SOME THINGS WE HAVE OVERLOOKED IN THE GREAT COMMISSION

SOME THINGS WE HAVE OVERLOOKED IN THE GREAT COMMISSION

Matthew 28:18-20

The compactness, character, content, classification, and comfort of the great commission mark it out as one of the great miracles of work from the life and ministry of Christ. No one but He could have gathered up so many things in such few words and with such telling effect. No one but He could have foreseen the needs and problems of the Church through the centuries and have provided for every one of them in advance.

1.   The law of conservation is one of the divine qualities of the entire Bible, but it is especially true of those passages which record the words of our blessed Lord. With simplicity of speech, yet breadth of comprehension He could characterize a situation. And such He did in the compactness of the great commission as re­corded in Matthew 28:18-20. In these few words Christ provides all the essentials to constitute a great enduring commission for the Church until He returns. As is sometimes the case, the treasures of this commission do not become apparent until a problem arises which sends one back to examine again the authority for his min­istry. This is true for the order and place of baptism.

2.   The ideal character of the great commission consists in the fact that it is a command that rests firmly upon the person and claim of Christ. Throughout this entire passage it is clearly indicated that Christ is God. The apostles worshipped Him (vs. 17). The claim Christ made no one but God could have made (vs. 18). The content of the commission was conceived in the mind of deity (vss. 19-20). The assured presence of Christ could be true of one who alone is God (vs. 20).

The sovereign command of vss. 19-20 is clearly grounded upon the deity He has demonstrated and the sovereignty with which He is invested. "Therefore" of vs. 19 links the command of vss. 19-20 with that which has preceded. Since Christ is God and has been invested with universal authority, "therefore" the Church should carry out the command. This must be the final court of appeal and the last resort for undergirding this command.

This means then, that knowing what this command teaches, it becomes obligatory upon Christians to carry out this command because the one who uttered it is God, and because He has absolute and supreme authority in all matters pertaining to faith and practice. Any other basis for carrying out this command is lesser in strength and proportion and will ultimately fail.

3. The sweeping content of the great commission is in some respects one of the amazing things about this command. 1. There is the claim to deity and sover­eignty (vs. 18). 2. This is followed by the consequent command (vs. 19). 3. Missionary travel to reach the nations is set forth in the word "go" (vs. 19). 4. Preaching the gospel and winning converts is contained in the words "teach"(KJV) or better, "make disciples" (ASV vs. 19). 5. The adding rite into the Church is expressed by the words, "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (vs. 19). 6. The teaching ministry of the Church for its membership is commanded. "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (vs. 20). 7. The comforting and continuous presence of Christ is assured, "and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (vs. 20).

4. The logical classification and order of the various elements of the command is of the uttermost significance. Three of them deserve attention in this paper: "teach" (vs. 19), "baptizing" (vs. 19), and "teaching them to observe" (vs. 20).

(1)   The first of these, "teach" (KJV), "make disciples" (ASV), comprehends the ministry of evangelism and the winning of men to Christ. There is no doubt about this when compared with the parallel account in Mark 16:15, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature". As a result of receiving this message men are saved. And the seal of this experience is the rite of baptism, which follows in the Matthew account, and is also definitely linked with faith in the Mark account (Mark 16:16).

"Teach" (KJV), "make disciples" (ASV) is a translation of the Greek verb matheteusate (maqhteusate). In this verb Christ is gathering up the entire ministry of the Church through the present dispensation till He comes again. Becoming a disciple of Christ not only involves the heralding of the message of the gospel, but also persuading men to believe it and join themselves to Christ as His pupils and followers. This command makes room for various and sundry methods by which this end will be accomplished, though later further truth was revealed to implement this command.

(2)   The second of these elements, "baptizing", deals specifically with the initiatory rite of induction into the Church. This rite was the one thing that declared publicly to the world that a listener had believed the message of Christ and was determined to identify himself with Christ. For this reason faith and baptism were always linked together, though faith was the saving condition. It is so linked in Mark 16:16. On the day of Pentecost repentance and baptism are joined (Acts 2:38). In all the experiences of the early church this had been true. And in the history of, the Church and the thinking of men these two things have been joined together: faith as the condition of salvation, and baptism as the outward manifestation.

On the day of Pentecost this was the order of events (Acts 2:41). "Then they that gladly received his word" speaks of faith and the experience of salvation. "Were baptized" explains what happened immediately on "the same day". The rite of baptism was administered as the clear evidence that these Jews had believed and were identifying themselves with Christ. "And the same day there were added unto them about, three thousand souls" declares the result in relation to the original group of disciples. The original group was the church. By baptism another three thousand was added. This was followed regularly from that day on. "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47), or better, such as were being saved. The formal and public manifestation of addition to the church was by baptism, which is the part that men performed in adding to the church.

It was most important to notice that out of all things which Christ taught His disciples He mentioned only one thing as a requirement for entrance into the Church. That one thing was baptism. It is true that baptism belongs to the realm of obedience. But it was the necessary obedience of a saved soul to exhibit his new life to the world and especially to the Church to qualify him for membership. No other rite or act of obedience was required. This is significant. Had other things been added, it would have prolonged the time between conversions and entrance into the Church. In fact, it would have seriously endangered the great message of grace which wooed men to Christ. This does not mean that the thinks which Christ commanded were to be in any way depreciated. It only means that these requirements belong during the period of Church membership.

(3) The third of these elements, "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (vs. 20), relates to the practical teaching ministry during the membership of believers. That is where this teaching ministry was placed in the apostolic ministry. It would have been impossible to have done this on the day of Pentecost. In fact, in the very next verse after it is declared that 3000 were added to the Church, it is affirmed, "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and the breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42).

This sort of ministry is for those who have definitely joined themselves to Christ as his disciples. Baptism becomes a deciding factor in separating publicly from the world to the Church. And it prepares the believer for the ministry which will begin and persist through the entire period of his membership. This ministry of teaching is to cause him to know the blessed truths of his salvation. Learning is a long process. Some will learn more readily than others, but no one will ever exhaust the riches that are in Christ. Each succeeding cycle of progress will only cause the horizon of the grace and goodness of the Lord to recede into ever enlarging proportions.

Moreover, it is not to be concluded that this teaching process is merely for the purpose of imparting intellectual truth. All this is to a very practical end, therefore, the text reads, "teaching them to observe". It is the word observes which means to translate knowledge into practice. It is this moral element that prolongs the process. It is far easier to learn truth intellectually than it is to convert what we know into conduct. If all these things had to be incorporated into conduct before one could become a member of the church some would never become members of the church. But the Lord has ordained that these things shall be learned and incorporated into conduct in the warm atmosphere of the church while enjoying its fellowship and mutual helpfulness.

However, a part of the teaching process for those who are members of the church is discipline. This becomes necessary for some who are resisting the truth.

Though it is a distressing thing to administer, it is at the same time a very effective instrument in the hands of the church. Many who will not learn any other way, often respond to this. One sure way to make discipline necessary is to drop the standards for entrance to the church by not requiring trine immersion. If the initiatory rite is not obeyed, the logical groundwork has been laid for setting aside or resisting other things that fall within the area of those which should be learned during church membership.

It thus becomes clear that there is one rite that is required for church mem­bership. That is baptism. To increase the number goes beyond the command of the Lord, initiates a trend which will not logically stop until everything is added, raises the standards so high that no one could ever become a member during his life time, and introduces a tendency that could very easily lead to legalism. On the other hand, to leave "all things whatsoever I have commanded you" to the period of membership where Christ places them, the fellowship, teaching ministry, and mutual assistance of the entire church can be utilized for growth in grace and knowledge.

(4). As was true in Christ’s Day, so today. To ask one to be immersed 3 times was and is an obvious sign to all friends and family members that this believing one now trusts in the God who was radically changing beliefs that were previously thought to be true. You are making a bold statement to all around that you know and follow the one God Who evidences Himself in Three Persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This was and is sure to have ramifications. This is still a radical departure from traditional beliefs and practices of the church and for those who are asked to practice the command as the One with all authority teaches is like pulling hens teeth as the saying goes. And when this one follows with “all things whatsoever I have commanded” such as threefold communion (John 13) you have radically diverted from traditional beliefs and practices. Christ knows the separation this causes in your relations with others in the religious community. You will be treated as a radical as He was. But since love seems to have varied definitions Jesus said in John 14:15 “If you love Me you will keep My commandments.” This is agape level love and is only possible unless one is connected with Christ, it cannot be faked. (John 13:8)

    5. The needed comfort of the great commission for those who take up the responsibility of discharging it is inherent in it. It is strengthening to know that the commission has sovereign authorization (18). The specifications of the commission with their clear order and progress serve to encourage the servant of God (vss. 19-20). The spiritual presence of this sovereign Lord, through sunshine and shadow, all the days, gives one the sense of working together with the Lord (vs. 20b). And the knowledge of His second coming stimulates in this long and arduous task. There will be an end to the task. And it may be tomorrow. When the chief Shepard shall appear, then shall we receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. These things will keep the man of God faithful to the commission, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

3c. As to practical value: it does at least two things.

1d. Objective value: It safeguards the fundamental and saving truths of the gospel.
Since it is a symbol, it symbolizes something; that is, there are great spiritual realities of which it is the symbol.
This rite therefore constantly conserves these truths. Rom. 6:3-6

2d. Subjective value: It safeguards the believer by constantly reminding him of his experience in salvation. If he once knew the truth and how the rite symbolizes it, to recall the baptism of himself or witness the baptism of someone else will serve to remind the believer of his spiritual experiences. 1 Cor. 6:11

4c. As a religious ceremony: It may degenerate into the following.

1d. A meaningless form: a form which is practiced without regard to its value or what it means. This is true among moder­nists. Mark 7:6-8

2d. A meritorious work: a rite that is performed because it is thought that it will buy salvation. This is true of some denominations. Gal. 2:3, 21

3d. A mystical grace: a rite that is performed because it is believed that it communicates or accompanies regeneration.
-John 3:5 and Tit. 3:5 wrongly interpreted are made to support this contention.
Sacramental union between the sign and grace signified (Lutheran)
Sacrament actually confers the grace (Roman Catholic).

5b. The subjects of baptism: provision is made only for the saved.

(infants, the unsaved, and the saved exhaust all the possibilities).

lc. Christ's command makes provision for saved people only. It automatically rules out infants and the unsaved. cf. Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:16

"Go ye therefore and teach all nations" provides for everything involved in evangelizing men, and making disciples of them. cf. Acts 14:21
Since the word teach is the word "make disciples" the commission is just that much clearer and binding. This means that they were evangelized, converted, and brought within the circle of those who are saved.
Thus, absolutely no provision may be found here for infants or the unsaved.

2c. Apostolic practice makes provisions for the saved only. Here again infants and the unsaved are excluded.

ld. Every command was addressed to those who believe. Acts 2:38 cf. 41; 8:12, 13, 36-38; 9:18 cf. 6, 15-17; Acts 16:14-15; Acts 16:33-34 (31); Acts 18:8; Acts 19:4-5

2d. Every household mentioned includes only those who believe.
-Acts 10:33, 44, 47  This group heard and heeded the word of God, which could not have been true of the unsaved or infants.
-Acts 16:14-15  She was away from home and probably never had any infants. And only the saved submitted.
-Acts 16:33-34  There is no mention of infants. All who believed were baptized.
-Acts 18:8  Crispus and his household believed and were baptized, excluding infants.
-1 Cor. 1:16   Stephanus and his household. No mention of unsaved or infants. Mention of Crispus is clear evidence that Paul followed the same policy.

3d. Early church history makes provision for the saved only. And infants and unsaved are excluded. Will deal with the history later.

3c. The Biblical meaning of baptism makes provision for the saved only.

ld. Baptism is a symbol and not a saving ordinance and therefore only for the saved. For it points to the work of triune God in salvation; union with Christ; the actual experience in regeneration.

2d. Baptism is a sign and not a procuring cause, and therefore only for the saved. It is a public testimony, confession, demonstration, dedication (See "As an evidence").
It is perversion and mockery for the unsaved to accept it.

3d. Baptism has practical value in safeguarding the truth, arid therefore only for saved.
It safeguards both the fundamental truths and the believer himself.

4c. The pernicious evils of baptism exclude the saved and include the infants and unsaved.

ld. Including infants and unsaved causes the symbol to degenerate into a meaningless form, or into a meritorious work, or into a mystical grace.

2d. The following evils are then produced in the church.

le. It fills the church with an unregenerate membership.
2e. It immunizes all such against the real truth of their need:
3e. It keeps many out of the true church altogether.
4e. It therefore destroys the real mission of the church.

NOTE 1: Infants up to the age of accountability are saved, in this sense. Since they are not guilty of personal sin, they are held accountable only for Adamic sin. And since that was cared for at the Cross for everyone (Rom. 5:18), there is therefore no need for infant baptism. But since children come to the age of accountability earlier than one may expect, the parent is obligated to lead them to Christ as soon as possible.

NOTE 2: Unsaved, though they are not accountable for Adamic sin, that having been cared for at the Cross, are accountable for personal sin. Baptism will not in any way cover personal sin or relieve the unsaved of the obligation of accepting Christ as personal Savior. It is therefore folly to baptize unsaved people. In fact, it is perilous to him. It devolves upon the Christian first to lead the unsaved to Christ.