Is the Great Commission only to Apostles?

[Semper Fidelis]

The notion that salvation is primarily individual reveals to me a great abuse of the Scriptures. Individuals are certainly saved. Nobody is denying that but to note that the individual's salvation is at the fore of redemption is profoundly misinformed. The culmination of redemptive history is seen in the Bride of Christ being presented to Him spotless. Christ is not a polygamist with brides but has a single Bride, the Church. We are also said to abide in a vine, to be part of a sheepfold, to be parts of a Body, and to be stones in a building. Each one of these analogies sees us as parts of a whole and the Scriptures are replete that the parts can never act independently. To think as if we are independent of one another is the very rebuke of 1 Corinthians.

Assume that you told everybody you knew that you had starred in a movie and that a movie was all about you. You invited all your friends and family to the grand opening of the movie and they watched the whole movie with you. At the end, everybody is scratching their heads and asking: "You said this movie was about you?"

"Oh yes, didn't you see at 5 minutes and 20 seconds, the camera panned past a crowd and you could clearly see the back of my head."

We are privileged to be part of the drama of redemption but it is not an autobiography of how Rich got saved.

Consider these passages:

Romans 14.13
Romans 14.19
Romans 15.5-7
Romans 15.14
I Corinthians 12.25
Galatians 6.2
Ephesians 4.32
Ephesians 5.18-21
Philippians 2.1-4
Colossians 3.16
Hebrews 3.13
Hebrews 10.24, 25
James 5.16
I Peter 1.22
I John 3.23; 4.12
I Corinthians 12.4-12; I Peter 4.10, 11

 

[Iconoclast]

Matthew,
I have a strong view of the local assembly being the object of God's love. On the last day there will be the complete assembly of the body of Christ, in one place, at one time . to the praise of God's glory. We all look forward to that day and time. I am not in any way trying to undermine that.
I believe you are looking at salvation as the over-all process from COR to CoG to a point in human history where the Spirit quickens the dead sinner to new life, then progressively sanctifies that person by means of the word , prayer, and church life.
If that is how you are speaking of salvation then I am with you.
I was speaking specifically about that point in time when the Spirit quickens the sinner at regeneration/new birth. That happens at a point in time ...individually.
Jesus said to Nicodemus Except a man be born from above. He did not speak in this case corporatley ?
I understand that God has purposed to save a multitude in His Son and is doing so.
It is not a bunch of stragglers ,and lone rangers that just wander around.
When an individual believes by God given faith they have life eternal. Eternal life is to know God. JN 5:24 Jn 17:3
In ACts 15 they could have asked "except you are a member of the local church you cannot be saved"
A saved person will become a member of a local church. I am just saying at regeneration that person is apart of the one church that has never assembled yet...that assembly will be on the last day..
I do not say why you would say this is wrong. You always look to the corporate first, that is why you wrote a few days ago about the building with no doors.
Are you thinking of the over-all process, rather than that single point in time?

 

[MW]

I was speaking specifically about that point in time when the Spirit quickens the sinner at regeneration/new birth. That happens at a point in time ...individually.

The wind bloweth where it listeth. If this is what you are referring to, no man can know the point in time at which the Spirit mysteriously quickens a dead sinner. Nor can it be understood as regeneration/new birth in the full biblical sense of the term until the instrumentality of the Word has been brought in to effect conversion, for we are born again by the word of God. And once the word of God is brought in as the instrument we are again cast back into the arms of the church to minister that word and nourish our souls unto eternal life.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Matthew, I believe we are regenerate (born anew) by the creative act of God through His Spirit. The Word of God converts the Soul. Wouldn't it be more correct to say we are born again by God, His Spirit, and the Word.

(Joh 1:12) But as many as received Him, He gave them the authority to become children of God, to those who believe in His name;

(Joh 1:13) who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

(Joh 1:14) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

(1Pe 1:22) Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere love for the brothers, love one another fervently from a pure heart,

(1Pe 1:23) having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

(Joh 3:3) Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

(Joh 3:4) Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born, being old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

(Joh 3:5) Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

(Joh 3:6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

(Joh 3:7) Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

(Joh 3:8) "The wind blows where it wills, and you hear its sound, but you do not know from where it comes and where it goes. So is everyone who has been born of the Spirit."

Rich,
In the next passages it seems to indicate that we are individuals who are fitly joined together into the body of Christ. We are individuals set into one body.

(Eph 2:11) Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made by hands in the flesh--

(Eph 2:12) that at that time you were apart from Christ, being estranged from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, not having hope and atheists in the world.

(Eph 2:13) But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far away have come to be near by the blood of Christ.

(Eph 2:14) For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and who destroyed the dividing wall of separation,

(Eph 2:15) having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,

(Eph 2:16) and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, putting to death the enmity in Himself.

(Eph 2:17) And having come, He preached peace to you who were far away and to those near.

(Eph 2:18) Because through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

(Eph 2:19) So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

(Eph 2:20) being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

(Eph 2:21) in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,

(Eph 2:22) in whom you also are being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

(1Co 12:12) For just as the body is one and has many parts, but all the parts of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

(1Co 12:13) For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and we were all given to drink into one Spirit.

(1Co 12:14) For in fact the body is not one part but many.

(1Co 12:15) If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?

(1Co 12:16) And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?

(1Co 12:17) If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?

(1Co 12:18) But now God has set the parts, each one of them, in the body just as He desired.

(1Co 12:19) And if all parts were one part, where would be the body?

(1Co 12:20) But now indeed there are many parts, but one body.

(1Co 12:21) And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

(1Co 12:22) But to a greater degree the parts of the body which seem weaker are necessary.

(1Co 12:23) And the parts of the body which we consider to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater propriety.

(1Co 12:24) But our presentable parts have no need. But God united the body, giving greater honor to the part being inferior,

(1Co 12:25) lest there be divisions in the body, but the parts care the same for one another.

(1Co 12:26) And if one part suffers, all the parts suffer together; or if one part is honored, all the parts rejoice together.

(1Co 12:27) Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

 

[MW]

Matthew, I believe we are regenerate (born anew) by the creative act of God through His Spirit. The Word of God converts the Soul. Wouldn't it be more correct to say we are born again by God, His Spirit, and the Word.

If we are taking the term "regeneration" in the complexity with which Scripture uses it, yes, we must speak of regeneration as including effectual calling and conversion, and this is effected by Word and Spirit.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

I believe it is referring to the universal church; i.e. Article 2, above. Please note that it was the Lord who added them, in 2:47; not some ordained minister in some religious ceremony.

Please read the passage. They were added to the church by means of being baptised by ordained ministry.

No my friend. You re-read it. It says they were added. It says they were baptized. But it says nothing about causality. It does not say they were added BY baptism. Nor does it say the apostles added them.

It says God was adding them.

Your eisegisis is blinding you. God uses means. I could take what you are saying and move farther away and say God saved without revelation. Are you willing to go there?

No eisegesis at all. The eisegesis is asserting that verse 47, which says nothing at all about baptism, is talking about people being water-baptized into the Church. The text says nothing of the kind. It says God was adding to His church daily those that were being saved. So unless you believe in baptismal regeneration...

Sorry I missed this post Damon. You must take verse 47 in context. No, I do not believe in baptismal regeneration but do believe that baptism is the means of entrance into the Church.

vs. 47 has a strong attachment to vs. 41 also.

(Act 2:37) Now having heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brothers, what shall we do?"

(Act 2:38) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

(Act 2:39) "For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all those afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

(Act 2:40) And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this crooked generation."

(Act 2:41) Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added.
....
(Act 2:47) praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to the church daily those who were being saved.

BTW, the Apostles were ordained and sanctioned in Acts. 2. To argue against that is a theological problem in my estimation.

The apostles were ordained and sanctioned long before Acts 2.

You misunderstood my comment. I said this to point out that those who had received the means of grace in Baptism and the Word were provided that means by men who were ordained. I wasn't making reference to when they were ordained but that they were ordained men that Acts 2 tells us about.

 

[Mushroom]

What a shame! Speaking to lay-people, the author of Hebrews says, “by this time you ought to be teachers” (5:12). Imagine that! The inspired write predicates the word διδάσκαλοι of laypeople and expects them to aspire after such a role. Of course, he's not referring to an official teaching office. But he does, nevertheless, expect his readers both to understand and to articulate the gospel about the Messiah. Giving your money, prayers, and presence is certainly part of the equation. But if you're too cowardly to open your mouth and share the good tidings of salvation with those in need, then you "do not well" (2 Kings 7:9).

This is a strand of Reformed theology that needs "reforming." Too many Reformed Christians content themselves with living a decent life, attending the "ordinary means of grace" at the gathered assembly, and giving their tithe. But they're frankly cowards when it comes to sharing the gospel with the unconverted. How contrary the demeanor of our Lord who came to "seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). May God help us all to play the man and boldly evangelize, witness, and proclaim the good news!

Dr. Bob, I know you have thought better of this statement, and I accept your apology, but not having had opportunity until now to respond, I thought I should point out a few things.

The quote from Hebrews must be interpreted in light of James' admonition that not many should presume to be teachers. All have a calling to teach within the offices to which they are called. I am a husband and father, and I teach my wife and children as well as I can. God has blessed my feeble and faltering efforts with a wife who is amazingly theologically wise, and children who probably know the catechisms better than I do (aagh, this aging mind!).

But I am not called or gifted to teach in the Church, both because of that aging mind, and a weakness towards impatience with imbeciles, so I know its not my place. As for cowardice, I'm sure I'm guilty of that in some way, but that is not a descriptive that comes to most people who know me when asked their impression of me. Stubborn, yes, not too fond of suffering fools gladly, assuredly. But I will say that there is not one person who knows me who does not know I am a Christian. Neither anyone I work with or for. Today I let my disabled customer know that I and my family are praying for his condition.

But it is also true that my lack of gifts for teaching and my usually serious and quiet (some say curmudgeonly) demeanor would not be conducive for sweet sappy Chick tract-style 'witnessing'. When an individual asks me about my faith, I will tell them of the redemption God has granted me by the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of my Great and Faithful Shepherd, the Mighty and Holy Lamb of God, Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And then invite them to my Church, or direct them to speak further with my Pastor or one of my Ruling Elders. And I guarantee you I do that without one ounce of fear in my heart over it, except for the trepidations borne of my own stumbling ability to present it well. And that is not evangelism. It is living as a Christian in this dark world. The evangelizing is carried out by the Church through her Offices.

 

[Herald]

Damon,

The Reformed or Particular Baptist interpretation of the 1689 LBC placed the proper emphasis on the visible/invisible distinction regarding the church. It's important to note here that I am referring specifically to Reformed Baptists, not Calvinistic Baptists who see worth in the confession but who do not wholly subscribe to it. Reformed Baptists are a distinct and separate breed; set apart from their Calvinist-only Baptist cousins.

4. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, in whom, by the appointment of the Father, all power for the calling, institution, order or government of the church, is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner; neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ, and all that is called God; whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.
( Colossians 1:18; Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 4:11, 12; 2 Thessalonians 2:2-9 )

Christ is the head of the church. This is a catholic truth among evangelical Christians. Christ will be presenting His church without spot or wrinkle:

Ephesians 5:25-27 just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; 26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.

If Christ is presenting to Himself the church in all her glory, how can it be said that salvation exists outside of the church?

Now, are there providential circumstances that may preclude an individual from coming under the authority of a local church, and to be numbered with the visible saints? Yes. Are these reasons considered ordinary or normative? No. If providentially hindered, is the individual not a part of the universal (invisible) church? No. When Christ presents to Himself His bride, those believers who were providentially hindered from joining a local church will be present and accounted for.

Brother Damon, the emphasis is being wrongly placed on exceptions and anecdotal accounts. Our confession takes a high view of Christ and His church. We would be in agreement with our WCF brethren in affirming that outside of the church there is no salvation. This is not a problematic statement if one understands what is meant by the church.

Please understand that I am not discounting your personal experience. We all have a story to tell. But we must be held captive to the clear teaching of scripture on Christ and His church. When understood in the context of Christ's bride, extra ecclesiam nulla salus (outside of the church there is no salvation), is both confessional and biblical. More importantly, biblical.