5.08 - THE GREAT COMMISSION ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

THE GREAT COMMISSION ACCORDING TO MATTHEW The first thirty years of the life of Christ were spent in what might be called a period of preparation. Next came the period of his inauguration and the acknowledgment of his Sonship. For about three and a half years thereafter he was a public character before the world. His teaching and his exposition of the errors of the Pharisees led to his crucifixion, after which he was buried in a borrowed tomb. It was then that his enemies both in hell and on earth had occasion to rejoice; but on the morning of the third day, he burst the bars and came forth triumphant over the powers of the Hadean world. Having called his apostles, he said unto them: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 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." This was the last message ever delivered to mortal man by God’s Son. It is the most important message ever clothed in human language. Upon this commission rests the destiny of the human family. Based upon authority supreme he bade his apostles to "go . . . and teach all nations." The world was groping its way in darkness. The light of Heaven’s truth had not shined upon it, and hence, the necessity of their going to all nations and making known to them the way of life and of giving to them the hope of everlasting life. The religion of the Bible is a thing that man must learn. The Christianity of God’s book is something that is to be taught. Great indeed was the responsibility here imposed. But I ask, upon whom was it placed? I am not expecting the New Deal Administration to carry out this commission. I never think of any human fraternity’s having this obligation. Neither has it ever dawned upon me that any human denomination was obligated to do what Christ here enjoined, for to any of them he had no reference whatsoever, because such denominations were unheard of and undreamed of for the next fifteen hundred years. It was the responsibility of those who were to be first in the church and likewise to those who were to come after them. This was the first commission ever given that included all nations. Up to this time the order was to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The first religion upon the earth was that of a family; the second was national; and the last, under Christ, was world-wide and for all nations. Hence, the command: "Go teach them." That obligation rests, not upon preachers only, but upon all members of the body of our Lord. To the Hebrews, Paul said: "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." When all Christian men and women everywhere study God’s Book so that they may be able to teach others and will so do, the cause of Christ will make such progress as has not characterized it since the days of the pioneers." But Christ said: "Go . . . teach all nations, baptizing them." I put the emphasis on "them" for just a moment, and without having the time to argue, I say without fear of successful contradiction that the "them" refers to the ones already taught. Technically, the antecedent of "them" is in the verb "teach." Go teach all nations, and baptize those whom you have taught. It follows then that innocent babes, untaught heathens, and unfortunate idiots are not subjects of gospel address. It is with this first part of the commission that I am dealing at this hour. Since that Great Commission was given, there have been questions and arguments regarding the importance of baptism. We should remember that the last command that Jesus Christ ever gave was: "Go . . . teach all nations, baptizing them." Occasionally someone says to me: "Hardeman, why don’t you just preach the gospel and say nothing about baptism?" Do you know, friends, that I could not introduce Jesus Christ to the world unless I told of his standing on the banks of the Jordan, when the Spirit of God descended upon him and announced: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"? Were I to leave out the fact of his baptism, I could not designate the time when God first acknowledged him. And were I to omit baptism, I could not repeat his farewell message to mankind Any man who proposes to preach the gospel and who will leave out what Christ said was to be done in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, preaches a mutilated and a perverted gospel. "Go . . . teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." But there are those who admit that while such is obligatory, they tell us that the baptism here mentioned is a Christian duty. Just a word; if baptism is a Christian duty, I want some preacher to explain to me why it is that baptism is the only Christian duty, in all of the Bible, that is to be performed just one time. No man can name a single Christian duty that does not recur and demand repetition. If baptism be one, then why is it that Christ did not say something about its being a peculiar form of Christian duty separate and distinct from all the rest? The fact is, there is not a syllable of truth in any such stuff as that proclaimed by uninspired man. It is but a vain effort, based on prejudice, to evade the truth of God. Let me tell you another thing. Baptism is the only duty in all the Bible specifically commanded to be done in the sublime names of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Does this fact minimize its importance and indicate that it is nonessential? Baptism is the final act by which a penitent believer enters into Jesus Christ and into his death, where he meets the blood that takes away his sins. To one who has faith in Christ, and who has resolved to leave the world and walk with him, baptism is God’s ceremony by which he is married to the bridegroom. Not until this ceremony has been said does he have the right to wear Christ’s name or to hope to share his vast estate. Baptism is, therefore, no part of a Christian’s duty. It is obligatory upon every penitent believer among all nations. There are others who tell us that, while it is true that baptism is a part of the commission, it means Holy Spirit baptism. Much ado is made of this among some modern cults. My friends, if all I do not know were written in a book, it would be a terrible volume. But there are some things that I do know, and one of them is this—viz., the baptism mentioned by Matthew in the commission is not Holy Spirit baptism. If any man will lend his ears for just a moment, I think he will be convinced of that fact. Hear it. In this commission, there are three verbs: "go, teach, baptize." They are all in the imperative mood. Their subject is understood. When supplied, that subject is "you." Hence, you go. You teach. And you baptize. The antecedent of you is the apostles. To whom did Christ give the order "go"? Who was to do the going? You answer, "the apostles." Who was to do the teaching? You answer, "the apostles." Who was to do the baptizing? You answer again, "the apostles." Friends, that does not nearly settle it, but that settles it without the shadow of a doubt Why? Because no man ever lived on this earth who ever did, ever could, or ever will administer Holy Ghost baptism But the baptism of the commission was to be administered by men. And since it was to be administered by man, it could not have been Holy Spirit baptism. Even John the Baptist, filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb, said: “I baptize with water, but he that cometh after me, who is mightier than 1, he it is that shall baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire." Let no man, therefore, pervert the truth of God Almighty, nor give an uncertain sound by saying that the baptism of the commission was Holy Spirit baptism. The very facts as stated preclude such a possibility. Brethren, the salvation of the world depends upon obedience to this commission. The proclamation of it depends upon the church of our Lord. Each of us should ask, What am I doing to that end? Nashville is the Jerusalem of America, and yet there are people in this county who have never heard the gospel of Christ. In our beloved state, there are entire counties to which the truth of God has not been made known. The world can never be converted without the gospel. It is God’s power unto salvation. Let us be neither afraid nor ashamed to emphasize what God has required. I preach faith, repentance, and baptism upon proper confession as the conditions of pardon. Man’s need is the same as in the days of Adam. Sin never changes. The gospel does not change to be in harmony with man’s progressive thoughts. Denominational preachers have ever tried to ridicule the necessity of a man’s being baptized. Many gospel preachers, apparently, have considered the preaching of it as out of date and out of line with modern education. Some will recognize a man as a Christian who never has been baptized. The church needs men who believe the Bible; men who have convictions; and men who will not soft-pedal the gospel of Jesus Christ. Won’t you who have not as yet accept it now?