The Great Commission

The "Great Commission"

Matthew 28:18-20	Mark 16:15-16	Luke 24:45-47
Go teach (make disciples)	Go Preach	repentance
Baptize	(he who) believes	forgiveness of sins
teach	(and is) baptized	(should be) preached
	(shall be) saved

Now, put it all together and what do you have? If you combined the "teach" in Matthew 28:18-20 with the "preach" of Mark 16 and Luke 24, note what you have:

Go teach/preach
belief (he who believes)
repentance
baptism
saved/remission of sins
teach

Now follow this to Acts 2, and see if the apostles followed this very pattern when they taught.

Peter took his stand and "raised his voice..." (vs. 14). This is preaching/teaching.
He taught about Jesus, and told the people that they needed to "know for certain that God had made Him both Lord and Christ..." (vs. 36). They responded with a question: "what shall we do?" The text does not directly say that they believed, but the conclusion that they believed is necessary based upon vv. 36-41.
Peter's response covers the next three items: "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins..." (vs. 38). Look at the chart again: repentance, baptism, saved/remission of sins. Those who received the word were baptized (vs. 41).
They continued in the teaching of the apostles (vs. 42).

It all fits perfectly. What the Lord taught in the "Great Comission" is exactly what the early disciples did. There were no arguments about the necessity of any of these matters. The Jews on Pentecost didn't fuss with Peter about the need to be baptized. If they received the teaching, they did it. Period.

Today, if we will follow the instructions of the Lord, we too can be saved from our sins. If we follow just what they did in the first century, we will be just what they were: Christians. Nothing more. Nothing less.

This is what we strive to be.

Doy Moyer