5.07 - THE GREAT COMMISSION AS GIVEN BY MARK

THE GREAT COMMISSION AS GIVEN BY MARK This large audience has enjoyed and duly appreciated the exceeding fine addresses delivered by Brethren Goodpasture and Sanders on "Where to Place the Proper Emphasis." What they have said ought to register with all of us. I want to supplement all that has been said by adding that proper emphasis ought always to be placed upon the last message of Jesus Christ to mortal man when he announced the Great Commission and sent forth his representatives laden with the power of God unto salvation. I am repeating that commission as reported by Mark. Christ said to the apostles: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." The world ought to hear gladly and appreciate fully that upon which the destiny of the human family is depending. There is nothing contradictory in this statement as given by Mark to that given by Matthew. One is simply supplementary to the other. When Matthew said, "teach all nations," he meant the same as Mark when he said, "preach to every creature." Teaching and preaching ought to be characteristic of all efforts put forth from the pulpit. But Matthew did not tell just what to preach, and the world might never have known but for Mark’s insertion of that which was to be proclaimed. Mark said: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." This is more specific than Matthew’s statement: "Teach all nations." Just as long as any man confines himself to the gospel of Christ, he can look to this commission as authority, but when he launches out into fields about which the Bible is silent, he is treading upon dangerous ground. The gospel is God’s power unto salvation. I must not go beyond it, and I must not stop short of it. Nothing can be a substitute for the gospel. Sin is the same as ever and man’s requirements have not changed. The redeeming power of the blood of Christ is the same now as in the generations gone by, and the terms upon which man may receive forgiveness of sin and entertain the hope of everlasting life have never changed since that Great Commission went into effect. Christ laid down the terms of admission into his family when he said: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." In that statement, there are two conditions—viz., faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and baptism into the name of the sacred three. Let me now truly say that whenever salvation is predicated on any terms whatsoever, there may be others implied, but there can never be less. Upon such a statement we rest assured. Out of all the multiplied thousands of men and women everywhere, Christ picked out one class and made a positive declaration: "He shall be saved." But that "he" is limited by a descriptive subordinate clause, and we must find out what kind of a "he" shall be saved. Were there no modifying terms, I could say of any "he" that, to him, Christ promised salvation. But Christ said that a certain "he" shall be saved. Now what he is that? Lord, did you say he that believeth shall be saved? "No." Did you declare that he that is baptized shall be saved’ "No." Well, what did you say about it? Jesus said: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." When a man, therefore, hears the gospel, believes it, and obeys it, he is then standing upon the promise of our Lord who said: `’He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." I cannot imagine how it is that any man can pretend that he misunderstands what the Lord said. I do not want to be unkind, but I seriously doubt if any responsible person can misunderstand what Christ said without expert help from some preacher who tries to pervert the gospel of Christ. Putting what the Lord said in algebraic terms, we would have: "Faith + baptism = salvation." Preachers of the denominations say: "Faith—baptism = salvation." So it is for everyone to decide whether he will stand upon what he knows the Bible says or risk his unfounded chance upon what some preacher says. There is a clear-cut difference between what God says and what man says. Men say: "We are justified by faith only." God says that a man is not justified by faith only. Which do you believe? Let me say further that when both baptism and salvation are mentioned in the same passage, salvation always follows baptism. I submit the following: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." "Repent, and be baptized for the remission of sins." And again: "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins...." I also want to say that, after the commission was given, there is not a case on record where any man ever rejoiced on account of sins forgiven. until after he was baptized. I want some preacher who makes fun of baptism and who seeks to belittle its importance to find that case. And then I want this audience, each to ask himself, "Did I rejoice before I was baptized?" After the eunuch was baptized, "he went on his way rejoicing." After the jailer was baptized he "rejoiced." Well, may we ask why? Because they were standing on the promise of him who said: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." They had met the conditions given by their Lord; they believed and obeyed what he said and they thus had every right and reason to rejoice in the hope of everlasting life. The gospel call is for all men. Won’t you, today, accept its invitation?