Jesus Commissions the Disciples on a Hilltopby JGC
16:16Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Risen Christ commanded that whoever believes the gospel and is baptized will be saved, while whoever refuses to believe and trust will be condemned to damnation. He spoke this to the eleven disciples as they ate, after rebuking their unbelief and hardness of heart toward those who had seen Him risen, sending them to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature before He was received up into heaven to sit at the right hand of God. The promised signs attend believers without stated time limit, even to the last believer, in casting out devils in His name, speaking with new tongues, taking up serpents and drinking deadly things without hurt, and healing the sick through laying hands on them as the Lord works with them. Baptism is to follow repentance and faith as among the first steps in the way to life, and those who believe and are baptized rise to walk in newness of life with transformed character, turning from former sins to follow Christ. The direction is still binding today, with the field as the whole world to be reached with present truth, requiring every long-established church and every minister, physician, youth, and church member to live Christ before the world and go to work for neglected fields and sin-cursed cities.
Gospel Commission Setting
The risen Christ spoke these words to the eleven as they ate, after He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart for not believing those who had seen Him risen, as His final charge after His resurrection just before He was received up into heaven. It was instruction about the work they were to carry on in the earth following the example He had set in His ministry, and a wonderful presentation given just before His ascension. After speaking these words He was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God.
He sends them into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature and every person, calling all to believe and be baptized. This places believing joined with baptism and salvation, and unbelief and refusal to believe with condemnation, within the commission to preach the gospel to everyone. Those who have the knowledge of the truth must answer this call, and those with new hearts show they have received the gospel by changed speech and preaching.
The disciples went forth and preached everywhere with the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following, and when the Word is ministered under God's supervision the ascended Lord still works with the preachers and the Holy Spirit bears confirmation at the time of preaching. To him who cooperates in this work is promised Christ's presence and working, with His assurance to be with His workers alway even unto the end of the world. Neglect of this evangelistic work leaves churches weak despite much labor and planning to keep them alive, while doing this work breaks up that dead state because God's promise is sure and His Word is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.
Salvation Promise and Warning
Whoever believes the gospel and is baptized will be saved, while whoever does not believe, refuses to believe, or refuses to trust will be condemned to damnation. Belief joined with baptism leads to salvation and unbelief is the ground of condemnation, with belief and baptism set out as conditions connected with salvation. This promise stands within the commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature and to every person, as the work to be carried on in the earth following the example set in Christ's ministry. Believers are also the people to whom the accompanying miraculous gifts are promised, and that promise extends as long as the commission to preach the gospel, reaching the last believer with no stated time limit. After speaking these words He was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God, and the disciples went forth and preached everywhere with the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following.
The terms of salvation in the commission were to be held out for as long as sinners could be saved. Unbelief hardens the heart, and the disciples' difficulty believing the news of Christ's resurrection shows how people can resist good evidence for fear of disappointment. In those surrounding verses signs follow believers, for the gospel drives out Satan's influence, and God may protect believers from harm and heal the sick. Christ, by the Holy Spirit, makes the preached Word effective, bringing people through conversion to an understanding faith and willing obedience. This promise belongs with the commission to preach the gospel to all people and with the signs that follow believers, to be literally fulfilled through Christ's appointed agents.
The verse belongs to Christ's commission and promise to His disciples before His ascension. It is part of the assurance given by the risen Christ, the living Saviour and Advocate, who promises blessing to those who believe. His death and resurrection fulfill the type of the Jewish religious economy, and call believers to devoted, consecrated service.
Signs Following Believers
The promised signs belong to believers, not to the apostles alone, and the promise carries no stated time limit but continues as long as the preaching of the gospel continues, reaching even to the last believer. Belief joined with baptism leads to salvation while unbelief leads to condemnation, and those believers are the ones to whom the accompanying gifts are promised. The promise belongs with the commission to preach to all people and is to be literally fulfilled through appointed agents, as Christ by the Holy Spirit makes the preached Word effective to bring people through conversion to understanding faith and willing obedience.
The signs that follow believers are driving out devils in His name, speaking with new tongues, taking up serpents without hurt, drinking deadly things without hurt, and recovery of the sick when hands are laid on them. In other words, those who trust are followed by signs of driving out evil spirits, speaking new languages, handling serpents without harm, drinking deadly poison without harm, and placing hands on the sick so they get well. This charge outlines the work of church members and sends converted believers out to work for neglected fields and sin-cursed cities as the disciples were sent.
The gospel drives out Satan's influence, and God may protect believers from harm and heal the sick. Those who go forth and preach everywhere have the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following, according to Christ's assurance to be with His workers always even unto the end of the world. When the Word is ministered under God's supervision the ascended Lord works with the preachers and the Holy Spirit bears confirmation of the truth at the time of preaching, so the work is accompanied with results because the promise is sure and the Word is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. The following signs accompany believers and the Lord confirms the preached word, shown in people with new hearts whose changed speech and preaching reveal that they have received the gospel.
Baptism Faith and Life
Baptism comes after repentance and faith, for faith and baptism are both required in order to receive baptism, and there is no scriptural support for the baptism of infants. Repentance, faith, and baptism are the first steps in the way to life that must be taken in order to have hope of salvation. A minister fallen into licentiousness has no more hope than any common sinner unless he greatly humbles his soul before God, repents, and is converted, and if he refuses reproof, chooses his own course, and will not allow the grace of Christ to transform him, his guilt is much greater than that of the common sinner because his advantages of light and influence have been greater. Baptism is the privilege of all who have repented and believed, including children old enough to know what sin is. Once they have felt the evidence that God for Christ's sake has forgiven their sins and have testified that they wish to be Christians and to overcome temptation, they should be baptized at once without being required to wait a week or six months or a year to prove they will be faithful to their profession.
Those who believe and are baptized shall be saved, while those who refuse to believe shall be condemned. They are saved as those who rise to walk in newness of life, with character and conduct transformed, turning from former sins and desires to follow Christ. This is shown in new hearts whose changed speech and preaching demonstrate that they have received the gospel.
Worldwide Missionary Calling
The field for this charge is the world, a vast missionary field whose scope is understood better now than when the apostles first received it, with fields once difficult of access now easily entered. Its message is to reach all people, to be preached throughout the world and carried to those who have not heard the truth. These plain directions are still binding today and outline the work of God's people as Christ's witnesses to reveal God's character to a world lying in sin and to live Christ before the world.
Those with knowledge of the truth must answer needy companies like sheep without a shepherd stretching out their hands and crying to know what they shall do to be saved. Converted believers clustered together are to hear and heed this commission by going out to work for sin-cursed cities as Christ sent His disciples. They are to go to work in the fear of the Lord for neglected, unworked fields, teaching all classes line upon line and not merely preaching an occasional sermon. That work is to be carried out now by putting all forces into solid work in dark, diseased, neglected places, with most earnest invitations and the message of Bible truth given to all to whom access can be found.
Ministers, physicians, youth, and all church members need to study this instruction most earnestly and make it their textbook for daily life. Such diligent study and living keeps from advocating theories with no foundation and brings power in proclaiming truth so that souls are converted. Workers now are to preach the Word and to canvass everywhere as true and whole-hearted laborers, trusting that with God nothing is impossible. Every long-established church must seek revival of the missionary spirit, with steady growth in zeal and activity, prayer that indifference withholding men and means will be banished, and Christ abiding in the soul.
Neglect of this evangelistic work leaves churches weak despite much labor and planning to keep them alive, while doing this work breaks up that dead state. When the Word is ministered under God's supervision, the ascended Lord works with the preachers and the Holy Spirit bears confirmation of the truth at the time of preaching. The commission supports proclaiming present truth, the third angel's message, and the final warning message with clearness and power. In Washington, D.C., at the very heart of the nation where lawmakers should understand God's law, this requires establishing memorials including a sanitarium to give the light on health reform, and breaking up large centers and distributing means and plants to cities in America and all the world instead of centering in Battle Creek.
The final commission calls the church to carry truth to those who do not know it and to work to save the perishing by using its means and influence. The Holy Spirit gives power and effectiveness to its members, so that those who are converted can in turn help convert others. For Christ is the Bridegroom, the church is the bride, and the gospel is to go forth to all nations.
Risen Christ commanded that whoever believes the gospel and is baptized will be saved, while whoever refuses to believe and trust will be condemned to damnation. He spoke this to the eleven disciples as they ate, after rebuking their unbelief and hardness of heart toward those who had seen Him risen, sending them to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature before He was received up into heaven to sit at the right hand of God. The promised signs attend believers without stated time limit, even to the last believer, in casting out devils in His name, speaking with new tongues, taking up serpents and drinking deadly things without hurt, and healing the sick through laying hands on them as the Lord works with them. Baptism is to follow repentance and faith as among the first steps in the way to life, and those who believe and are baptized rise to walk in newness of life with transformed character, turning from former sins to follow Christ. The direction is still binding today, with the field as the whole world to be reached with present truth, requiring every long-established church and every minister, physician, youth, and church member to live Christ before the world and go to work for neglected fields and sin-cursed cities.
Gospel Commission Setting
The risen Christ spoke these words to the eleven as they ate, after He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart for not believing those who had seen Him risen, as His final charge after His resurrection just before He was received up into heaven. It was instruction about the work they were to carry on in the earth following the example He had set in His ministry, and a wonderful presentation given just before His ascension. After speaking these words He was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God.
He sends them into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature and every person, calling all to believe and be baptized. This places believing joined with baptism and salvation, and unbelief and refusal to believe with condemnation, within the commission to preach the gospel to everyone. Those who have the knowledge of the truth must answer this call, and those with new hearts show they have received the gospel by changed speech and preaching.
The disciples went forth and preached everywhere with the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following, and when the Word is ministered under God's supervision the ascended Lord still works with the preachers and the Holy Spirit bears confirmation at the time of preaching. To him who cooperates in this work is promised Christ's presence and working, with His assurance to be with His workers alway even unto the end of the world. Neglect of this evangelistic work leaves churches weak despite much labor and planning to keep them alive, while doing this work breaks up that dead state because God's promise is sure and His Word is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.
Salvation Promise and Warning
Whoever believes the gospel and is baptized will be saved, while whoever does not believe, refuses to believe, or refuses to trust will be condemned to damnation. Belief joined with baptism leads to salvation and unbelief is the ground of condemnation, with belief and baptism set out as conditions connected with salvation. This promise stands within the commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature and to every person, as the work to be carried on in the earth following the example set in Christ's ministry. Believers are also the people to whom the accompanying miraculous gifts are promised, and that promise extends as long as the commission to preach the gospel, reaching the last believer with no stated time limit. After speaking these words He was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God, and the disciples went forth and preached everywhere with the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following.
The terms of salvation in the commission were to be held out for as long as sinners could be saved. Unbelief hardens the heart, and the disciples' difficulty believing the news of Christ's resurrection shows how people can resist good evidence for fear of disappointment. In those surrounding verses signs follow believers, for the gospel drives out Satan's influence, and God may protect believers from harm and heal the sick. Christ, by the Holy Spirit, makes the preached Word effective, bringing people through conversion to an understanding faith and willing obedience. This promise belongs with the commission to preach the gospel to all people and with the signs that follow believers, to be literally fulfilled through Christ's appointed agents.
The verse belongs to Christ's commission and promise to His disciples before His ascension. It is part of the assurance given by the risen Christ, the living Saviour and Advocate, who promises blessing to those who believe. His death and resurrection fulfill the type of the Jewish religious economy, and call believers to devoted, consecrated service.
Signs Following Believers
The promised signs belong to believers, not to the apostles alone, and the promise carries no stated time limit but continues as long as the preaching of the gospel continues, reaching even to the last believer. Belief joined with baptism leads to salvation while unbelief leads to condemnation, and those believers are the ones to whom the accompanying gifts are promised. The promise belongs with the commission to preach to all people and is to be literally fulfilled through appointed agents, as Christ by the Holy Spirit makes the preached Word effective to bring people through conversion to understanding faith and willing obedience.
The signs that follow believers are driving out devils in His name, speaking with new tongues, taking up serpents without hurt, drinking deadly things without hurt, and recovery of the sick when hands are laid on them. In other words, those who trust are followed by signs of driving out evil spirits, speaking new languages, handling serpents without harm, drinking deadly poison without harm, and placing hands on the sick so they get well. This charge outlines the work of church members and sends converted believers out to work for neglected fields and sin-cursed cities as the disciples were sent.
The gospel drives out Satan's influence, and God may protect believers from harm and heal the sick. Those who go forth and preach everywhere have the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following, according to Christ's assurance to be with His workers always even unto the end of the world. When the Word is ministered under God's supervision the ascended Lord works with the preachers and the Holy Spirit bears confirmation of the truth at the time of preaching, so the work is accompanied with results because the promise is sure and the Word is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. The following signs accompany believers and the Lord confirms the preached word, shown in people with new hearts whose changed speech and preaching reveal that they have received the gospel.
Baptism Faith and Life
Baptism comes after repentance and faith, for faith and baptism are both required in order to receive baptism, and there is no scriptural support for the baptism of infants. Repentance, faith, and baptism are the first steps in the way to life that must be taken in order to have hope of salvation. A minister fallen into licentiousness has no more hope than any common sinner unless he greatly humbles his soul before God, repents, and is converted, and if he refuses reproof, chooses his own course, and will not allow the grace of Christ to transform him, his guilt is much greater than that of the common sinner because his advantages of light and influence have been greater. Baptism is the privilege of all who have repented and believed, including children old enough to know what sin is. Once they have felt the evidence that God for Christ's sake has forgiven their sins and have testified that they wish to be Christians and to overcome temptation, they should be baptized at once without being required to wait a week or six months or a year to prove they will be faithful to their profession.
Those who believe and are baptized shall be saved, while those who refuse to believe shall be condemned. They are saved as those who rise to walk in newness of life, with character and conduct transformed, turning from former sins and desires to follow Christ. This is shown in new hearts whose changed speech and preaching demonstrate that they have received the gospel.
Worldwide Missionary Calling
The field for this charge is the world, a vast missionary field whose scope is understood better now than when the apostles first received it, with fields once difficult of access now easily entered. Its message is to reach all people, to be preached throughout the world and carried to those who have not heard the truth. These plain directions are still binding today and outline the work of God's people as Christ's witnesses to reveal God's character to a world lying in sin and to live Christ before the world.
Those with knowledge of the truth must answer needy companies like sheep without a shepherd stretching out their hands and crying to know what they shall do to be saved. Converted believers clustered together are to hear and heed this commission by going out to work for sin-cursed cities as Christ sent His disciples. They are to go to work in the fear of the Lord for neglected, unworked fields, teaching all classes line upon line and not merely preaching an occasional sermon. That work is to be carried out now by putting all forces into solid work in dark, diseased, neglected places, with most earnest invitations and the message of Bible truth given to all to whom access can be found.
Ministers, physicians, youth, and all church members need to study this instruction most earnestly and make it their textbook for daily life. Such diligent study and living keeps from advocating theories with no foundation and brings power in proclaiming truth so that souls are converted. Workers now are to preach the Word and to canvass everywhere as true and whole-hearted laborers, trusting that with God nothing is impossible. Every long-established church must seek revival of the missionary spirit, with steady growth in zeal and activity, prayer that indifference withholding men and means will be banished, and Christ abiding in the soul.
Neglect of this evangelistic work leaves churches weak despite much labor and planning to keep them alive, while doing this work breaks up that dead state. When the Word is ministered under God's supervision, the ascended Lord works with the preachers and the Holy Spirit bears confirmation of the truth at the time of preaching. The commission supports proclaiming present truth, the third angel's message, and the final warning message with clearness and power. In Washington, D.C., at the very heart of the nation where lawmakers should understand God's law, this requires establishing memorials including a sanitarium to give the light on health reform, and breaking up large centers and distributing means and plants to cities in America and all the world instead of centering in Battle Creek.
The final commission calls the church to carry truth to those who do not know it and to work to save the perishing by using its means and influence. The Holy Spirit gives power and effectiveness to its members, so that those who are converted can in turn help convert others. For Christ is the Bridegroom, the church is the bride, and the gospel is to go forth to all nations.