Matthew 28:18, 20: "And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go you, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
The
first question that naturally arises from reading this important passage, is,
what is the power given to the
Messiah in heaven and in earth. Before we answer this, we remark, that
there are two Greek words, dunamis, and exousia, though
of very different signification, yet are translated frequently in our English
Testament by the word power. This has caused considerable
confusion to the English reader. The word dunamis literally
signifies physical power or strength; as Matthew 22:29: "Jesus
answered and said unto them, you do err, not knowing the Scripture nor
the power of God." Luke 5:17, "The power of the Lord was present to
heal them." Acts 3:12: "Peter answered the people, why do you marvel at this? or why do you look so earnestly on us, as though
by our own power or holiness, we had made this man to
walk?" The word exousia signifies authority; as Matthew 21:23. The chief priests asked the Messiah Jesus, when teaching in the temple,
"By whose authority do you do these
things? and who gave you this authority? Acts 9:14: "And
here he has authority from
the chief priests, to bind all that call on your name." The different significations of these two words are
seen in the same verses, Revelation 13:2: "And the dragon gave him
his power, (dunamin), and his great authority (exousian.)" I Corinthians 15:24: "When
he shall have put down all authority (exousian), and power (dunamin).
We are now prepared to answer the enquiry, What is that power given to the Messiah Jesus. The word translated power in the text is exousia, which means authority. It literally should read, "All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth." This language is intelligible. A minister sent by our government to a foreign court, goes with full power to execute business for which he was sent. We all understand this power to be not physical strenth, but authority. So, Jesus the great ambassador, the great Apostle of God, was commissioned by his God and Father Yehovah with full authority to execute the important work of salvation. He has all authority in heaven because Yehovah has made him to be Lord and Messiah over all, only Himself being excluded. "Angels, principalities, and powers, are subject to him." They wait the orders from him seated at the right hand of Yehovah Elohim - God, and willingly fly to execute them. He has authority over all the treasures of grace, of wisdom and knowledge, the unsearchable riches of heaven, to distribute and give them to such as obey him. Not only has he all authority in heaven, but also in earth. Thus, he addresses his Father; John 17:2:
"As you - Yehovah have give authority (exousian) over all flesh, that he might give eternal life to as many as you have given him.”
All flesh, all humanity, the heathen and uttermost parts of the earth are under his authority. For what purpose is authority over them given him? It is, that he might give eternal life to as many as the Father had given him. As all mankind are given to him, we can unhesitatingly say, that he has authority to give to every one of the human family eternal life. But this authority he will execute according to His Father’s plan, which is, that he that believes and is baptized, shall be saved, shall have everlasting life; and he that believes not shall be condemned, shall not experience eternal life. The poor lost sinner can never justly blame the Messiah Jesus, because he does not have eternal life; but will curse his own folly for neglecting the means to obtain it, when he/she appears before the judgement seat of the Lord Messiah at the White Thone Judgement.
"The son of man has authority (exousian)
on earth to forgive sins." [Matthew 9:6] This authority is also exercised by him
according to his Father’s prescribed
plan, repent for the remission of sins. “For if you die in your sins, where I am you cannot come." At the end of
the aged he will put down all rule and all
authority and be subject to his God and
his Father Yehovah, that Yehovah - God may be
all in all, [I Corinthians 15:24] If men/women refuse to accept the salvation offered through the Lord
Messiah Jesus, and refuse to repent and obey God’s will the end result for them
that they will be resurrected and appear before the judgement seat of the
Messiah at the White Thone Judgement and if their names are not written in the
book of life, they will caste into the lake of fire which is the second death.
All remembrance of them will be totally wiped out.
Jesus
"has authority given him to execute
judgment, because he is the son of man,
i.e., a way of saying he is the Messiah." John 5:27. The last act of his mediation is to
adjudicate upon the world and assign to each one his/her life or death – the second death.
On
this authority, given by the Father to the son, Jesus the Messiah, is
predicated the commission his disciples: "Go you therefore, and teach all nations," &c. This the
evangelist Mark explains by: "Go you into all the world and preach the gospel – good news message about the coming kingdom of God
and the name of Jesus, to every person." The
gospel is the glad tidings of the coming
kingdom of God. If one does not believe in the gospel of the kingdom of God,
he/she will not be saved. [Luke 8:12, Matthew 13:19]
Note: a short form of the gospel of the kingdom mention in Luke 8:12 is “the
word” that Satan takes away from their hearts. What word? Matthew 13:19, says
“it is the message of the kingdom” that is sown in the heart of the hearers
that Satan snatches away what has been sown in their hearts.
The
next part of the apostles' commission is, to baptise them in the name of the
Father, and of the son, and of
the holy spirit [Matthew 28:19]. The enquiry is, who are to
be baptized? We answer, all those who believe the gospel message of the coming kingdom of God and the name of
Jesus preached to them.
Note: Although is says in Mattfhew 28:19, the apostles were to baptize people in the name of the Father, and the son, and the holy spirit that is not what they did:
Acts 10:48: And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah.
Acts 19:5: And when they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the lord Jesus.
It would indeed be a hard commission, binding the apostles preach the coming good news of the coming kingdom of God and the name of Jesus and to baptize all the people whom they taught and received their message; for many people blasphemed and opposed the gospel taught or preached to them. many were into practicing vice of every name and if convicted in their hearts would hate what the apostles were preaching and persecute them. We should not make anyono to be compelled or forced to accept the message of the gospel. That message has been used by those to claim to be the apostles successors; for nations have been taught by priests, and compelled by the drawn sword to be baptized, when they hated the religion, its authors, and its ministers. The apostles however, baptized none but such as believed and received the message of the kingdom of God, and voluntarily submitted to the words that God gave to the Lord Messiah Jesus to give to the world.
Note: The words, "He that believes and is
baptized shall be saved." From this expression, some, who should know
better, having a little learning, and little common sense, have inferred that
the language "is baptized" signifies has been baptized. This
is done to induct people into the Roman
Catholic Church and her daughters – the Protestant Churches, who have been baptized - sprinkled in infancy.
Faith
and baptism are the divinely instituted means of salvation. The apostles
preached the gospel about the coming
kingdom of God and the name of Jesus, the people believed, and were
baptized; and through these means they were saved. This is the plan of God; but from this plan the Christian world has
almost entirely departed; and has invented and practised plans subversive of
that instituted by the Messiah Jesus. Some
contend that a person must be saved, pardoned, and regenerated, and be enabled
to give to the Church a satisfactory experience of having passed from death
unto life before they should be baptized. This is mere human device and stands
in direct opposition to what is given
in the word of God.
Note: If a person is not willing to die to
self and be willing to completely be willing to obey and live by the will of
God and be willing to obey the words God gave to the Messiah Jesus to give to the
world, they should not consider being baptized.
Others
have substituted another plan, which is to baptize the subjects before they
believe, and are saved. They baptize infants, which cannot believe; this they
(the infants) are left to do, or not to do, at some future period of life. Why
is it that all have so universally, and for so long a time, departed from God plan of salvation? It cannot be that it is
difficult to be understood; for nothing can be plainer than what Philip preached: “when
they believed Philip, who
was proclaiming the good news about the Kingdom of God and the
name of Jesus the Messiah, they were baptized, both men
and women.” [Acts 8:12]
Peter
preached the gospel, the Jews
heard it, and believed, for faith, in those days, came by hearing, they say, "Men and brethren, what shall we
do?" Peter answers, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the
name of the Lord Jesus the Messiah, for the
remission of sins, and you shall
receive the gift of the holy spirit" [Acts 3:2]
Saul
believed and was praying in agony, yet his sins cleaved fast to him. The Lord
takes his own plan to save him. He sent Ananias to him, who said, "Why are you waiting? arise and be baptized and wash
away your sins." Saul
obeyed, and was baptized; his sins were washed away, and he was saved.
Philip went down to Samaria. There he preached the gospel:
It is not
said that these men and women brought their infants to Philip, and had them
baptized - sprinkled too, according to modern custom, a custom we hear nothing about in scriptures, or indeed in the commission given to the apostles by the Messiah Jesus. These Samaritans were
baptized before their reception of the holy spirit; for this they received afterwards, when the apostles prayed for
them. Philip in the meantime was taken by the spirit to a poor
distressed Ethiopian eunuch, to show to him the
way of life. He preached to him the gospel; the eunuch believes that Jesus the Messiah is the son of God. Philip required no more but to baptize him; he received the holy spirit according to promise, for he went on his way rejoicing. [Acts 8:39]
It
will be objected, 'Ah, you make baptism a saving ordinance. I have not made it
such; for I have proved that it was made so eighteen hundred years ago by the
great Head of the Church and practised as such by his inspired apostles and
evangelists. But do people think the water itself, into which a believer is
immersed, washes away sins? I ask, did the waters of Jordan, into which Naaman dipped
himself at the command of Elisha,did these waters literally wash away his
leprosy? or was it not the power of God through this act of obedience? So,
baptism saves us, and washes away our sins; not by being immersed in the water, but the grace and power of God acts because of this act of obedience.
It
is again said, God has saved myriads of souls, who have never been baptized
according to the order instituted by the
Messiah, and therefore that order is not essential to salvation. It is
granted that when the Gentiles at the house of
Cornelius, were filled with the holy spirit before
they were baptized. This was necessary; for had not this been done, Peter and
the believing Jews with him, could not
have been prevailed upon to baptize them, and induct them into the church.
Note: Act 10:35-48: Peter opened his mouth and said,
“Truly now I realize that God is not a respecter of persons, but in every nation anyone who fears him and is doing what is right is
acceptable to him. You know the word that he
sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good
news of peace through Jesus the Messiah,who is Lord of all! You yourselves know what has happened throughout all Judea, starting
from Galilee. After the baptism that
John preached Jesus, the one from Nazareth, how
God anointed him with holy spirit and with power, and he went around doing good and healing all those who were
being oppressed by the Devil, for God was in him. “And we are witnesses of all the things that he did, both in the
country of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom also they
killed, having hung him on a tree. But God raised him up the third day, and
granted that he should be seen, not by all the People, but by witnesses who were chosen
beforehand by God, even to us who ate and drank
with him after he rose out from among the dead. And he commanded us to
proclaim to the people and to solemnly testify that he is the one who has been appointed by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.” While Peter was still
speaking these words, the holy spirit rushed onto all
those who were listening to the word. And the believers from the circumcision were amazed, all those who
came with Peter, because on the Gentiles also the gift of the
holy spirit was poured out. For they heard them
speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then answered
Peter, “Surely no
one is able to refuse water and insist that these should not be baptized, these who
have received the holy spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to
be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah.
This reason they assigned for their
justification before the Church in Jerusalem, but if God has long borne with
our ignorance, and has shewn his saving mercy to those who have departed from His plan, shall we still presume, and continue in
our error, when it is now plainly made known? If any man, like the eunuch
profess to believe with all his heart that Jesus the Messiah is the son of God,
and like him, apply for baptism, who dare refuse it? He is to believe with all
his heart, that is, with the full determination and purpose of the heart to
follow and obey him through life.
We
hope to receive from our brethren communications on this important subject. Let
the free spirit of the meekness and wisdom of the Messiah Jesus be ever exercised in all our attempts to restore the primitive
order of the Messiah in his congregation.
Written by Barton Stone and edited and
added to by Bruce Lyon
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