The following is a response to e-mail received because of some of the messages that have been posted here. I have not responded to the e-mails personally, but am answering them here on the site that provoked the reaction. I trust those who are interested in my response are reading this.

The Great Commission is for Gentiles, too.
Feb. 22, 2001

In the course of time I have been confronted by people who espouse many and varied doctrines. Usually they are convinced that they are right and all that would disagree are wrong. It seems evident to me, however, that no one knows everything, and we are wise to do what the Berean Christians in the book of Acts did––They heard with all readiness of mind, and then they searched the Scriptures whether these things were so. We still have to do that.

One of the doctrines that has popped up on a few occasions would suggest––no, insist–– that the only New Testament Scripture that would be incumbent upon the church to follow would be that written by the Apostle Paul. (Some have gone so far as to say only his prison epistles.)

Well, I have heard them with a ready mind and I have searched the Scriptures. I don’t pretend to know everything, and I am certainly not superior to any of my brethren, but I have concluded that those who bear that doctrine are unmistakably in error.

It seems needless to say that we do not worship the apostle Paul. He said that himself:

"For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I [am] of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who [is] Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." 1 Corinthians 3:4-6

It was Paul who wrote, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." II Timothy 3:16-17 It is not our prerogative to choose from the menu of God’s Word what we would like to assimilate and what we would like to leave behind.

It is true, of course, that there is an Old Testament and there is a New. There are things that are written to Israel, things that are written to the Gentiles and things that are addressed to the church. But even when we read Old Testament history and the prophecies God gave to Israel we do it with the voice of the apostle Paul ringing in our ears reminding us that "all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." 1 Corinthians 10: 11

On one occasion Paul wrote to the Christians at Corinth, "though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet [have ye] not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." 1 Corinthians 4: 15 Of course this was true for them. Paul had been the messenger that brought the truth of the gospel to them. They were his fruit, he had not only planted there, but he had reaped as well. But in saying that there were thousands of would-be instructors, but that they were his children, he was not disparaging other legitimate sources of godly instruction. If that had been the case he would not have told these same Corinthian believers, "Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;" 1 Corinthians 3:22

Paul told us to follow his example, but he never instructed us to limit ourselves to his writings. "Be ye followers of me," he said, "even as I also [am] of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1 This was Paul urging the believers to follow his example, his godly behavior, his zealous obedience to the commands of Christ. There were many who would have led them astray with false teaching, and probably evil behavior as well. These were the ten thousand instructors Paul warned them about. Because of that danger he said, "Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me." 1 Corinthians 4:16 But in saying that he did not declare himself to be the foundation of the church, or even the only apostle to the church. In Ephesians 2:20 he told the believers that they, as the church, "are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];" Notice that the foundation consists of the apostles (plural) and the prophets (plural). There are many Scriptures to be considered beside those written by the apostle Paul.

He made this clear also when he wrote to the Romans: "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called [to be] an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God … By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:" Romans 1: 1,5 Notice that he calls himself an apostle, not the apostle. He also declares that we, not I, have received grace and apostleship. He does not promote, or even recognize himself as the singular authority to the church. However, he does make it clear that his calling was specifically to the Gentiles when he wrote, "Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost." Romans 15:15,16

The same professing believers that limit themselves to the epistles of Paul would try to convince us that the Great Commission, as given by Jesus to His disciples, does not apply to the church today. Some would say it was given only to the Jews.

However, the apostle Paul who said, "be ye followers of me," was in the process of carrying out the great commission even as he said it. In Romans 15:20,21 he wrote, "Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation, but as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

The apostle Paul was a trainer of disciples. It was not his objective to impart mere Christian philosophy or theological knowledge to passive non-combatants. It was his purpose to produce obedient followers of Jesus Christ. It was for that reason that he instructed the Philippians, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." He also instructed Timothy, "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." 2 Timothy 2:1 2

It would be extremely difficult to arrive at the conclusion that the Great Commission was given only to the Jews, when the apostle Paul set the pace for the Gentile believers and then told them to follow his example. It may be that there are some who do not equate Paul’s zeal for the Gospel and the evangelizing of the Gentile nations with the Great Commission. So perhaps we should look at the Great Commission and see what Jesus said when He gave it.

Jesus, at the time, was standing before eleven disciples whom he was commissioning to convey the gospel to every creature and to every nation. It is true that these eleven were chosen men and that they were all Israelites. Therefore some folks say the commission was only given to the apostles, and others say it was only given to Israel.

"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. Matthew 28:18-20

Although the men to whom Jesus addressed His command numbered only eleven, and even though they were all Israelites, the object of the Commission was all nations. All nations are not Israelites, the vast majority are Gentiles. They were to be baptized, not in the name of Paul, but in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. They were to teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Obviously that included the Great Commission. To think otherwise would make Jesus’ words meaningless. And how long was this to continue? Until the end of the world!

There is no sound reason to eschew the command that Jesus gave and Paul perpetuated. However, it is understandable why this doctrine appeals to some. Often we don’t feel like obeying. Some of the things the church is expected to do in this dark world do not appeal to the flesh––they take us out of our comfort zone. Reward without obedience is appealing, but it is unrealistic. Any doctrine that excuses apathy or disobedience or passivity is welcome. It is far easier to teach disobedience than obedience because it eliminates the prospect of humiliation or suffering or rejection. But think it through. Paul said, "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;" Philippians 1:29