"Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing 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."
Today's lesson is a continuance from yesterday's determination of the intent of Matthew 28:16-20.
We have so far determined that the term "baptizing", as it is applied in Matthew 28:19 does not refer to an immersion into, (or sprinkling by), water. Rather, "baptizing", as that term is applied in Matthew 28:19, refers to an immersion into, or educating as to, the concept of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost.
The statement made by Jesus that precedes the instruction to "baptize" further confirms that what we have so far determined to be true.
When Jesus said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations", He was relating that His apostles were to "teach", or instruct, all nations, to educate them, or to make sure that they were made aware of, and understood. When He then said, "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost", He was telling His apostles WHAT they were to teach, which in fact was the overall concept of the Father, the Son and the holy Ghost.
To put that instruction in common English terms, Jesus would have said, Go all over the world and teach everyone about God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost and what part each plays in the salvation of ones eternal soul.
If we are to take the instruction Jesus gave in Matthew 28:19 to mean that we should literally immerse "all nations" in water, as so many wrongfully insist we should, it makes what Jesus required of us, an impossible task. We can today indeed teach "all nations" by preaching the bible on television and on the world wide computer web. We CANNOT, however, baptize "all nations" in water.~
NOTE: Tomorrow we will determine the individual functions of, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost and why the Holy Triune is so important to all Christianity.
No comments:
Post a Comment