Post by ambassador on Dec 21, 2009 22:32:49 GMT -5
Should We Be Following the “Great Commission?”
For ever so long, I was confused about the Great Commission that Jesus gave His disciples. I could never understand why some Christian denominations would follow Matthew 28, others following some parts of Mark 16 (no one today follows every single verse of this passage). Still others choosing Luke 24, and one particular group following the instructions in John 20:22-23. Typical “hopscotch theology,” using verses they like and ignoring those they hate. There are so many variations among the so-called “Christian churches.” God is not the author of confusion; man is!
My friend, are you also confused; would you like to read God’s Truth, without the traditions of men clouding the clarity of the Scriptures? Setting aside my opinion, your opinion, and every other opinion, we let the Word of God speak for itself. I sincerely hope that you get a firm understanding of God’s Word, and see that God’s Word is such a thrill when it makes sense!
The Bible says in Romans 15:8 KJV, “Now then I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision, for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:” Clearly, the earthly ministry of Christ was to Jews ONLY—the Gentiles had no covenant promises from God. Whatever Jesus is saying in this Great Commission, He is directing it to Jews. In fact, He is addressing His 12 apostles, whom He had sent EXCLUSIVELY to Israel to preach the “Gospel of the Kingdom” (Matthew 10:1-10; compare Luke 22:35).
We look at the Great Commission as presented in each of the Four Gospels, and examine them separately.
MATTHEW 28:18-20 KJV
“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.”
There are many people who are supposedly following these instructions, but are they? Again, this was spoken to Israel’s twelve apostles. The “ye” of verse 19 is ISRAEL (compare Numbers 23:9; Hebrews 8:11; Romans 11:26). When Christ would set up His Kingdom on earth, Israel would be saved, and Israel would minister to Gentiles; Jews would not minister to fellow Jews. If we followed Matthew 28:18-20 today, we could not preach to Jews, only to Gentiles. When Jesus says in verse 20 to “teach them… whatsoever I have commanded you,” He is telling His disciples to teach Law, the Mosaic Law (see Matthew 5:17-19). Paul writes today, in the Dispensation of Grace, we are NOT under Law, but rather under Grace (Romans 6:14-15). How can we follow Matthew 28, when Paul our apostle was not even following it? God is doing something different today with us as members of the Church, the Body of Christ. That is why those verses do not work today, and neither do the other passages we examine now.
MARK 16:15-20 KJV
“15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”
This passage can be quite controversial. Some groups only use verses 15 and 16; others want the “speaking with new tongues” and “casting out devils.” Picking up serpents is pretty popular in some churches, but not one group wants the rest of the verse: drinking the deadly poison! Healing miracle campaigns are quite prominent today, but all of it is nonsense. So, what do we do with Mark 16? Analyze the verses carefully, which is what people refuse to do.
The Old Testament foretold of a coming seven-year Tribulation. A time of great wrath, God’s judgment on unbelieving man and the Nation Israel. There would be diseases, pestilences, and famines. John the Baptist prophesied this seven years as “the wrath to come” (Luke 3:7) and “the fire baptism” (Matthew 3:11). In order for Israel to survive the horrors of the Tribulation, they would need these miracles mentioned in Mark 16:15-20. Clearly, these signs and wonders are absent from the Body of Christ; even Paul lost his apostolic ability to heal the sick and cast out demons. See, again, God is doing something different today with us, apart from “time past.”
LUKE 24:46-49 KJV
“46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
This is clearly a prophetic reference to the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. Peter preached to the Jews assembled in Jerusalem, “repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:36-38). If we look at Acts 1:7-8—an expansion of the Great Commission given in each of the Four Gospels—Jesus said these Jewish apostles had to start in Jerusalem, then go to Judaea, next minister Samaria, and finally the Gentiles. We cannot follow this Great Commission; we cannot steal instructions given to Israel. In order to follow the Great Commission, the Bible says we would have to start IN JERUSALEM! People are not doing that today.
JOHN 20:22-23 KJV
“22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”
The Church of Rome justifies their sacrament of confession by using verse 23. However, these are clear instructions given to the Eleven’s apostolic authority headed up by Peter (Matthew 16:16-18). We are separate from Israel. Paul is “the apostle of the Gentiles,” and Paul never mentions anything like verse 23 in his epistles.
________________________________________________________________________
Clearly, the Great Commission was not given to us. We are not Israel; we are the Church, the Body of Christ. We are in a separate dispensation, the Dispensation of Grace. Our Great Commission as Gentiles in the Body of Christ is found in Paul’s epistles, to be more specific, 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 KJV.
“14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
For ever so long, I was confused about the Great Commission that Jesus gave His disciples. I could never understand why some Christian denominations would follow Matthew 28, others following some parts of Mark 16 (no one today follows every single verse of this passage). Still others choosing Luke 24, and one particular group following the instructions in John 20:22-23. Typical “hopscotch theology,” using verses they like and ignoring those they hate. There are so many variations among the so-called “Christian churches.” God is not the author of confusion; man is!
My friend, are you also confused; would you like to read God’s Truth, without the traditions of men clouding the clarity of the Scriptures? Setting aside my opinion, your opinion, and every other opinion, we let the Word of God speak for itself. I sincerely hope that you get a firm understanding of God’s Word, and see that God’s Word is such a thrill when it makes sense!
The Bible says in Romans 15:8 KJV, “Now then I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision, for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:” Clearly, the earthly ministry of Christ was to Jews ONLY—the Gentiles had no covenant promises from God. Whatever Jesus is saying in this Great Commission, He is directing it to Jews. In fact, He is addressing His 12 apostles, whom He had sent EXCLUSIVELY to Israel to preach the “Gospel of the Kingdom” (Matthew 10:1-10; compare Luke 22:35).
We look at the Great Commission as presented in each of the Four Gospels, and examine them separately.
MATTHEW 28:18-20 KJV
“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.”
There are many people who are supposedly following these instructions, but are they? Again, this was spoken to Israel’s twelve apostles. The “ye” of verse 19 is ISRAEL (compare Numbers 23:9; Hebrews 8:11; Romans 11:26). When Christ would set up His Kingdom on earth, Israel would be saved, and Israel would minister to Gentiles; Jews would not minister to fellow Jews. If we followed Matthew 28:18-20 today, we could not preach to Jews, only to Gentiles. When Jesus says in verse 20 to “teach them… whatsoever I have commanded you,” He is telling His disciples to teach Law, the Mosaic Law (see Matthew 5:17-19). Paul writes today, in the Dispensation of Grace, we are NOT under Law, but rather under Grace (Romans 6:14-15). How can we follow Matthew 28, when Paul our apostle was not even following it? God is doing something different today with us as members of the Church, the Body of Christ. That is why those verses do not work today, and neither do the other passages we examine now.
MARK 16:15-20 KJV
“15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”
This passage can be quite controversial. Some groups only use verses 15 and 16; others want the “speaking with new tongues” and “casting out devils.” Picking up serpents is pretty popular in some churches, but not one group wants the rest of the verse: drinking the deadly poison! Healing miracle campaigns are quite prominent today, but all of it is nonsense. So, what do we do with Mark 16? Analyze the verses carefully, which is what people refuse to do.
The Old Testament foretold of a coming seven-year Tribulation. A time of great wrath, God’s judgment on unbelieving man and the Nation Israel. There would be diseases, pestilences, and famines. John the Baptist prophesied this seven years as “the wrath to come” (Luke 3:7) and “the fire baptism” (Matthew 3:11). In order for Israel to survive the horrors of the Tribulation, they would need these miracles mentioned in Mark 16:15-20. Clearly, these signs and wonders are absent from the Body of Christ; even Paul lost his apostolic ability to heal the sick and cast out demons. See, again, God is doing something different today with us, apart from “time past.”
LUKE 24:46-49 KJV
“46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
This is clearly a prophetic reference to the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. Peter preached to the Jews assembled in Jerusalem, “repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:36-38). If we look at Acts 1:7-8—an expansion of the Great Commission given in each of the Four Gospels—Jesus said these Jewish apostles had to start in Jerusalem, then go to Judaea, next minister Samaria, and finally the Gentiles. We cannot follow this Great Commission; we cannot steal instructions given to Israel. In order to follow the Great Commission, the Bible says we would have to start IN JERUSALEM! People are not doing that today.
JOHN 20:22-23 KJV
“22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”
The Church of Rome justifies their sacrament of confession by using verse 23. However, these are clear instructions given to the Eleven’s apostolic authority headed up by Peter (Matthew 16:16-18). We are separate from Israel. Paul is “the apostle of the Gentiles,” and Paul never mentions anything like verse 23 in his epistles.
________________________________________________________________________
Clearly, the Great Commission was not given to us. We are not Israel; we are the Church, the Body of Christ. We are in a separate dispensation, the Dispensation of Grace. Our Great Commission as Gentiles in the Body of Christ is found in Paul’s epistles, to be more specific, 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 KJV.
“14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”