Last Sunday, we meditated on The Great Commission of Jesus to the apostles. The closing words of Jesus to the apostles before his ascension are brief, but overflowing with meaning. I want to conclude our study of that Commission this morning. By no means do these brief messages exhaust what is taught or implied in the Great Commission. Here are the remaining words of Jesus’ commission to the apostles.

Mark’s gospel account is the only one that adds this serious consequence to one’s response to the Gospel. "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16.) However, it should be noted that the overall message and purpose of the Gospel is not to condemn but to bless. Jesus said, "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned, but he that believes not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:17-18.)

1) Some mistakenly think that it would be better not to carry the Gospel to the lost. They reason that if they reject it, they will be condemned; but if they never hear it, they will be saved. One is not condemned because he has heard the Gospel, but due to one’s own sins. (Isaiah 59:1-2.) A missionary does not do a disservice to lost people by carrying the Gospel to them. He makes it possible for them to know the way of redemption. A doctor is not the cause of winter flu and sickness; he is the source of help. Suppose someone is drowning at sea and a boat nearby hears their cry for help. Are they doing the person a disservice by throwing a life-line to him? Of course not! Just as Jesus coming to earth did not condemn one lost person, neither does a missionary who carries the good news to a lost nation. What sort of perverted and twisted thinking has brought us to such a position that says, It is best not to teach the lost!? We will be condemning them in the process!!

One’s rejection of the Gospel and Jesus shows the extent of the hardness of heart caused by sin. To reject the gift of God’s Son shows a sickness that will result in eternal death.

2) Some mistakenly think that whatever difficulties they suffer in this life is all the punishment for sin that they will suffer. Nothing could be further from the truth. The rich man had an easy life on earth; it was in eternity that he just began to suffer. The poor man had a very difficult life on earth; but he was blessed in Abraham’s bosom. (Luke 16.)

We should not think that death somehow is the punishment for our sins against God. Death cannot and does not remove any sin. It is one of the penalties for sin, but not the only one. The saint and the sinner alike die physically. The Bible indicates the real problem is the "second death." (Rev. 20:14-15.) "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Being cast into the lake of fire is the second death. God warned Adam and Eve that they would die in the day that they ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They did not physically die that day, though they did begin the process of death. The death they experienced was separation from God. It was a spiritual death---far worse than physical death.

3) Some think that eternal punishment will not be that difficult to endure. But we should note that the Great Commission carries a statement of about punishment for sins. We are told how to avoid such punishment and have sins forgiven. If we reject that and remain in sin we will suffer the consequences. In all laws there must be a penalty for violation. Law without a penalty is a farce. It is a most sobering thought to consider eternal punishment.

The element used to describe that punishment is fire. It is the most destructive and painful sort of element for punishment. The ancient Babylonians executed their criminals by casting them into a fiery furnace. (Daniel 3.) It is styled "everlasting fire." (Matt. 18:8.) It will be a "baptism of fire." (Matt. 3:11.) It is where "the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:44, 46, 48.) Jesus is the One who baptizes people with the Holy Spirit and with fire. (Matt. 3:11.) No one else can administer these baptisms. "The sobering thought of hell keeps millions from going there. This is why the Lord tells us about hell." (Gus Nichols, 265.)

1) Some argue that belief only will save. Jesus did not say, "He that believeth not and is not baptized shall be condemned." (Mark 16:16.) True, but note what he did say. One makes a contradiction out of Jesus’ words if they make a positive statement out of his negative words---he that believeth not shall be condemned. If one believes (only), he shall be saved---this contradicts the first part of his statement where faith and baptism are named.

2) Some seem to think that having obeyed the first principles only will saved you. Baptism can not take the place of growing in faith and developing Christian character. Justification should never be so exalted as to exclude sanctification. "Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." (Heb. 12:14.)

Charles and John Wesley went too far with their doctrine of holiness and sanctification, but they were right in that Luther had left sanctification behind in his emphasis upon justification by faith only. Wesley denied the need for imputed righteousness because he felt the believer should live a holy, sanctified, righteous life. If so, the Christian did not need the righteousness of Jesus imputed to his account.

3) Many think that salvation is obtained on an individual basis mostly through prayer. Becoming a Christian is much like making a life-long commitment in marriage. Without such a commitment, we cannot simply start living together. Dying to sin, confessing his name, being united with him in baptism is essential to salvation. This begins your life together with Christ.

The Great Commission warns about condemnation as well as offering salvation. To receive one is to avoid the other.

We should note some differences between what the Lord commissioned the apostles to do and what our work is today. It is a mistake to think that the commission was given directly to us. Here are some of those differences that I would make:

1) We do not have the miraculous power that the apostles had. Jesus told the apostles to tarry in Jerusalem until they be endued with power from on high. (Luke 24:49.) They were given various powers from the Holy Spirit. (Mark 16:18, Matt. 10:8.) They were given the ability to speak in the various languages of the day in order to communicate the gospel to them. We cannot so speak.

Some mistakenly teach that the same commission given to the apostles apply to us today. Some even practice "tarrying" or waiting on the Holy Spirit to give them power. One religious body (Pentecostals) tries to have a "Pentecost" at every religious service. Such is a vain effort.

Just as the creation was begun by miracle but continued by natural law, so also does recreation. The church began with miraculous deeds, but continues without the miracles. The words preached by the apostles were confirmed with signs. (Mark 16:20.) The Scriptures have already been confirmed; we should not expect the Lord to keep on confirming the Word. It stands for all ages already established by the word of eye-witnesses and confirmed by the miraculous signs which accompanied their preaching.

2) The church does not have just one goal. It is easy as a religious body to fall into the trap of majoring in one activity. Even today in the church, many are heard to say that evangelism is the one purpose and goal of the church. Paul said that he did not shun to declare unto them the whole counsel of God. (Acts 20:27.)

It is so easy to seek to reduce the gospel to one thing or another. The kingdom of God is greater than any one aspect of its existence and work. The individual aspects which make up the whole are significant, but we should not think that any one of these is the singular purpose of the church. For example, think about how important marriage and the home are to our lives as Christians. Even so, this topic alone should not be preached to the exclusion of all the rest. Our message must be Christ-centered! All else flows from that central theme. (1 Cor. 15:1-3, Galatians 6:14-15, 1 Cor. 11:1.)

What about evangelism and the great commission? Some argue that this is the one purpose of all the church. I disagree. It certainly is important, but it alone cannot stand for the whole message. To think that it does would be equivalent to saying that planting the seed by a farmer is the totality of his work. But what about clearing the field and getting it ready for planting? What about caring for the crop as it grows and bears fruit? What about clearing the fields after the harvest and preparing for the next spring? What about making clothes from the cotton harvest or bread from the grain? Someone could just as effectively argue that enjoying the fruit of the crops is the chief purpose of the church. Others might argue that helping the poor is the chief work of the church (by a misapplication of Matthew 25).

In the process of misapplying the Great Commission, we have produced many problems in the local churches. Among them are these: a) We have ignored the fact that teaching is a gift from God. Every member was not given this gift; the church needs all the various gifts to function as body. What if the whole body were an eye?? b) We have failed to edify the Christians who have been added to the body of Christ. c) We have caused many Christians who have other gifts to feel unnecessary guilt about not being evangelists. d) We have ignored the second part of the Great Commission.

The commission includes evangelism and edification. Balancing these two requires effort and understanding of what is involved. See Chadwell’s Jesus’ Two Great Commissions, 1991. There are two great commissions found in Jesus’ words to the apostles. There is only one command---to teach, but there are two different groups under consideration. Here is something significant to consider from Chadwell’s book:

"In not one of the twenty-one epistles of the New Testament is evangelism the theme of the epistle. Not one of the epistles has the primary objective of reminding the congregation/Christian of their/his responsibility to the lost. Every one of the epistles focuses on the internal spiritual needs and problems confronting the church or the Christian individual. Of the New Testament’s twenty-seven books, twenty-two are primarily concerned with securing the salvation of the baptized believer, not with reaching the unbaptized sinner." (Two Commissions, 71.)

This should not be interpreted to mean that we should not seek the lost, but it does mean that the way the Lord intended for that to be done is through the edification or building up of the local body. We will win more and hold onto to more if we grow as Christians and the teaching that Christians need is presented to them. Note this powerful story:

"Once a country seeking to repopulate after a devastating plague urged its people to marry and have large families. In every quarter of society, the importance of marriage and large families for preserving the nation was given great emphasis---it was every citizen’s patriotic duty!

"However, no preparation was made for a baby boom. Adults were given no training on the proper care of newborns. Parental ignorance and unintentional neglect resulted in a catastrophic infant mortality rate. Most surviving children were sick and malnourished.

"Each year that the birth rate rose, the government celebrated and urged its citizens to have more children to compensate for the high mortality rate. Each year that the birth rate fell, vigorous campaigns were conducted to challenge the nation to improve the birth rate.

"No one understood why so many babies died. In time, discouraged adults, weary of dying children, made no effort to have any family.

"Once the restoration church, devastated by grievous spiritual diseases, urged its members to convert more people to preserve the future of the church. . . ." (Two Commissions, 70.)

The book of Hebrews shows what will happen when Christians fail to move beyond first principles. They begin to fall away and to die. For some reason their teachers did not go beyond the elementary studies in the faith. The foundation for the Christian life is not the life itself. It supports it and should always be remembered, but we must go beyond them to sanctification and holiness. If not we will fail in both efforts of teaching the lost and teaching the saved. The local church must be a secure footing before others can safely come on board.

"So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following." (Mark 16:19-20.)

"How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first was spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him, God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?" (Hebrews 2:3-4.)

"Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matt. 18:19-20.)

". . . for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13:5-6.)