The Giving of the Great Commission

The Ever Present Savior and the Giving of the Great Commission

Jesus promised to be with His disciples forever {i.e. until the resurrection and judgment}. The giving of the Great Commission was the prelude to the establishment of the church of Christ on Pentecost some 50 days after Jesus arose from the dead and ascended back to the Father.

There are three references to the final instructions of Jesus to His Disciples; I will list them …

Matthew 28:18-20

18 And Jesus came and spoke 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 always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (KJV)

Mark 16:15-16 – 15 and he said unto them, Go ye into the entire 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 (KJV)

Luke 24:46-48 – 46 and said unto them, thus it  is written, and thus it behooved 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. (KJV)

Jesus informed His disciples of the commission they had from Him then He told them to wait in Jerusalem until the promise of the Holy Spirit’s coming had occurred – cf… John 14:16-17-16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter , that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.(KJV)

John 14:26 – But the Comforter , which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (KJV)

John 15:26-27 – 26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

Luke 24:49 – 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. (KJV)

From these passages of Scripture we may conclude that the church of Christ did not begin before these events has passed. Indeed, during the lifetime of the Lord on the earth in physical form the church did not exist. Therefore those who suggest that it did are mistaken and may be classified as false teachers.

According to these facts; so presented here by glc it is apparent that the church had its beginning according to Acts 2:1-47. In this reading one will observe that the promise of the Holy Spirit {i.e. the Comforter’s coming} is fulfilled. Not only that but in Acts 2 we find that the first members of the church of Christ numbered about 3,000 – cf. Acts 2:37-40.

There is never before Acts 2:47 any reference to the how one becomes a member of the church of Christ {i.e. the Body of Christ – 1 Cor. 12:27 – Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (KJV)

Ephesians 4:11-13 – 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

Consider This:

BUT; in Acts 2:47 we find that the Lord adds the saved ones to the church as they are being saved; the Bible does not teach that members are elected into the congregation by vote of the elders, bishops, deacons, preachers, or anyone else but they must first meet the instructions of the Lord  – cf. Hebrew 5:8-9); before the Lord adds them.

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Three Great Things About Forgiveness

In the Bible the term “forgiveness” means “pardon; remission; deliverance, liberty, freedom.”  But what is one who is forgiven free (or pardoned) from?  The bondage of sin (Jn. 8:34; Rom. 6:16-23).  Sinners are enemies of God (Jas. 4:4); condemned to eternal punishment (Jn. 5:28-29; Matt. 25:46).  Wow, that sounds rather gloomy, doesn’t it?  Well, it’s that serious; but there is hope if you are interested.  You see God had a plan to save the sinner (Tit. 1:2), and that plan involves two key things: (1) His providing salvation for the sinner (Rom. 5:6-8) and (2) the sinner’s acceptance of that salvation (Mk. 16:16). God did His part, now we must do ours, or we cannot be saved (2 Thess. 1:8-10).  So, if you haven’t done so already, why not repent of your sins and obey the gospel today?  If you will do that you will be forgiven, and there is no sweeter thought than that.  In fact, I believe there are at least three great things about forgiveness that are worthy to consider:

First of all, those who were formerly guilty are now justified.  Sinners are spiritual convicts (like a felon) and are worthy of whatever punishment the Judge of heaven and earth pronounces.  However, if one will repent and obey, God will exonerate them (cf. 1 Cor. 6:9-11). Secondly, past transgressions are forgotten.

Sometimes we hear a disgruntled person say, “I’ll forgive, but I’ll never forget” (meaning they won’t let it go).  Well then, that’s not forgiveness.  Thankfully God is not like that.  When He forgives, He remembers those sins no more (Heb. 8:12). Third, those who were enemies of God are now at peace with Him.  Sin separates us from God (Isa. 59: 1-2), thus making us His enemies (Jas. 4:4).  Yet all who will repent and obey He will forgive; and such a one will enter a peaceful relationship with Him (Rom.   5:1-2; Col. 1:21).

Therefore, we implore you: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” (Acts 2:38).

 

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Having an Answer (Part 2)

All of the following are important questions. Would you be able to provide an accurate, scriptural answer?

1. How did the world begin? How did I (mankind) begin? Genesis 1:1–2:4; Nehemiah 9:6; Job 33:4; Psalm 100:1–3; Isaiah 45:12; Colossians 1:15–17; Hebrews 1:1–2

2. Who is God? Exodus 3:13–15; Numbers 23:19; Nehemiah 9:6; Isaiah 43:10–11; 45:5, 12, 22; 66:1-2; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 28:19; John 17:20–21; I Corinthians 8:6; I John 5:7

3.Why am I here? Ecclesiastes 12:13

4. What does He (God) expect of me? Micah 6:8; Matthew 22:36–40

5. How can I know that God exists? Psalm 19:1–4; Acts 14:14–17; 17:22–31; Romans 1:20; Hebrews 1:1–2

6. Does God love me? Psalm 36:7; John 3:16; Romans 5:6–11; I John 3:16; 4:7–12, 16–19

7. How can I have a close relationship with God? John 14:6–7; Romans 10:17; Galatians 3:26–29; 4:1–7; Ephesians 2:13–19

8. What is sin? Romans 6:22–23; James 1:13–15; I John 2:15–16; 5:17

9. Why did Jesus come to earth? Why did he have to die? Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53:1–10; Matthew 5:17–18; 20:28; Luke 5:32; 19:9–10; John 6:38; 8:28; 9:4; 10:10–11; 12:32–33; 17:4; 18:36–37; Colossians 1:12–14; I Timothy 1:15; Hebrews 1:3; 9:28; I Peter 3:18; I John 3:8; 4:9–10

10. What can I do about sin in my life? How can I be saved? Acts 2:37–38; 8:26–39; 17:30; 22:12–16; Romans 10:9–10; II Corinthians 7:9–10; I John 1:7–9; 5:1–5

11. Do I need to become a member of the church? Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:41, 47; Ephesians 5:23–30; Colossians 1:24; I Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 10:23–25

12. Is there more than one church? Romans 12:4–5; I Corinthians 10:16–17; 12:12–13, 20, 25–27; Ephesians 1:20–23; 4:4–6; Colossians 1:18

13. What happens after death? Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matthew 25:32–45; John 5:28–29; Acts 17:31; Hebrews 9:27; I Peter 4:5

14. Will Jesus return again? Matthew 25:31; Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:13–17; II Thessalonians 1:7–10; Hebrews 9:28

15. Is there a heaven and a hell? Psalm 16:11; Isaiah 49:10; Daniel 12:2–3; Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:10; 21:1–4, 8; 22:14–15

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Having an Answer (Part 1)

A teacher stands in front of her classroom of students. She begins to review some of the previous day’s homework that she assigned her students to study and complete. She asks: “Can someone give me the answer for question #1?” She then adds with a smile: “Remember to raise your hands if you have the answer.” The response is mixed. Some of her students almost literally jump out of their seats as their hands shoot skyward. With great enthusiasm they chime in: “I know it, I know it! Pick me, teacher! Pick me!” These students had obviously “done their homework” and were confident and happy to provide an answer. This is their time to shine!

Not all of the students, however, are part of this enthusiastic chorus of confident responders. Some do not raise their hands or they turn their faces away from the teacher. A few even try to scrunch down in their seats hoping they will not be noticed. Some are naturally shy but many in this group are made up of those who did not finish their assigned work. For all sorts of reasons (ballgames, T.V., “my dog ate my homework”), they are unprepared to take part in the day’s discussion. They do not want to face the embarrassment of giving an incorrect response to a question or no answer at all. They wish they were anyplace but here! This is their time to hide!

All of us have gone through an experience like this sometime in our lives. Do you remember what it felt like when you were confident and prepared to give an answer? How did you feel when you were in the opposite situation? How did it feel to be unprepared? We understand how important it is to be prepared to offer an answer to questions regarding our secular studies in the classroom. Yet, as we go through our everyday life, are we as well prepared to provide an explanation for our Christian faith and to give answers from the holy scriptures that are supposed to be our daily, ever-present guide?

In I Peter 3:15, the apostle Peter exhorts us to be ready whenever we are questioned concerning our faith and hope in Christ. He tells us:

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;…” [NKJV]

We are told in this scripture that we must be prepared to provide a “defense” (KJV: “answer”) for our Christian belief and conduct. This word “defense” is translated from the Greek term Apologia which means: “a plea (“apology”): – answer (for self), clearing of self, defence.” (1)

As Christians, we are expected to have the ability to explain our faith and discuss why God is so important to our everyday lives. The question is: Are we ready, when the opportunity presents itself, to offer a good, clear, scripturally-based explanation? Let us make the most of the opportunities that are given to us whether it is at home with our family, at the work-place with our co-workers, employees, or superiors, at school, or even among our brethren at worship services. We need to study the Bible to know the answers (II Timothy 2:15). And if we don’t know the answer to a particular question, we can always study it together with the person asking the question or point them to someone else who can provide them with an accurate response.

(1) James Strong, A Concise Dictionary Of The Words In The Greek Testament, in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1990), 14. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Public Education

Public Education: Time To Pull Them Out

Not many weeks pass without me asking my children a question that I have been asking them since they could talk: “What is your number one goal in life?” Their response is always, “To get to heaven.” I suspect most Christian families are instilling a similar goal. But what happens when something threatens that number one goal? What happens when our children face an obstacle that could hinder their journey toward heaven? Are we willing to stand up and fight for our families, oftentimes swimming upstream against the current? Or do we simply follow blindly the masses, and “hope” our children turn out alright?

The topic of schools and educating our children is one that often causes emotions to run high. Almost every congregation has faithful Christians who have dedicated their lives and do a tremendous job educating children. Additionally, many people feel a strong allegiance to their alma mater. Others are old enough to remember that a good education used to be reserved only for the privileged. In fact, there are still many countries of the world in which the majority of citizens are denied a public education. Truly, public education is one of the greatest concepts and achievements this country has developed.

But make no mistake about it; ungodly people have hijacked the public education system. Blackboards once covered with chalk have been thrown out and replaced with white dry-erase boards, and with that replacement, values like integrity, honesty, hard working, and reverence towards God were also thrown out. Children no longer learn how to learn. Most are not encouraged to think critically. In many instances, students are filled with trivial facts and expected to regurgitate them on a standardized test. This is not education, but instead a mentally bankrupt form of indoctrination. Rather than focusing on training young people to be upstanding citizens who have common sense and can learn from books, we are creating generations of students whose level of success is based purely on standardized tests. We are spending more on public education, and yet literacy levels continue to decline. Textbooks continue to recycle mindless rubbish—much of which purposefully teaches humanism or contains evolutionary arguments known to be false, such as Haeckls embryos or the peppered moths. Add to this that many pitiable parents are using the public school system merely as a baby-sitter for their undisciplined children and you end up with the perfect recipe for failure.

In 1983, the federal government released a scathing report of our educational system titled “A Nation at Risk” (http://www.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/risk.html). This exhaustive study noted:

Our Nation is at risk…. If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war. As it stands, we have allowed this to happen to ourselves (emp. added).

 

In his book The Philosophy of Christian Curriculum, John Rousas observed, “At present, the state schools are an establishment of humanism. They teach and propagate a philosophy of life which does more than omit Christianity: it is radically at war with biblical religion.” Samuel Blumenfeld wrote a book titled N. E. A.: Trojan Horse in American Education in which he declared: “The NEA has remained remarkably faithful to the Humanist Manifesto since 1933. For all practical purposes, the public school has become the parochial school for secular humanism.” An honest person would be hard pressed not to see the problems with our current public school system.

But should we really pull our children out? Since for years public schools have been “center stage” in the American home, many have forgotten that education is simply a tool. Should this tool be allowed to subvert our children’s faith? Ultimately, what is more important: a piece of parchment that will not matter in 200 years, or spending an eternity in the presence of the Creator? That is not to say children should not be educated. But maybe the time has come to question how our children are educated. Placing our children in public schools may appear “normal” because the vast majority of Americans are doing it. However, we must consider the cost! It may be financially free, but it can bankrupt your children spiritually. Isn’t it time we rethink what is “normal?”

Several leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention have proposed a resolution that asks members of that denomination “to remove their children from the government schools and see to it that they receive a thoroughly Christian education, for the glory of God…” They have asked Baptist churches to develop an exit strategy from the public schools that will give particular attention to the needs of orphans, single parents, and the disadvantaged. Their ultimate goal is to pull their children out! They recognize that government schools are undermining the faith of their students.

What is your number one goal for your children and grandchildren? Are you ready to take action to see that goal come true? Even if it means pulling them out?

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