Christ’s Commission to his Disciples.
By Chas. B. Reynolds
The most beautiful and touching evidence of the deep love and gentle compassion of our Saviour is found in that solemn prayer—a prayer that should endear him to every human heart—uttered just on the eve of his betrayal and great sufferings, when he prays to the Father for us. “Neither pray I for these alone; but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17: 20, 21. It is self-evident that if Christ is one with the Father, he could have no will, wish, or purpose, in the least particular, differing from that of the Father. And if all power was given into his hand, if it were possible, the first commandment could be changed. If the Father could descend from his throne and become secondary or subject to the Son, even then, if the Son is one with the Father, he must still continue to carry out his Father’s law, that law declared and proved to be perfect for the conversion of the soul and the government of the whole world. Ps. 19: 9. Christ, alike by precept and example, teaches implicit obedience to the Father’s law—every jot and tittle. Obedience, even to the very least of these commandments, he declares essential to obtaining eternal life. “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily, I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do, and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.” Matt. 5: 17–19. “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19: 17. “But he said, Yea, rather blessed are they131that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11: 28. Christ, being one with the Father, commands obedience to each and every one of the ten commandments, including the fourth, which requires observance of the seventh day, the Sabbath of the Lord. But will not first-day observance do just as well now, under the new, the gospel dispensation? No! for Christ NEVER, either by precept or example, taught or commanded observance of the first day, or released us from the obligation to keep the Sabbath—the seventh day. The gospel positively proves that first-day is not the Sabbath, but that the Sabbath (the day which God commanded, and Christ alike, by precept and example, requires us to keep) is past, gone, ended, before the first day (Sunday) begins. See Matt. 28: 1; Mark 16: 1, 2; Luke 23: 55, 56, and 24: 1. When Christ gave his commission to his disciples, it was that they might carry out his will, as he carried out his Father’s will: “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.” Matt. 28: 19, 20. Apostles, disciples, evangelists, ministers,—all must do and teach the things Christ did and taught (Luke 4: 16), or they are apostates, false to the high commission under which they claim to act. If they are one in Christ, they will do his will, as he, being one in the Father, does the Father’s will. This completes the chain, and makes perfect harmony under all dispensations. John 14: 24. Let us beware, then, of those, however great or learned, who add to or subtract from the teaching and example of Jesus; for any who teach, either more or less, than Christ commanded, cannot be his true disciples. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me ye that work iniquity.” Matt. 7: 21, 23. “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa. 8: 20.