Newcomers to this website might notice the many articles about various Biblical principles and wonder if they are really necessary. They may think that the Church should focus on the main doctrines of salvation and downplay the other truths that stand in the way of union or cooperation with other churches.
In reply to this concern, we should look briefly at the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. Many Christians today think of it as little more than a call to spread the gospel. The Lord Jesus certainly commands world-wide evangelism, but as we shall see, He requires much more than this.
In the Great Commission, Christ declares, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising 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. Amen.” Here, Christ requires several things.
First, Christ commands, “Teach all nations,” or as the original Greek literally says, “Disciple all the nations.” This is done, as Christ says in Mark 16:15, by going into all the world and preaching the gospel to every creature. It should be noticed that Christ does not simply command that His Church evangelise individuals, but also entire nations. That is, nations and their governments must be brought under Christ’s dominion. The Father has promised this universal dominion to His Son in the eternal Covenant of Grace (Ps 2:8). He has repeatedly assured the Church that all nations will one day embrace the gospel.
In Psalm 22:27, the Lord promises, “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee.” In Isaiah 60:22, He says: “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.” He anticipates the surprise that many people will have when this happens, by saying, “Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children” (Isa 66:8). Therefore, the Great Commission harmonises perfectly with all the prophecies of the Old Testament.
However, the verses quoted above do not necessarily mean that one day, every individual in every nation will sincerely believe in Christ. Rather, they mean that such a great number of people in every part of the world will profess to believe in Christ, that the governments themselves will profess subjection to Christ (see Psalm 138:4,5). Nonetheless, we can understand why the disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy after their Master ascended into heaven. They had been given a great task. Humanly speaking, it was as impossible for them to fulfil it as the man with a withered hand could stretch out his hand (Mark 3:1-5). Yet Christ had assured them that the whole might of Godhead – all power in heaven and in earth – was behind them, and therefore they knew that the Church would certainly accomplish all that her Head required of her.
Further, the Lord requires that His Church “go into” all the world. This means she must send forth divinely called ministers of the gospel to all parts of the world, as the Lord in providence offers opportunity. A church that confines herself to preaching the gospel in one part of the world, and contents herself with sending sound literature into the other parts of the world, is not fulfilling the Great Commission. Sometimes, of course, this will be all the Church can do. But the Church will always desire and pray for opportunities to send ministers to other places to preach the whole counsel of God. Like her Master, the Church will be saying, “I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent” (Luke 4:43).
Second, Christ requires that ministers baptise those who have heard the gospel and profess their belief in Christ: “. . . baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” In their baptism by ordained ministers, they are formally and solemnly admitted into the visible Church.
Third, the Great Commission does not end with preaching the gospel and baptising those who have received it. Christ immediately goes on to command that the baptised be taught “all things whatsoever” He has commanded. This means that they must be taught every doctrine and precept in the Word of God. But if the Church does not, for example, teach what the Bible says about Sabbath keeping, head coverings in public worship, the sinfulness of worldly entertainments, and modesty and distinction of dress, then she is not obeying the Great Commission. She is rebelling against her Head and cannot expect the whole might of Godhead to support her, protect her, and bless her efforts to spread the gospel.
Fourth, the Church must teach the disciples to observe all the things which Christ has commanded. They must accept every truth and submit to every precept in the Scriptures. If, after a course of patient teaching, a person refuses to submit to a particular command in the Word of God, the Church cannot treat them as a disciple of Christ, but must withhold the privileges of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper from them. A disciple, as defined in the Great Commission, is someone who observes all things whatsoever Christ has commanded. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).
The observations above lead us to a sad and solemn conclusion: many churches today are not obeying the Great Commission. Some not only refuse to teach sound doctrines but tolerate those who teach false doctrine. Many more refuse to teach their members about practical matters, for fear that they will take offence and leave. Unbelief and the fear of man explain why so many churches are unwilling to carry out all the terms of the Great Commission. Of course, all churches, including the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, are in danger of such unfaithfulness. Every Christian who prayerfully studies the Great Commission – its requirements, promises, and encouragements – must cry out, “Lord, I believe, help Thou my unbelief.” All things are possible to the Church that believes – including the discipleship of all nations.
Rev C J Hembd