Quote:
Originally Posted by OBW
I find it amazing that you cannot fathom that something said to only a few could be meant for only them and something else said to only a few could be a general statement with broad applicability.
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Of course I could fathom it, otherwise why even have this discussion? But what evidence have you provided? Context?
The context is
1. This is the conclusion of the book of Matthew, a book written for all believers. Therefore I find it strange that at such a crucial juncture there would be an aside meant only for 11 and recorded as an FYI. Not impossible, but unlikely.
2. In this conclusion all authority is given to the resurrected and ascended Lord who has been made head over all things to the church. It is based on this authority that he tells His disciples to go and disciple the nations. Based on the fact that this charge is a direct result of all authority given to the Lord I have to believe that this charge is to the church, since according to Ephesians the power that was wrought in raising Christ from the dead and making Him head over all was given to the church.
3. The context is that these disciples, upon hearing this charge, would go off and spread the gospel with signs and wonders following them, demonstrating that the Lord was with them and all Power was given to Him. The fact that this is so means that I can look at their lives and their work as an example of what it means to "go and disciple the nations". They have been given to me as a pattern, even as Paul said. Why would Paul tell me to "be imitators of me" if I wasn't meant to be an imitator of him? So my question to you is, can't you understand that some words in the Bible require examples and illustrations to be understood? Hence the book of Acts was not an aside, it was not a FYI, it illustrated what it means to go and disciple the nations.
4. The context is that the work of discipling the nations did not stop and cease 1900 years ago once these 11 died. It did not cease with the lands immediately adjacent to the Mediterranean, but history shows us it has gone to the furthest corners of the Earth. History also has shown us through many testimonies that this gospel did go in the power of the Holy Spirit, with signs and wonders, once again testifying that these promises made to the eleven are equally applicable to those as well. Therefore biographies of Hudson Taylor, or William Carey, or Martin Luther, or Billy Graham, or others can also illustrate what it means to go and disciple the nations.
5. Experience and history has shown that the bulk of the work of discipling the nations has been done by the Body of Christ as the church. By any reasonable measure there are more people being discipled today and taught to observe all things that Jesus taught today than there ever were by the original 11. How is it that you cannot comprehend that a brother or sister teaching sunday school today is walking according to this charge? A teenager preaching the gospel at their school is walking according to this charge? A bible study, home meeting, or sunday morning worship is walking according to this charge?
6. A key component to Paul's ministry was to teach that although he was called to be an apostle, even so, every member of the Body of Christ has a calling, has a function, and this function is according to the Lord's commission to the Body. Regardless of what this function is, the analogy is a human body with many different members all functioning. Now how can you not see that Christ is the head of that Body and that this body has gone to the four corners of the Earth, discipling the nations and teaching them to obey all the things the Lord has said? Did the apostle Paul ever come to NYC and disciple the nations here? Who is doing that? The church is, and every member of the body is therefore walking according to this charge.
7. The context of the book of Matthew is that Jesus "will build His church". According to Ephesians, the conclusion of Matthew, the conclusion of the crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus, is that He resurrected from the dead, ascended to the heavens, and all authority was given to Him to be head over the church. Building the church is a major theme of Matthew, it is built on the critical revelation of the entire book -- Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. We see this again when he resurrects and becomes the Head of the Body. Limiting that conclusion to a word meant only for the 11 limits the revelation of this book.
So I see lots of evidence, whether the writings of Paul, the Acts of the Apostles, or church history, or even my own experience to know that this word from the Lord is still very much in force to all of us: "Go and disciple the nations, teaching them to obey all things that the Lord has spoken"