>> So, in other words, you don’t believe that Matt. 28:18 is true today, nor that the Church is called to follow Christ’s command in vv. 19 & 20. Is that it?<<
Yet another attempt at deceit. Of course “the Church” is called to follow Christ. No one said otherwise. Christians are not “of this world” if they truly accept Jesus as their only Savior. Jesus is not the God of the unsaved, He allows them to be influenced by the “god of this world”. Only after Jesus returns to this earth will He be the earthly King. You make the same mistake as the Jews of Jesus day in thinking that He is the King of this earth today.
IMO, this is the #1 mistake of the dispensationalist.
Christ is King TODAY on this earth and in heaven. The resurrection proved that fact to all those with eyes to see.
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." -- Colossians 1:16-17"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Christ is King over ALL THINGS.
I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." -- 1 Timothy 6:12-16"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Those are our marching orders. Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords TODAY, "on earth as it is in heaven," now and always.
To ignore that fact simply hands over God's creation to those who deny Him.
Not at all.
Of course “the Church” is called to follow Christ.
Follow Him in what respect? Matthew 28 says the following:
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 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, 20 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." Amen.The command to the Church is to go and do something. Do what? Disciple all the nations. Some nations? No, all nations. To what end? Baptizing and teaching them to observe all I commanded you.
The mission of the Church is to bring the gospel to all the nations in this age. Christ promises success because 1) He has been given all authority, and 2) it is by the power of the Holy Spirit, not mere human effort, that the work is ultimately accomplished.
Futurists don't believe success before Christ's return is an inevitability or even a possibility because they teach that Satan is in change.
You make the same mistake as the Jews of Jesus day in thinking that He is the King of this earth today.
What unmitigated nonsense. First of all it is the futurists who still insist on an earthly King. They are the ones espousing the same false ideas as the apostate Jews of Jesus' day.
Secondly, non-premils have no teaching of Christ reigning on the earth in a carnal kingdom. We do teach that He is reigning now from the throne of David, but it is a spiritual/heavenly reign, not carnal. This is taught in many places in the NT.
But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Matt. 12:28; cf. Luke 11:20)Now the futurists and the apostate Jews deny that last statement since they both predict a time when one will be able to say “here is the kingdom.” In their worldview, they see Jesus sitting on a carnal throne in carnal Jerusalem ruling over immortal as well as mortal men, both regenerate and non-regenerate.Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. (Matt. 21:43)
Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, " The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:20,21)
The futurists are much like the Pharisees looking for the literal kingdom of Messiah on earth. The true reign of Jesus today is not enough for them.
Surely even you can see this radical distinction between the teaching of Jesus and His disciples and the teaching of the prophecy pimps with their carnal kingdom on earth.