Tag Archives: baptism

“The Great Commission” – What’s so Great about It?

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What’s So Great about “The Great Commission”?

 Blog by Donald P. Shoemaker

Then Jesus came to them[his disciples] and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:16-20

Christians rightly draw on many, many scriptures for direction.  High on the list are the two Great Commandments: love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40).  But no assignment from Jesus gets more attention for “missional direction” than “The Great Commission.”

What makes “The Great Commission” so great?

  1. Jesus made a GREAT AFFIRMATION about himself.

He makes the astounding claim, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me!”  Either this is the boast of a self-deceived self-promoter, or it is a claim to be taken seriously.  The church takes it seriously.

The Apostle Paul sets forth this same claim about Jesus in what was probably a “praise chorus” sung in Christian gatherings.  Jesus humbled himself obediently to death on a cross.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…  (Philippians 2:9-10)

If Jesus is who he claimed to be, his instructions need to be obeyed.

  1. Jesus gave a GREAT ASSIGNMENT to his followers.

Now, I’m going to be a bit picky here, because this assignment is often misunderstood. For example, it’s commonly taught that Jesus gave four commands: “Go, make disciples, baptize, and teach.”  If this is so, then “make disciples” pretty much equals “lead people to Jesus” (then baptize and teach them).   Discipling = Evangelism.

But that’s not what Jesus commanded.  In fact, THERE IS ONLY ONE COMMAND IN THE GREAT COMMISSION—“MAKE DISCIPLES”.  Around this one imperative verb are three participles (“going, baptizing, teaching”) that tell us HOW TO OBEY THIS ONE COMMAND.

“Going” – We can talk about following Jesus all we want, but if we do not penetrate the world around us, we will never make disciples for Jesus.

“Baptizing”– The New Testament assumes that one who believes the Gospel will be baptized.   In fact, “unbaptized Christian” is an oxymoron.

Baptism is Trinitarian—it confesses God’s work in our salvation.  God the Father loved us, God the Son died for us, and God the Holy Spirit empowers us to faith and good works.

Baptism is in water—a fitting mode to depict washing sins away (Acts 22:16).

What does our baptism declare to the church and to the world?

  • “I hereby confess Jesus as Lord and I cross the line to be on Jesus’ side.”
  • “I have moved from the old life into the new.”
  • “I’m now a citizen of God’s Kingdom, a member of his family.”
  • “My sins are washed away—I stand forgiven!”
  • “The Holy Spirit has been given to me”
  • “I’m willing to follow Jesus in obedience and suffering.”

“Teaching”– The baptized convert is to be instructed in all the commands of Jesus.  Baptism takes a few moments—one single step in being a disciple. Teaching all Jesus commands is a life-long process—continual steps in becoming a disciple.  Thus we never “arrive” at full discipleship in this life—we are always “Pilgrims in Progress.”

How does Jesus direct our lives?  A few points among many:

  • “Follow me in baptism.”
  • “Accept the authority of the Old Testament just as I do.”
  • “Keep God’s law in its depth, not just on the surface.”
  • “Love God and love your neighbor.”
  • “Show regard for all people, not just to other followers of mine.”
  • “Get down where the people are. Touch the leper, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, bind the wounded.”
  • “Keep the Supper I established for you, in remembrance of me.”
  • “Watch and pray. Be prepared when temptations come and face them as I did.”
  • “I will return at an unknown hour. Be faithful and prepared.”
  1. Jesus speaks GREAT ASSURANCE to us as we fulfill this assignment.

Jesus will be with his church as we do the task he calls us to do—empowering us, encouraging us, walking with us, helping us when we face persecution.

He is present when we are baptized in his name and as we face temptations and struggle to be his disciples and to lead others to be his disciples.

He walks beside us as we walk through life’s greatest challenges and sorrows.  He assures us he knows the path, for he has walked it before.

He is there to serve his people not just at the start but until the end of the age.

When through the deep waters I call you to go,

the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;

for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,

and sanctify to you your deepest distress.

– “How Firm A Foundation” (1787, authorship uncertain).  Originally sung to the tune “ADESTES FIDELIS” [“O Come, All Ye Faithful”], it is usually sung today to the tune “FOUNDATION.”

Baptism, Repentance and Forgiveness

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Baptism and Repentance

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
(Acts 2:38 NIV)

Baptism and Communion, two sacraments God has given to his church, have been minimized in many an evangelical church. Someone recently said, “Communion should be called a ‘snack-rament’ the way many observe it!”

In New Testament times, as you see from the Apostle Peter’s words above, repentance, turning in faith to Jesus, and the gift of the Holy Spirit were not separated from baptism.

Acts 2:38 leaves unsettled the question whether baptism is the essential cause of forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Spirit or their accompanying sign. Acts 10:44-48 helps us clear up that question. At the home of Cornelius, the Roman Centurion, the Holy Spirit came on the people before they were baptized, not because they were baptized (read the whole wonderful chapter). Instead, Peter called for baptism because they had received the Holy Spirit.

So baptism is not the effective cause of forgiveness and the gift of the Spirit, but it is not separated from these grace-gifts either (Peter would say, “Not baptizing these converts right away is a failure that opposes the work of God.”). To say it another way, they were “saved” neither through baptism nor without baptism.

Baptism is thus distinguishable from cleansing but not separated from cleansing. As St. Augustine said, “The outward sign of an inward grace.”

When churches and individuals introduce a big time-lapse between conversion and baptism, they bring confusion into the whole dynamic. They may wonder why scriptures on conversions don’t seem to make sense. It’s like exchanging the wedding rings months or years after the ceremony. You can’t say, “With this ring I thee wed.” This confusion may also come if baptism precedes faith and repentance by many years. Hence, “believer baptism”.

And no, you shouldn’t put off baptism just to wait to be baptized in the ocean!

Yet, this time-lapse is what we have allowed to happen. Many churches have the “walk-forward altar call” sacrament-like tradition in the place that baptism should fill. But biblically speaking, it is in our baptism that we make the confession, “Jesus is Lord!”

Let’s get back to the biblical theology and examples and make baptism what it was intended to be—part of the majestic drama of the Holy Spirit we call “conversion.” As Ananias said to Saul (later, as known to us, “The Apostle Paul”), “Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his [the Lord’s] name” (Acts 22:16).