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NASB | Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 28:18 Jesus came up and said to them, "All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. |
Subject: How do you "share the Gospel?" |
Bible Note: Hi Hank!....Yes I understand your question. Lets consider a few things for purpose of learning, growing and understanding and not just for debate and the need to protect some previously held handed down opinion from someone who embraced something 1200 yrs old from someone who didn't have it all together either. As the father says to his child, "I may not be right but I'm never wrong." I realize that's not the case here, my friend. Lets look and gain and not lose, ok? #1. The commission.... Matthew 4:23 (KJV) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Matthew 9:35 (KJV) And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Matthew 24:14 (KJV) And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Mark 1:14 (KJV) Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, Luke 16:16 (KJV) The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. Notice this verse:..Matthew 28:19 (KJV) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: It says "teach". It doesn't anywhere say 'get people saved'. But teach what? Salvation? The other verses say it is to teach the gospel of the kingdom of God. How can this be when people aren't saved?.. Only the saved will hear. But that's what I'm beginning to see, Hank, only the saved will hear. i.e., those who 'hunger and thirst after righteous, they will be filled" with a 'saving Grace'. With those, when Jesus is explained, they accept the account of what He did. Disciples are to proclaim Christ and let the Holy Ghost do the convicting that leads to one's salvation. Those that don't hear and accept the message bring damnation to themselves. The assumption here, that I see, is that everyone is saved to begin with and don't realize Jesus did it. I liken it to: [assume a man who is blameless in God's sight] If I'm given a million dollars and don't know that I have it I'm broke. If no one ever tells me in my life that I have a million dollars, I will remain broke all my life but in reality [behind the scene] I'm rich though I never knew! If I die, I die a rich man! Now someone comes along and tells me I am rich; I have a million dollars and it's in a certain bank account. Now what do I do? What would you do? Go and investigate or call him a liar? This stranger makes one previso. He's tells me I must claim the million before I die or die without it; a poor man. Now lets see who is being sent [with credibility] to proclaim the "Good News" about Christ and His invitation to follow Him. [The million dollars, if you will] Jesus spoke this to His "disciples"...not new born babes. He made friends out of servants. Friends love God per the 'great commandment'. [Re-read John 15-17 several times. Ponder what Jesus says carefully.] This was my beginning at an understanding of the "pearl of great price" and the "treasure in the field". When I saw it it got up close and real personal. I saw this .... Matthew 11:12 (NASB-U) "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. In other words, one must get angry with himself, his yo-yo Christian walk, and get on with becoming a friend of Jesus; Someone He can trust; Someone desirous of the meat of His word [Himself] and not milk any longer. The Beatitudes, at this point, become the constitution and bylaws because one is now stepping into the kingdom of God and that's what they are in there and it's only in there that they can be made effective. Ok, so we have determined it was disciples He was speaking to and these disciple were His friends; they came through the tough times and now understood the issues and what He came to do. He gives THEM the great commission. After all is said and done he tells disciples to go, tell, teach and make. Acts 2 was very necessary for that was the the receiving of the power to function; To do.. Read Acts 1. Then also 1 Corth 14. |