He simply commanded them to do one thing – reproduce! Adam and Eve were to start a baby boom that would fill the earth with sons and daughters bearing God’s image.
But God’s ultimate plan for reproduction is in the spiritual realm. Open the pages of the first book in the New Testament and we see Jesus calling His first disciples (Matt. 4:18-19). Multiplication was the intent of Jesus from the beginning. That was true in general creation and true in spiritual creation. Jesus wanted to reproduce His life in His disciples, then train them to catch others…who would in turn reproduce themselves spiritually in the lives of others…who would then begin reproducing more disciples.
The same emphasis is found in the Lord’s Great Commission. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
There is essentially only one command in all these words. That is, to make disciples. Jesus’ command echoed that of His voice in creation, only this time the emphasis is on spiritual reproduction. “Be fruitful, multiply, and let the process continue until the whole earth is filled–with disciples!”
Our mission as Christians is not simply to tell others about Christ and then pack our bags and go home. We are to help lead others to the Savior and nurture them to maturity so that they will in turn multiply into more disciples through the same process.
The whole of Acts describes the fruitful ministry of Christ’s disciples. A discipleship boom began on the day of Pentecost, and the number of new disciples continued to multiply.
Will we do the same today?
