GO YE THEREFORE #2
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 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.
To omit the word “therefore” with its purpose of referring us back to the announcement of Jesus of Nazareth’s sovereignty over the entire universe, changes the whole scope of evangelism! That word, “therefore” means “for this reason.” The usual sermon on “The Great Commission” leaves out verse eighteen, thereby leaving our the Great Commissioner! And that causes an entire redirection in religion’s ‘evangelism.’
For the focus is to be upon the Lord Christ and not solely upon the sinner. If the focus is only upon the sinner, evangelism becomes more of “Lets make a deal,” rather than “God commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” For true, spiritual evangelism is to exact the sovereign ‘command’ of Christ upon the soul’s of all mankind. Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
And there is another command of our Sovereign Lord in verse twenty of this commission. For none are to be teaching all nations except those who are presently obeying the Lord Christ. For the teaching of the nations is to be brought forth effectually only by the teacher obeying that which Christ has commanded them. For the gospel is only received by those with faith, preaching to those to whom the Spirit grants faith!
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; As you see, the attempt to preach the gospel while not living by its commands brings down the wrath of God upon that hypocrite! For they hold down, or suppress the truth by their unrighteous lives.
The Apostle Paul instructs his listeners to be followers of himself as he was a follower of Christ. 1 Corinthians 4:15 For 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. 16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. 17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church. 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. And Pastor Timothy would even bring them into remembrance of the Apostle Paul’s “ways.”
But this cannot be done with the religious leaders who know not Christ! Matthew 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Religion only knows God’s acts. They are only aware of what he did. But the true believers know God’s ways. For they have His righteousness imputed to them to form their own character. Psalm 95:8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 95:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
Yet some would refer us to the half verse of Proverbs 11:30 which states, and he that winneth souls is wise. And that half verse contains only a half truth. For what did Solomon know about knocking on doors and winning souls to a Person, and to an event (the cross), that would not take place for hundreds of years? The Apostle Paul reveals to us that the gospel was hidden at that time. Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: Colossians 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
And the Apostle Peter is more plain in his writings of that which the Old Testament prophets did not know. 1 Peter 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
Again, those of the soul-winning occult leave off the preceding verse in Proverbs, and the first half of this verse in order to daub untempered mortal upon their shaky wall of soul winning. Ezekiel 13:10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter: 14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Now consider Proverbs 11:29 and 30 in their entirety. Proverbs 11:29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. The issue here is the conduct of one in “his own house.” Therefore it regards how one is to conduct himself within his own household. If he is a troublesome householder, constantly aggravating and criticizing his family and servants, he shall inherit the wind. He will lose the respect of all of them and they will separate themselves from him. And their duties then being left off, he will have nothing of benefit from their former services to him. No clean shirts or clean house. There is no hot supper on the table. No cows milked, or sheep shorn. He has nothing but hot air. He truly has “inherited the wind.” He then shall be seen as a fool, in comparison to his servants being seen as “the wise of heart.”
But The righteous householder, who treats this wife and family, and even his servants with their due respect, is a virtual “tree of life” to them all. He blesses them and sees that their needs are supplied. In doing so he is wise to “win these souls” to himself in his kindness. And in doing so his shirts and his house are clean. His table is bountifully laid with good things to eat for all the household. He, unlike the one who troubles his house, has a happy and prosperous house. He has won all these souls by his kindness, being very wise!
This one half verse has been dealt with as the Apostle Peter states. 2 Peter 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. That word, “wrest’ means to put on the rack and stretch out of shape. And truly, the soul winning occult has stretched this poor little half verse out of shape. Amazing how an entire system of practice has come from such a little, misapplied half verse!
But who is the administrator of the true, spiritual church? Is he not the Holy Spirit? Of course he is! If you take time to read our Lord’s words as recorded in John 16:7-15 that will become obviously clear. And consider 1 Corinthians 12:11 which shows that the Holy Spirit is a Sovereign Person. But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. All things in this age are at the disposal and control of the Holy Spirit. Nothing is to be controlled by the efforts of men, but only by the Holy Spirit. Zechariah 4:6b This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Of Him alone is it said by the Lord he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (John 16:15) Consider these verses: He is the one who calls and sends forth his evangelists. Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
He is the one who directs the work of the true evangelists. Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. 6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
The Holy Spirit would not allow his messengers to go into Asia at that time. But he later sent them to do a mighty work there. For this work is not just the placing another pin on the Mission Map to show where we have sent missionaries! It concerns the Sovereign Lord, as the white horse rider going forth conquering and to conquer. Revelation 6:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
In the Spirit’s good time Asia benefitted from the Holy Spirit’s messengers! Acts 19:10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Revelation 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
And it is the work of the Spirit to interpret God’s will to his messengers. Acts 10:19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. 28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
But because so many unregenerate men have flooded into the religious pulpits, not having the benefit of the Holy Spirit’s workings, we have supplemented them with helps in order for them to set forth a form of godliness. There are books on prayers that can be read at funerals, weddings, in hospital rooms, etc. There is even books which give 52 sermon outlines for “the busy” preacher.
And what is the result of this professional evangelism conducted without the Holy Spirit? It is demonic! Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. And since it can only effect a legal morality upon those ‘converted,’ it sets these souls up for additional demon possession, insomuch that it would have been better for them never to had known the way of righteousness. Matthew 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Pastor Gene Breed
September 9, 2020
