Missionaries emphasize unreached language groups for three primary reasons, all deeply rooted in their understanding of the Bible and the mission of Christ.
Firstly, they believe Jesus explicitly commands His followers to gather those who belong to Him from every language group. The "Great Commission" in Matthew 28 and Luke 24 calls for making disciples of "all nations" (Greek: panta ta ethne), which is interpreted as all language groups. This understanding traces back to humanity's division by languages at the Tower of Babel in Genesis, with the entire biblical narrative from Genesis 12 seen as God's resolution to gather people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, where the gospel was heard in various languages, is viewed as evidence of God reversing the curse of Babel and ensuring Christ is known globally.
Secondly, for these unreached groups, hearing the name of Jesus is their only hope of salvation. A critical logical chain from Romans 10 states that people cannot call on the Lord if they haven't believed, cannot believe if they haven't heard, and cannot hear without someone preaching, and no one can preach unless sent. Unreached language groups "have no access to the gospel unless we send people," meaning they often lack Christian ministers, Bibles, or media in their language. They "dwell in utter darkness with no light unless we go learn their language and tell them," an effort deemed profoundly worthwhile given that an immortal soul is "worth the life of the Son of God."
Finally, it is considered an "unparalleled honor" to proclaim Christ where He has never been named. Inspired by the Apostle Paul's ambition not to build on another's foundation, missionaries find unique privilege in being the first to introduce the gospel to a people group. This honor involves "seeing the light of the gospel break into a language group for the first time in human history" and hearing the name of Jesus sung by those who previously had no knowledge of Him. God confers this distinct honor not upon angels, but upon "sinful weak people," underscoring the profound significance and privilege of participating in this specific aspect of His redemptive plan.
Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian
Patreon: patreon.com/edi_reformed
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