18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 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.
When Christians hear about, or speak of, the “Great Commission” many understand it to mean that we are to go to all nations and tell the lost about Christ, spread the Good News.
Where do these Christians see that in this passage?
I see where Christ tells us that all power has been given to Him and because of that (therefore), we are to go and teach all nations. The Greek word translated nations is ethnos, or what we would say today, ethnic people groups. But the point I want to bring up is that we are to teach all people groups. The NIV has “make disciples” of all nations. Did Christ say to make believers? Did He say we are to lead them to the Lord? NO! He said to teach all people groups. Are we to teach everybody? NO! Are we to teach the lost? Of course not! Without the Holy Spirit a lost man understands absolutely no spiritual truth whatsoever, he will think it is foolishness (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Are we to baptize everyone? NO! Are we to baptize the lost? Certainly not! Only saved people, Christians, are to be baptized. So it is with teaching - we are to teach Christians of every ethnic group around the world.
And looking at verse 19 using the NIV which says we are to make disciples, let me ask you - are all believers disciples? I don’t believe so. Here is where we get to the meat of the passage. A disciple is a devoted follower of Christ, one who lives the Word, one who studies the Word, one whose life is a constant witness to the power of God and the glory of His Name. I’m sure you know Christians who aren’t disciples, nor am I the disciple I should be.
Are we to tell everyone about Jesus? YES! Are we to witness to the lost? ABSOLUTELY!! (Mark 16:15) Are we to always have ready an answer for the hope that lies within us? Yes, YES and YES! (1 Peter 3:15) Our lives are to be a constant source of Light to a lost and dying world, AND IT IS if we are disciples of Christ. But let us NOT take the Great Commission and turn it into something it is not.
ALL power has been given to Christ and HE will “make believers” of those God has chosen (Ephesians 1:4) - we are to “teach” them and “baptize” them. We are to teach them all things that Christ taught the apostles - nothing more and nothing less. As my pastor has said about the Bible on more than one occasion - “you can’t run ahead of it and you can’t run behind it.”
Arminians have gotten so used to twisting God’s Word that they are no longer sensitive to what they are doing. Let’s get back to the meaning and intent of the Word of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.