If, therefore, God desires every knee to bow to Jesus and every tongue
to confess him, so should we. We should be ‘jealous’ (as Scripture
sometimes puts it) for the honour of his name - troubled when it
remains unknown, hurt when it is ignored, indignant when it is
blasphemed, and all the time anxious and determined that it shall be
given the honour and glory which is due to it.
The highest of all missionary motives is neither obedience to the
Great Commission (important as that is), nor love for sinners who are
alienated and perishing (strong as that incentive is, especially when
we contemplate the wrath of God), but rather zeal - burning and
passionate zeal - for the glory of Jesus Christ.
Some evangelism, to be sure, is no better than a thinly disguised form
of imperialism, whenever our real ambition is for the honour of the
nation, church, organization, or ourselves. Only one imperialism is
Christian, however, and that is concern for His Imperial Majesty Jesus
Christ, and for the glory of his empire or kingdom.
John Stott
