Matthew 28:20, commentary and pictures

The risen Christ with all authority commissions his followers to make disciples of all nations to the end of the age, teaching converts to observe all he commanded and baptizing them, with his continual presence pledged until his coming. Teaching to observe means doing and obeying everything he taught, including God's law and Ten Commandments and the seventh-day Sabbath, with baptism by immersion upon faith as the heaven-ordained entrance sign in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. His promised remaining is real and uninterrupted every day to the end, spiritually present by the Holy Spirit though bodily in heaven, dwelling in hearts, guiding into truth, confirming the word with power and sustaining through trial and missionary labor far from home. That presence places all his power at his messengers' command for strength, protection and success, yet it belongs to those who go where sent, love and obey him and teach the whole counsel, and cannot be claimed while persisting in sin or withholding part of the message. The charge extends through successors to every believer in every generation, lay and ministerial, to carry the one gospel as a witness to every land, class and people until the work is finished, hastening his coming.

Setting Wording and Timing

The verse belongs to the risen Christ's commission spoken with all authority after the resurrection and before the ascension, given to the eleven on the mountain in Galilee and at Bethany on the Mount of Olives and to other believers gathered by appointment, after forty days of appearing and instruction, with hands extended in blessing, as his last charge, marching orders and final all-inclusive commission before he was taken to heaven to begin mediatorial work. It was spoken at a meeting appointed and fully arranged before his death, confirming his authority to take up his life again, and it is a fuller revelation of himself and the Father's purpose backed by his earthly life of self-giving. It alone is sufficient basis for all missionary work, as vital and binding as the first commandment, so that obedience to its command to go determines salvation and turning away denies his sacrifice.

The commission was spoken at least forty-two days after the Jewish age ended at the crucifixion, belongs to the Christian age and gospel dispensation in view from the beginning, and perpetuates with the same force to the end of the age all doctrines Christ proclaimed during his public ministry. It was not limited to days before Pentecost and cannot be set aside as given before Pentecost or before the kingdom was set up, but is designed to be perpetuated in the Christian ministry to the end of the world with promise to be with ministers always. Therefore his teachings about his Father's law and commandments keep their full force for later generations, including the nineteenth century and onward. His universal dominion and world-wide mission show his kingdom extends beyond national limits to all humanity.

The word translated world means age, so the end of the world means the end of the age, the close of the Christian and gospel age and present era when a great change takes place, not the destruction of the earth itself and not merely the Jewish age or the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The same original words occur in Matthew 13:39, 13:40, 13:50, 24:3 and Hebrews 9:26, and the limit of preaching and presence extends no farther than that age's end, which is connected with his coming when his priestly work ends and destiny is fixed. The little word Lo gives encouragement and good cheer.

The verse has two parts, the work to do in Christ's authority by teaching converts to observe what he commanded belonging with verse 19, and the gracious promise of continual presence even to the end. Teaching is didasko meaning to impart instruction while verse 19 uses matheteuo meaning to make disciples, so baptizing in verse 19 cannot mean teaching or verse 20 would be a tautology. Teaching follows preaching and making disciples yet continues throughout life as long as they remain disciples, and baptism does not mean all instruction begins afterward nor that people are made disciples by baptism before receiving the gospel. You is plural and addressed to the church as a body, not only to those who saw the ascension, with Christ dwelling in and walking among his people through the Holy Spirit as God's temple and continuing to walk among the churches faithful to his commandments and living Word.

Matthew 28:1-20 records resurrection, appearances and commission without teaching sacredness for Sunday, without presenting the resurrection day as commemoration, without establishing a first-day Sabbath or change of Sabbath, and without proving omission or completeness of apostolic preaching. The command to teach all nations to observe everything commanded means instructions were to be made widely known, not kept hidden, supporting that no change in worship was secretly withheld for later proclamation. The Ten Commandments alone are not a complete rule of action since repentance and baptism are also commanded, yet repentance follows violation of perfect law and baptism signifies redemption from its penalty, and recorded words do not contain everything preached so they cannot establish omission of the Sabbath while the apostles preached the whole counsel. The personal appearance to all apostles together on the mountain came after the appearance to the seven at the Sea of Galilee and before the appearance to above five hundred, gives no day of the week and describes no religious meeting, and an invented continuation about teaching supplies no Sunday command.

All power in heaven and earth is given to the crucified and risen Christ, restored to him by the Father after he committed it to the Father, confirming authority to take up his life again. With boundless authority as Head over all things to the church at the Father's right hand he sends and authorizes the mission, places his power at his messengers' command for strength, success and preservation, and guarantees the worldwide work will be obeyed and finished. The promise belongs only to the messenger who carries the true message and teaches all things commanded, not to one who for selfish reasons keeps back part of the whole counsel, but he who gives all and teaches all has access to all power with companionship and aid. Though ascended, his Spirit and influence stay with disciples and successors through every trial and age until the gospel message closes, so those who know his power seek no other power and those who receive such preaching receive Christ himself as living, personal, indwelling Saviour.

Jesus' promise to remain until the end of the world establishes that the world will indeed have an end, which comes at his coming, with the present wicked world to be swept away as in the flood while the record of Moses stands without revision. The commission to go beyond the Jews was slow to be understood, and after Stephen persecution scattered disciples to preach wherever they went including to Samaritans when the seventy weeks ended Jewish exclusiveness and the nation was set aside as God's special people for the gospel to go directly to other nations.

Scope and Duration Worldwide

The commission was first given to the eleven apostles and through them extends to successors, ministers and all believers in every generation through the whole Christian age to the end, applying fully to present workers, to those at the end including proclaimers of the third angel's message, and to last-day believers with increased light, and it was not limited to the first disciples who died and has never been annulled. Those who know the power of the risen Christ to whom all authority in heaven and earth belongs seek no other power to propagate the gospel, and those who by faith receive such preaching receive Christ with the message; with Christ workers can do what the commission requires through its hardships, but without him they can do nothing, and teaching human commandments instead of Christ's commands is vain worship without the promise.

The end means the end of the gospel age or dispensation while preaching continues until teaching all nations is finished, until the Saviour comes to receive his people into his personal presence and give the inheritance, not for a thousand years after that age ends and not merely the Jewish age which had already ended at the cross. The promise remains in full force until he appears and faith becomes sight, belonging only to the messenger who carries the true message and teaches all things commanded, and the work is complete when the gospel of the kingdom has been preached as a witness to all nations. The commission lasts as long as the world stands, and Christ is spiritually with his people throughout this age with all power placed at their command for their use.

The commission sends the gospel as a witness to all nations, peoples, places, classes and localities in every land from Greenland to southernmost shores, including Spanish people, India, China, Africa, the Philippines, Korea, Japan, South America, Dutch Guiana, Paraguay, Sudan, Tibet, Greece, Spain, Bolivia, Manchuria, Patagonia, the Pacific islands and immigrants at home. No group may parcel out territory to deny teachers the right to work there and dividing the world into fields Christians agree not to enter is forbidden, for the responsibility rests on every member to do his part in teaching every person to do all that was commanded, where to observe means to do and not only to see and hear.

Every believer shares responsibility through going, serving, prayer, financial support and missionary labor, with children as fellow workers and family, and the duty rests on each member not on the church apart from members, on laymen as well as ministers, on women as well as men, on youth and schools, and another's faithfulness or failure does not discharge it. Those unable to travel take part through prayer and financial support while many more can go than may realize it, and even children who serve are family with Jesus as oldest brother and friend sharing joys, sorrows and work through the Holy Spirit in their homes.

The gospel is one throughout history but its proclamation develops in stages, showing full power before the second coming by making a people holy, blameless and without fault amid darkness and deception, and this demonstrates that wickedness does not result from any failure in the remedy for sin. The closing invitation and final message of mercy are still to be given, the full message and worldwide warning of the third angel's message must reach every nation before the end and will triumph despite opposition, and carrying it out hastens his coming while neglect delays it.

The promise proves the gospel and its saving power were not removed during apostasy though people fell away, for the people could fall away from the gospel but the gospel remained, and the church will endure anchored in Christ and his Word protected from deceptions and false signs. Though the great majority may turn away, a small persecuted remnant continues to preserve the gospel in purity, and occasional supernatural intervention shows special presence through the ages while preaching in humility remains a great hope through the centuries.

The verse commissions preaching to the nations as a witness and does not say the mission will convert the whole world to recognize Jesus as sovereign or bring all nations to allegiance. The phrase in this generation refers to people living at the time, not necessarily the final generation of world history. Those who held otherwise taught that the verse commissions and empowers the church to convert the world in this dispensation by Christian effort, consecration and prayer, but expanding connections and communication can advance evil as well as good and are not by themselves a guarantee of conversion, and gradual human agencies do not fulfill it since Daniel's stone suddenly strikes and destroys the image rather than slowly filling the earth.

The verse commands evangelizing the women of India by preparing native women workers to enter zenanas and villages, exposing a shortage of workers, since no male missionary may preach except to lowest caste women who listen with timidity, and missionaries' wives are prevented by household affairs and children from meeting the demand for a female agency, with one minister to every seven hundred people in the United States but only one ordained minister to every one million in China. The commission to teach Christianity applies to need for teachers and workers to bring it to Indigenous people of Chile. True Christians must teach religion to heathen in distant lands such as Siam, China, Japan and Africa, a duty not cancelled by rum trade evils or the sender's immorality and licensing of rum selling.

The verse connects teaching all nations with taking the gospel everywhere, applying to the Pacific islands so small islands must be visited before the end, with living witnesses supporting the work and missionaries established so the message can be carried throughout, including Fiji and New Guinea and those who do not ask for it. The call to carry the gospel worldwide urges proclaiming salvation through Christ including in China while gathering time is short, with open doors calling for work expected to bear abundant fruit and preparing the world for return. Preaching among China's vast population and distinctive civilization requires great effort and adapted methods through gospel teaching, schools and local workers, orally nation by nation in over ninety languages and dialects with increasing baptisms from heathenism.

The verse commands carrying the gospel to the unreached, and reaching the Sudan is urgent because they may soon turn to Islam. The verse is connected with proclaiming salvation and the Messiah's name to every nation including the most distant peoples and the remotest nations. The commission is reflected in the spread of the gospel through missions to nearly every nation as countries open to its heralds, after centuries of neglect, with people from many lands hearing in their own languages and carrying it back, and extension into remote regions giving promise of still greater success. Even where Tibet is closed, Scriptures translated into Tibetan stand ready for distribution when the way opens.

The verse gives basis for worldwide teaching and disciple-making as sacred mission to salvation, illustrated by scattered believers carrying the message to the unreached and by a preacher's words inspiring a young listener to continue the work. The verse commissions taking Christ's teaching worldwide to distant lands so all may know salvation, sending Christians as missionaries for spiritual conquest with promised presence, calling obedient discipleship to give every people opportunity to know Christ and hastening evangelization of all lands. The commission to teach the gospel with the promise of presence supports carrying it to distant lands, applied to people turning from idols, asking for baptism, and seeking instruction in the faith of Jesus.

The verse applies to carrying the gospel to India, with Christ's commission as reason to send it to those ignorant of God's love and to carry the last message to the world. The commission is reflected in reaching India by English and vernacular preaching, publications, and missions. The verse sends the gospel to Corea to be believed and obeyed, with missionaries baptizing and gathering churches, and abiding presence makes work fruitful from first convert to hundreds seeking baptism, growing to a church of ten and congregations over one hundred. The commission with presence applies to sending workers to Japan and Korea to instruct believers and patiently bring the interested to faith.

Each believer is responsible to share in finishing the work, and with the end near calls for greater faithfulness and preparation for trying times, with special urgency as history nears its close. The remnant church will accept the great commission with its promises and take every gospel truth everywhere by the Spirit's power before Christ returns. Preaching to all nations includes carrying it to Spanish-speaking peoples as duty. Teaching nations with Christ's presence calls for evangelizing the world in the present generation with every member alongside ministry, giving confidence to bring the Advent message to waiting nations of Latin America.

The commission is one continuous progressive reformation to the end, walking in fuller light and spreading advanced truth rather than refusing further light, growing in knowledge, holding fellowship in that light, rather than claiming to have all truth and excluding those who receive increased light. Taking the message to all nations as part of gospel mission prepares for completion before the Lord's coming. Carrying the gospel beyond Jerusalem and Judea to the whole world is both solemn responsibility and blessed privilege. The parting commission to teach all nations gathers scattered sheep until the end when the kingdom is made up. The apostles' earnest spread did not discharge later Christians; last-day people must labor as earnestly for the unreached.

Sharing the message among nearby foreign-speaking people is required, shown by growth of Italian and Bohemian churches that the time had come. Those unable to preach or teach fully share the missionary work by giving money, helping send messengers near and far and giving resources produced through work when one cannot go personally. The command to teach all to obey applies to white and colored people of the Southern States who must not be passed by, to be taught about Christ and included in saving souls, with faith shown by giving for the poor, despised and forsaken before it is too late.

The verse commands carrying the message to Africa and teaching natives in mission schools, calling Sabbath-keepers to self-supporting work on their own resources on a small scale where missionaries are few, fulfilled as students return to their own people and mine workers travel hundreds of miles carrying the message, with assurance the work will soon be finished. Light must spread to all tribes, fulfilled by providence bringing slaves to be taught and then carry it to unreachable sea islands where white men cannot live. The verse is reflected in carrying Christ's teaching to remote peoples and tribes far from established centers, including people who have heard of the Sabbath and wait to learn more about the soon-coming Savior. Christians have duty to carry the saving message to other lands, to teach what Jesus commanded with his presence promised.

Saving souls includes proclaiming the first, second, and third angels' messages with devoted effort not criticism or weakening fellow workers. The verse sounds a new call to world service every layman must answer by recognizing needs, prayerful discussion, and surrender with larger devotion of life at home and abroad. Every believer shares the King's business to heathen worldwide, goers going and stayers supporting by selling papers and collections such as ten-cent mission papers and the Harvest Ingathering offering to pay fares, homes, food and support to send truth abroad to East, West, Southland, frozen North and far isles. The commission is a continuing call with each saved person responsible to use abilities wisely to reach as many as possible.

The verse applies to the worldwide closing message where needs call for sending workers despite heavy cost, including taking the warning to every nation with none forsaken and sending a messenger to Germany to preach Revelation 14:9. Christ's presence with teaching obedience to the end applies to bringing the last warning to Wales. The verse commissions teaching the one eternal Gospel to earth's remotest bounds until the end of the age, supported by offerings for worldwide mission.

Teaching Obedience and Baptism

The verse commands making disciples who are taught to observe all that Christ commanded, and it promises his abiding presence always even to the end of the world. To observe means to do and not only to see and hear, and teaching obedience is part of making disciples rather than merely teaching the gospel as an idea. Such teaching requires trust in Christ, and obedience is the first test of love. The commission is to be carried throughout the world, and those who proclaim it according to its instructions are promised heaven's and earth's power, with signs following believers and God's word not returning void. The commission and its promise extend beyond the eleven to followers in every generation through the end, while teaching human commandments instead of Christ's is vain worship without the promise.

Ministers must do and teach what Christ did and taught in his public ministry, preserving harmony across dispensations. What the apostles were to teach was the lessons Christ gave during his ministry, and teaching through the apostles by the Holy Spirit remained Christ's teaching. This includes what he taught in person and what he taught through Old Testament prophets with the record of his words and deeds, authorizing no human traditions, theories, conclusions or church laws. Christ taught what he received from the Father, so the gospel truth to be taught proceeds from the Father and the apostles are not independent lawgivers. His teaching during his public ministry was intended especially for the Christian dispensation.

Teaching converts to observe all commanded includes lifelong instruction after belief, baptism and transformed lives in obedience with God's power. It covers belief and conduct and principles needed for fully developed Christian character, by voice, pen and example. It requires thorough continued instruction, training disciples to teach others, and instruction of converts after baptism in prayer, Bible study and soul-winning, since baptism without such teaching is insufficient. Teaching follows preaching of the gospel and making of disciples, yet baptism does not mean all instruction begins afterward, so the command to teach disciples does not establish that people are made disciples by baptism before receiving the gospel. This teaching is a witness to the world, and it is the same charge to preach the word and the gospel.

The verse gives continuing divine authority for baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. If the commission had expired there would be no divine authority to administer baptism, and those who keep baptizing while calling it obsolete act without its authority even as they use its formula. It establishes the order of making disciples then baptizing then teaching observance and fellowship, with disciples first taught the gospel then baptized after accepting it then instructed in Christian living. Baptism is a heaven-ordained outward sign and marriage-like bond putting on Christ, an initial command not to be delayed, by immersion following his example, and faith comes before baptism. The commission joins gospel preaching, faith, baptism, salvation and spiritual gifts together, each continuing through the whole Christian age while sinners remain, and it lasts as long as the world stands until the work is done.

Baptism into the name means into the Father's character with imputed righteousness and forgiveness, repentance and entering righteousness. It means renunciation of self as Christ emptied himself, and fitness for service by the Spirit's power and gifts with further blessings as new light is accepted. It is more than formal rite, does not itself remove sin but faith shown justifies, is public confession following Christ's example evidencing discipleship, and assures the baptized of every needed help. The promise means the baptized are not left to their own resources to do all true baptism signifies, but every assistance needed is embraced in it for those who test it. The charge and promise together set what heaven expects of the baptized and their great need of pledged help, calling them to be more guarded and earnest in life and activity.

Preaching the gospel consistently includes preaching baptism as duty. Philip's mission to preach Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuch would have been incomplete without teaching baptism, which the eunuch then knew was his duty, and accepting this command was part of readiness for baptism. Paul's baptizing few does not mean baptism unimportant since others could baptize those he taught. Baptism is lasting memorial of burial and resurrection, a new ordinance for the gospel age with continuing force, explicitly defined and enforced with special instruction. Those taught to observe all things admit Bible teaching especially the Sabbath then are baptized.

Those Christ sends and ordains have the right to baptize continuing through history, including formally ordained ministers to teach, baptize and organize churches. The sending of the twelve was not limited to them but continues through others ordained and sent all the way through history, and he is still sending such men now. Apostleship continues as making others Christians, meaning purpose as much as power and making Christ a living power in others' minds and hearts, with witness in home, community and uttermost earth under the Spirit's anointing in true apostolic succession. An apostle is a pioneer missionary sent to preach rather than a stationary ruling body remaining in one place, as Peter proved by itinerant work even to Babylon rather than sitting in royal luxury. Teaching converts includes careful instruction about baptism's meaning and solemnity, requiring ministers to labor as Christ did with whole being to bring people to him.

The verse commands baptism but does not command laying hands on baptized people to receive the Holy Ghost as required custom. Unlike baptism, laying on hands is not commanded of the ministry as required practice for every convert. It does not decree three immersions but supports one immersion, and identifies baptism with immersion rather than sprinkling or pouring as human substitution. It gives no command to baptize infants and confines baptism to believers who repent and exercise faith, so household baptisms do not include infants and infant baptism cannot take its place. The Jewish nation as a whole was not baptized though individuals renounced distinctions separating them from Gentiles.

The verse sets Christ's conditions for membership in his kingdom, that servants are to teach all nations and baptize them, then teach obedience to everything he commanded, gathering people loyal to God and obedient to his kingdom's laws. It commands open teaching of what he commanded and this teaching is not a secret reserved for an inner circle. It gives the law of Christ to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, promising that he who believes and is baptized shall be saved. Repentance means reform or change of purpose, for those who slew their King not to kill Jesus again when they could, applying to those who already believe he is the one spoken of by the prophets. Baptism on behalf of the dead is not commanded, since it would have required clear teaching and recorded practice, baptism being explicitly defined and enforced as an established ordinance.

Jesus gave the command of baptism in the most express terms, establishing the duty of believers from that time onward. The disciples were not baptized again after the crucifixion because they were already joined to him and taught the full meaning of faith. Only those themselves set free from sin are prepared to teach all peoples to obey everything commanded, because they walk as Christ walked, walk with God, walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit, and walk in newness of life through baptism into Christ. Their teaching keeps the full record of what Christ commanded, which is truth making free, the sanctifying Word understood through the Spirit of truth, leading others into glorious liberty of God's children where the Spirit of the Lord is. The Baptists' effort to baptize all people is a God-given field of usefulness that church federation would exchange for social work rather than add another field of service.

The verse is being carried out as the gospel reaches new people when converts from heathenism follow in baptism, publicly profess faith, and are gathered into an organized church. Churches continue this locally by bringing others to Christ, baptizing them, and living out truth while traveling workers establish churches elsewhere. People receive instruction, are baptized, and are expected to join an organized church, with preaching and teaching leading to baptism and membership encouraged by Christ's promised presence. Mission work presenting truth brings baptism including Sabbath stand and gathers churches, as in Nottingham and Derby, Vermont, Canton and elsewhere where converts rescued from heathenism were baptized. Baptisms and support for foreign missions show the church carrying out the commission to make disciples.

The verse includes the duty of fully obeying all the Lord's commands, presented as desired result of people turning to the Lord. The command to teach is seen in mission work bringing people from heathen darkness to study the Word and worship, shown by growing schools and students. Leading others to Christ requires deep spiritual life through change of heart and reception of the Holy Spirit, with earnest evangelism for youth. Teaching obedience involves making disciples by preaching salvation, leading to obedience, baptizing, caring for churches, with Christ's presence in the work. New believers are to be taught more fully to obey Christ's commands, with hearers prepared for baptism, including married women learning reading, writing and the Bible who gain burden to tell others and prove faith by sacrificial giving.

The verse obligates ministers to preach and make disciples but sets no required time or place for preaching or baptizing, which may be done whenever opportunity allows. Obedience to all Christ commanded requires prior preparation through the blessing of peace as pledge of divine presence changing hatred to love, strife to fellowship and doubt to assurance, culminating in pentecostal baptism. Going to new places to teach all commanded and baptize includes calling to keep Sabbath, tithe, abandon tobacco, reclaim backsliders, and join missionary work, with baptism and gathering into churches following belief. The teaching commission prepares converts to become workers who teach truth, with baptism and training equipping them. Disciples are taught to obey all commands, illustrated by baptized people beginning Sabbath-keeping.

Teaching converts with promised presence means every Christian should actively win souls, since withholding service robs glory and deprives others and God of benefit through conversion. Teaching and baptizing with Christ remaining is seen in new believers baptized in Hongkong. Christ's commands including baptism must be obeyed by faith acting first then claiming blessing, for baptism is revealed command not to be neglected until obedience feels rewarding. Discipleship means being true to profession by obeying Christ's commands and faithfully doing the Master's will. The verse means visiting many churches to preach repeatedly and baptize converts into membership, with believers organizing into a workers' band to help the needy and gather means for church work.

Those who first hear of the Savior are to pray in faith for God to open the way, be baptized after conversion, be taught to obey everything Christ commanded including the Sabbath even when obedience threatens position and family support, and then teach others and carry the soon-coming Savior's message to others, trusting his abiding presence to open each advance. The command to teach converts and baptize with Christ's presence to the end meant in Cuba gathering believers for Sabbath-school instruction, examining candidates and baptizing them in order in a pool in a running stream, fulfilled in God's hand opening Cuba after Spain's rule when Protestant gatherings were forbidden. The command to teach and to observe what was commanded belongs to making disciples, including baptism and establishing a church, as shown in the work in Puerto Rico. The command to teach people to obey his instructions connects with bringing new converts into the church through baptism, as shown in the Canton baptisms including converts rescued from heathenism.

Promise of Abiding Presence

The promise is of the constant, uninterrupted, real presence of Jesus with his followers always, without interruption even to the end, personally and sympathetically beside them as comrade, friend, brother and guest, not merely at favored times but in every day and event, in ordinary work and company, in reading and studying, through spring, summer, autumn and winter.

After the ascension that presence is spiritual, by the Holy Spirit and his influence as Christ's representative, remaining from infancy until the church militant becomes triumphant. Though personally in heaven and bodily absent he dwells in the heart by faith, walks among the candlesticks which are the churches, and is present wherever two or three gather and wherever a needy person calls.

His presence through the Spirit is manifested in gifts remaining if purity and holiness are maintained, in signs confirming the word, healing, prophecy purifying the church, and gentle working in hearts. The Comforter dwells with and in believers making union closer than when physically present, teaches and reminds of Christ's words, guides into all truth including forgotten things and future developments, and glorifies Christ teaching nothing contrary to truth already given.

The promise was fulfilled throughout Acts in deliverances, judgments, signs and wonders and daily direction including the angel freeing apostles, Peter rescued, Paul surviving shipwreck, judgment on Ananias and Sapphira, Herod and Elymas, burning of Ephesian books, and care for the Ethiopian, Saul and Cornelius. It began at Pentecost after waiting for power, continued with thousands converted, and extends to as many as God calls. The history in Acts shows the promise fulfilled among the apostles, and later missionary work continues to display it, with no hint that miraculous demonstration would soon be suspended.

His spiritual presence now does not deny a future personal, visible, literal return like his bodily ascension. The promise is distinct from the promised visible return to take followers to himself, from coming in the clouds, and from a spiritual second coming or millennium before the end. His personal triumphant presence will make memorial observance no longer needed, and to claim a spiritual advent and millennium before his literal coming would require showing these promises had failed and his Spirit had left the world.

The promise rests on possession of all power in heaven and earth placed at messengers' command for strength and success so that with him failure is impossible. His authority superintends the mission with providence guiding and overruling opposition, and his presence is the power needed not power from political or religious alliances.

The promise is conditional for those who go where sent, accept and follow the command, remain with him, love and obey him and teach the whole counsel. It cannot be claimed by those persisting in sin, leaving him, seeking selfish ease, giving all time to worldly work or withholding part of the message. Wilful sin deprives of blessings, separation comes when they first leave him, and neglect of worldwide work means loss of presence and power.

He remains not merely for first years but until the end which has not yet come, so the promise remains in full force until he appears. Believers have assurance by loving him, keeping commandments and letting his words abide, and his always-presence comforts one who feels alone requiring the heart to remain open. It sustains the very small company who hold truth against vast opposition, trusting the promise rather than numbers and going forward humbly but boldly.

The risen Christ remains invisibly present as Leader to the end with apostles, prophets, martyrs, reformers, evangelists, pastors and teachers, with Wesley still leading Methodists, Luther Protestants, and Carey missionaries as invisible hosts. God's representative is present to hear every sermon and promote thought in every Bible lesson.

He supports those in ministry and meets their necessities without leaving them alone, though they do not yet dwell in his personal presence and behold his face. His presence sustains them as they leave home, travel far, face opposition, or labor without visible results, and when their work succeeds they are to remain humble.

The promise was fulfilled when workers in St. Petersburg were given a hall for public meetings free of charge despite high costs. That presence gives joy and ground for hopeful labor when workers face prejudice, fear, and lack of money for a hall, literature, hymns, and seating, and is proved when resistant people begin to take interest, showing the Lord himself at work.

Dependable friendship with Christ makes works done without him nothing. He himself is always with the believer, supplying every missing earthly relationship with his own continual companionship, love, and care, so that even one deprived of parents, family, and friends in the flesh has reason to rejoice evermore.

The promise to be always with his people is dependable because it is made by the King of the universe, whose power and resources include countless heavenly beings ready to answer his call, so they need not feel desolate, alone, or poor in need.

The promise through the end includes a special work of the Spirit in the last days of leading back to long-forgotten truths, giving power to preach, comforting through unparalleled trouble, and preparing a people to stand. Unto the end marks a significant time as Daniel continued until Cyrus's first year for proclaiming return and rebuilding.

The promise of continual presence is grounded in Christ's risen victory over the grave and freely giving his life, calling as the Good Shepherd for people to come to him and cross over with him. The promise to remain always to the end was declared beforehand by Jesus, the prophets and the apostles as part of what believers are called to trust.

The promise of presence extends through the close of the great conflict to the end of the world, belonging especially to rescuing people from slavery to sin by letting light shine through good deeds so people glorify God. The promise of presence all the way guided a decision to go on a dangerous journey to Pitcairn Island, sustained through delays and danger, and provided a way back when other passage failed.

The verse promises Christ's presence and support to his true ministers as they carry the worldwide message; he is with them through holy angels and the teaching of the Holy Spirit and leads them, and they may approach the throne of grace for fresh strength and direct guidance. This assurance sustains confronting sin where evil is deeply entrenched, and applies to those who trust in God and devote themselves to winning souls.

The promise to be with his servants gives assurance of presence and help in immediate danger, applied when a missionary on a perilous journey sought divine direction, trusted the answer, and was led to rescue. It gave courage to enter a hostile market-place and speak despite threat of violence.

Jesus remained personally present with the disciples after the ascension and would remain to the end, and though ascended in human form he was still friend and Saviour with unchanged sympathy, appearing before God for the redeemed and presenting the merits of his blood and wounded hands and feet as their price, with this knowledge strengthening disciples to endure reproach.

The verse promises Jesus' continuing presence with disciples in soul-saving work, and given after his resurrection it assures workers that he is ready to guide them to opportunities to reach sinners and to help them know what to do and say, lasting to the end. The verse promises spiritual strength to those who share received light to help others overcome harmful appetites.

The verse promises physical protection for gospel workers to the end, fulfilled in preservation from ravenous beasts and venomous reptiles. Jesus' presence remains as truly as with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, with his Spirit still opening the Scriptures so even a humble disciple may be taught and have a glowing heart.

The promise is precious to the canvasser when difficulties bring dependence and nearness to the Lord, and with all power gives confidence to continue missionary work through economic hardship. It is claimed by sanitarium workers going where truth has not been proclaimed and applied to medical missionaries serving and teaching others.

Christ remains with his disciples on earth with continuing sympathy and love even after his ascension and despite the world's rejection, and his followers are not taken out of the world but kept from its evil. Christ remains with his disciples through the end of the world as they carry out their work, pointing to continuing service and mission rather than endless repose.

Christ is with his people always including now when a church waits for and welcomes his presence, and his Spirit is already at work among such a church stirring longing for him, with his heart with them and ready to bless and show grace. Christ remains with his people continually through every age all the way to the end, and his presence means active care as he delivered Israel from Egypt, provided in the wilderness, sustained Elijah during famine, and protected Daniel and his companions from deadly danger.

The promise that he remains with followers to the end encourages Seventh-day Adventists in China even though a proposed union of churches will not include them. It gives courage to those laboring in God's cause, for the God who has been with them will remain with them, shown by victories and progress.

The verse assures Christ's continuing presence with faithful gospel laborers, so that devoted personal work in his spirit shares in the promise and even the weakest faithful efforts help prepare the final worldwide triumph. The verse assures followers he is with them always including when returning to chosen missionary service, strengthening them to spend their lives doing his will.

The verse promises Christ is with the humble tried people of God to the end, so staying on their side keeps a person where Christ is. The verse assures followers Jesus will remain with and guide them as they bear trials and suffering for him and will fulfill his promises. Although followers may lack luxuries and live in poverty, their needs will be supplied and they have the better gift of Christ's abiding presence.

Christ's promised presence to the end is the power of the Holy Spirit, needed in increasing measure for advancing work. The verse promises Jesus will remain with his children always to the end, sustaining their work, removing fear, and assuring through trials and deliverance. The prayer echoes the promise in asking God to remain with his people as dangers increase and to send the Holy Spirit's power toward safe deliverance and eternal life with the Lamb.

The verse assures followers God is with them even far from believers in isolation, giving courage in missionary work and hardships. The verse assures those teaching Christ's lessons of the Lord's presence, impressing lessons on children's hearts by the Spirit with guidance.

The verse promises continual presence with those obeying the commission, giving his name and strength to preach to every creature at once without delay. The verse assures continuing presence, pictured as walking with Jesus and feeling his nearness always.

The promise to those who go belongs to those in right relation to the great I AM in submission under God's control, so heaven blesses efforts in unlabored districts, publications and giving. The verse promises Jesus remains with followers through obedience and suffering to the end, bearing burdens and giving rest and thanksgiving.

Jesus is always beside followers even in ordinary work such as washing dishes, teaching daily lessons and noticing common work. The promise is protection on which a missionary renouncing all can cast himself, sustaining planting the gospel amid severance, imprisonment and suffering instead of retiring.

The verse assures followers he remains with them through labor and struggle until the end and will bring them home to glory. The verse shows Jesus would remain with his people to the end as the one to go to daily, giving wisdom when asked.

Christ is always with workers even to the end, so those beginning alone in a hard field are not alone and may leave success to the Lord. The verse assures followers he remains always to the end as heavenly Companion to be relied on rather than human beings.

Christ is an ever-abiding companion never leaving followers alone, counseling, comforting and sustaining in darkness and rough roads beyond any earthly friend. Serving him can include children's everyday acts of care and kind speech at home.

Growth of the work and many baptized evidence Christ has kept his promise to remain, grounding future trust. The precious promise of remaining to the end gives courage to arise with the third angel's message from lukewarmness to holiness to meet on the new earth.

By his presence followers share his knowledge of the future, with prophetic insight opened by him in whom are treasures of wisdom. Jesus is always near as close personal Friend who understands and counsels, and the Bible makes his presence real.

The verse gives confidence to sustain preaching that warns people to prepare for the day of God and calls them to repent, believe, and obey. The verse promises Jesus remains with his people through patient waiting until the end, and because he lives they too will live.

The verse pledges continual presence with supply of the Spirit for consecration, holiness, and covenant faithfulness, from which the church has turned away. The verse assures Christ is always with his people to the end, shown by his presence among the seven churches extending through every age of the Christian era.

The verse promises Christ's presence beside Christian workers, where he examines whether their service comes from love. The power that enabled the early disciples is still available through every age because Jesus remains interested and unchanged, but the command and promise must be taken deeply into the heart to give strength and win souls, not merely repeated.

Christ's presence and guidance remain with his church as its leader until the end of the world through the counsels of his Word and the Spirit of prophecy, including in principles of order and organization and in the leadership of the Advent movement. Christ's continual presence and fellowship with the Spirit's guidance and God's knowledge of needs does not make angelic ministry temporary or unnecessary.

Christ's promise to be with workers encourages laborers in difficult fields, since even Judea where Christ and disciples worked was no easier. Christ's continual presence to the end means those earnestly desiring counsel from the great Teacher are not left alone but led and guided, and by seeking, asking and careful prayerful study with the Holy Spirit can understand prophecy.

Christ is always present even in suffering and near death, so the dying rest in him through pain and darkness. Christ is continually with followers to the end with presence and protection as they follow him rather than run ahead or act independently, for doing so faces the enemy without his leading and brings defeat.

The verse is Jesus' promise as Saviour and Friend to remain with his people to the end, given as a reason for thanksgiving. His continuing presence through the Holy Spirit saves from sin, so that as believers abide in him and he in them sin is removed and his righteousness takes its place, immersing them in the Spirit so words and actions are seen as in Jesus, cleansing the heart, separating God's people from the world, and putting sinful deeds to death while the sinner lives.

Christ's continuing presence as followers obey and carry the gospel gives confidence far from home. His presence calls believers forward in conflict to obey the Spirit and resist discouragement in weakness. Christ promises continual presence to the self-denying active worker saving the perishing.

When a preacher goes under the commission Jesus is with him so the weak can do all things. Christ's keeping power protects workers in dangerous places to the end, better than a favored homeland without it. God is with those working for him in their opportunity to serve.

The promised presence gives courage in sharing the gospel in Korea and Africa. It is the only defense and only hope for winning the Mohammedan world, sustaining lonely missionaries standing alone in Arabia, Persia and North Africa while love is their weapon and the Word their sword.

Christ's personal presence guiding and shaping work is the heart of religion, not mere principle. The Lord is with workers in assigned work, shown by favorable tent-meeting attendance. God is with those laboring for souls, sustaining demanding work with power and success.

The promise accompanies teaching, applying to youth each having a part in God's service. The verse assures gospel workers of abiding presence, blessing, power, strength, and success. This promise gives strength as they teach and serve amid hardship.

Disciples remain in the world though not of it to save souls, keeping blessing fresh by sharing. Going to foreign fields though little is seen is sustained by the promise, as seed grows after death until worldwide. Christ remains until the end through the Holy Spirit as Comforter, and those comforted should comfort sufferers.

Christ's unseen companionship assures love and saving power seen as believers serve sufferers. Jesus' presence goes with followers leaving meetings to serve a needy world. Going and doing in obedient trust enables the weak to do the humanly impossible.

Christ's presence in teaching applies to investing in salvation of African people through mission. Those who love Christ love to be with him and love his promised presence. The promise to remain until the end does not identify the discovery of Christian Science with his second coming.

God's continual presence is represented by the seven lamps burning perpetually in the earthly sanctuary as fullness of his Spirit, presence and power. The verse shows Christ is ever present with those who follow and obey him, so serving others by feeding the hungry, guiding youth, comforting the sorrowful and spreading truth is serving Christ.

The verse assures that Christ's bodily translation to heaven does not deprive the earth of his energy, power or virtue. Knowing Jesus is with his people gives readiness for every good word and work amid sorrow, with the Holy Spirit teaching and guiding thoughts to speak refreshing words. Jesus remains with his people throughout the present age so they can still come to the Father through him, for he himself is the door uniting God and humanity, not ceremonies or human achievements, and he alone provides cleansing from sin.

Jesus is with the pilgrim on the way to heaven as home, so the pilgrim can go bravely. The verse assures Jesus is with believers even when they cannot see him, giving comfort amid suffering and grounding appeal for mercy and healing. The verse's promise of continuing presence to the end until Christ comes is echoed in the plea for the Savior to guide through suffering, giving comfort in affliction and hope of being with him in heaven.

The commission to baptize and gather believers is still unfinished and advancing with new candidates awaiting baptism, and nothing done against the truth can stop it but only serves its progress because Christ's promised presence sustains his people. Christ's abiding presence with his people is a pledge offered by the Blessed Sacrament, as those hold who so teach it. Christ is with his followers whether on earth or in heaven, and seeking his glory brings enjoyment of his presence and fulfills life's valuable purpose.

The verse assures those carrying on the Lord's work that he is with them always, giving workers in India good cheer and confidence as they travel and serve even when food and other necessities are scarce. The verse assures that God is with his people in their work and will help them in a difficult field. The verse means Jesus abides with his workers with a kind heavenly Father's hand on the helm of circumstances, so they still triumph through both Gethsemanes of trial and suffering and Olivets of victory.

Doctrine Law Sabbath Ordinances

All that Christ commanded includes everything he taught in his public ministry, and ministers are to teach all nations to observe it. That all things includes God's law and the Ten Commandments and the seventh-day Sabbath as one of the most important commands for eternal life, which Christ himself kept and which his Father honored by raising him and giving him eternal life. The verse therefore perpetuates commandment-keeping and the doctrines he proclaimed with the same force to the end of the world, and it was given at least forty-two days after the Jewish age ended at the crucifixion with the Christian age in view. It gives no authority to teach Sunday-keeping or to change the Sabbath law or any commandment, since Christ gave no command to keep Sunday instead of the seventh day and such teaching rests only on human authority.

His commands agree fully with God's law binding on all, including the Ten Commandments, and the promise of his presence does not set obedience aside. The law reveals sin and the need for a Saviour, while Christ delivers from sin and gives example, and through faith in his power believers can meet God's mind and stand uncondemned by meeting its standard in him. His teaching upholds the moral law as immutable, with the Decalogue including the Sabbath among holy precepts to be proclaimed to all nations to the end, and its obligation does not depend on being re-enacted after the crucifixion. That light dispels superstition, error and tradition and calls the disobedient back to allegiance to God's law.

The verse directs teaching all commanded but gives no command to change the Sabbath from seventh to first day, so resurrection on the first day and first-day meetings do not establish it. The apostles were commissioned to teach only what he commanded and to declare his words, not to make new laws or appoint a Sabbath day, and lawmaking belongs to Christ alone as Lawgiver able to save and destroy. They therefore had no authority to change the Sabbath to Sunday, and even such a change would not bind Christians, while asking for human law or civil protection for Sunday shows unbelief that the Lord is with them.

Teaching observance of everything commanded carries forward his affirmation that the Father's law remains binding, extended through making disciples to Gentiles sharing equally in its blessings. The Sabbath did not need to be singled out and re-enacted since it belongs to that law with no formal repeal recorded, and the apostles' teaching and example preserve his commands without recording a change. The forty days after the resurrection give no specific instruction about changing the Sabbath or observing Sunday, and the disciples feared disobeying and becoming false witnesses by preaching that it had been changed. Recorded words do not contain everything preached, so absence of detail cannot prove they kept the Sabbath back from their teaching.

Obedience to all commanded means obedience to everything, not only what suits convenience, keeping all God's commandments as rule for life and standard of judgment. Profession of love not extending to all is pretense, and definite instructions must not be changed, supplemented or replaced by human ordinances yielding to culture or claims that some commands are nonessential. The Ten Commandments alone are not a complete rule since repentance and baptism are also commanded, yet they do not become part of the law merely because required, since repentance follows violation of perfect law and baptism signifies redemption from its penalty. The Christian rule consists of what Jesus commanded rather than only what Moses or prophets commanded, and it includes accepting all New Testament requirements including baptism rather than selecting which to follow.

Continuance to the end proves perpetuity of spiritual gifts and miraculous powers including healing with signs following believers, running parallel with permanent preaching, faith, baptism and salvation as long as sinners remain to be saved. The commission to preach and teach belongs to the whole Christian age, not only the first generation, since I am with you alway means to the end of the age and cannot mean merely the Jewish age already ended at the cross. Preaching the primitive gospel under it continues to receive the same spiritual aid, lost through apostasy and to be revived with return to primitive faith and practice, including among the commandment-keeping remnant just before Jesus comes. His continuing presence means readiness to manifest power, and those proclaiming according to its instructions are promised heaven's and earth's power so God's word will not return void.

Teaching converts includes ordinances given since the great Sacrifice, as essential now as forward-pointing ceremonies were for Zacharias, following and enforcing the command to baptize all nations in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Baptism and the Lord's Supper in remembrance belong to all things, and every appointed ordinance is a saving means through grace, faith and obedience to be observed until the close of time despite unworthiness. These ordinances with God's moral law mark the true church, and replacing an instituted ordinance with a different one is presumption.

Christ's commands taught and observed with promise to the end support continuing foot washing as commanded practice, including washing one another's feet in self-denial and humility after his example and word. It is not merely bodily cleansing but token of humility and brotherly love connected with bread and wine under divine authority, not to be set aside without a voiding command. Its comprehensive charge calls submission of will to God making servants not greater than Lord, imitating his obedience and settling conscience. Passing over it in silence fails the commission, and hiding counsel or neglecting commands causes forsaking while teaching all counsel carries presence to the end.

Disciples are given no authority to teach doctrines of their own making, human commandments in place of God's, to coerce obedience, or to decide truth and excommunicate dissenters. No one may require religious observance of anything not commanded and indorsed by the Son on earth, and adding novel teachings such as treating killing insects as sin is forbidden. Such teaching is vain worship without promise, contradicting his teaching and work, and the commission with promise extends to every minister to the end without change. If he did not command first-day observance as Sabbath, ministers are not to teach it as part of his gospel, nor to change the Sabbath law or any commandment.

The command is unrepealed and unrepeatable, spoken with final divine authority after resurrection before ascension to receive power to bestow, at an appointed meeting arranged before death. It is not separate from Christ himself as incarnation of the missionary idea, a fuller revelation of himself and the Father's purpose backed by earthly self-giving life, sufficient basis for all missionary work. It is as vital and binding as the first commandment of the Decalogue, so turning away denies his infinite sacrifice and obedience to go determines salvation. Atonement as ransom finished on the cross is foundation of redemption, Christ giving his life as full and complete price for the whole family.

Those who held otherwise taught that the verse commands the law of Christ in Matthew 5 beginning with the Beatitudes giving eternal life if obeyed plus love one another, given on the mount probably at a habitual first-day meeting before leaving. On that view it does not require the Mosaic law and Ten Commandments on stone with civil penalties such as stoning for gathering sticks on the Sabbath, since Christ fulfilled and did away his Father's law as the only keeper and end of the law for righteousness, saving now without works of law by faith through obeying the law of Christ.

Because converts are to be taught to observe his commands, women and minors who believe and obey may partake of the Lord's supper since no excluding restriction is stated. The Sermon on the Mount as part of teaching all nations is for every nation, not only for Jews during closing years of the old dispensation. With beatitudes and salt and light it is gospel truth for every nation, the essence and inaugural of the dispensation delivered at the beginning to future expounders, where hearing requires doing as the wise builder on the rock. Attending the Lord's ordinances is church membership duty for growth in grace by continuing in appointed ways.

The verse assures those keeping the holy day that the Lord remains with them and watches over them, giving confidence for six days of work with blessing and safe Sabbath rest despite fear, hardship or opposition. His promised presence to the end gives confidence to keep God's laws including the Sabbath under worldly pressure and trials borne. Teaching and inviting all to follow Christ includes telling every person about the Sabbath as creation memorial and sign of his power to create, redeem, regenerate and sanctify. Teaching obedience is reflected when converts stand on God's commandments and begin Sabbath observance through labor, meetings, literature, Bible readings, Sabbath-schools, worship houses and youth training in places such as Minnesota, Illinois, California, Chile and Mexico, with new believers baptized and witnessing to the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

The gospel commission has worldwide field of operation, and circumcision and other ceremonies obstructing it were taken away through his death, which does not remove moral duties of the Ten Commandments. Its command to teach all he commanded includes proclaiming the three angels' messages to all nations until all are warned and he returns to gather his chosen, which others not teaching fully leave to Seventh-day Adventists. The claim that the American Christian Sabbath was winning the world including Japan by carrying out the commission is associated with the verse.

Church Authority and Means

Because all power in heaven and earth belongs to Christ, he commissions his servants and can supply everything needed to carry out his charge, and the church is to learn and execute the plan he has made rather than take his place in planning or directing the work, for Christ is its head and the church is his body equipped with the gifts needed for the gospel commission. The risen Jesus commissioned the apostles to teach all nations, baptize them, and teach them to obey everything commanded, with universal authority and the promise to remain always to the end, and that commission establishes the calling and work of gospel ministers as coming from Christ the head of the church. Followers are to teach disciples to obey everything commanded with assurance that he is with them always until the end of the world. The final commission to make disciples, baptize, and teach obedience to all commands identifies continuing teachers as those entrusted with the work including administering baptism, and it does not end with the first disciples but continues through the end of the world even to the second coming, with his promised presence supporting that continuing ministry. God calls men to the ministry to preach the gospel, choosing them for that specific work as apostles meaning ones sent forth, to teach all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and teaching observance of all things commanded, with the promise to be with them alway even unto the end. Gospel ministers are to devote whole time and energies to preaching, teaching, and working for souls under the commission to teach all nations, baptize, and teach obedience to everything commanded, with the promise to remain always to the end.

The high commission under which teachers still work carries expectation of gifts when in order, makes the Christian ministry the authority to teach all nations until the end including moral government and love to God and neighbor, and underlies provision for support. The church's power comes from Christ not from secular force. Its divine commission is to preach the gospel, teach all nations, baptize, and teach obedience to Christ's commands, and its purpose is to spread the religion of Christ whose chief end is salvation of souls, so it should confine itself to this work with his promised presence always accompanying it. His command is to make disciples in every nation by teaching obedience to all he commanded, and his promised presence and power are for carrying out this work among individuals in every nation, not for establishing temporal political rule over nations. His presence accompanies the gospel's work of transforming people from sin to righteousness, resting on the power given him in heaven and earth, as he commands followers to teach all nations to observe everything commanded with promise to be with them always even to the end. His presence by the Spirit was the guarantee of success as disciples carried out teaching and baptizing all nations with obedience to his commands in a hostile world, making converts without civil power and despite bitter persecution.

The promise assures Christ's presence with followers as they make disciples of all nations, supporting duty to serve and extend God's kingdom by winning people to love and believe in Christ. The commission authorizes gospel ministers to preach the gospel, baptize believers in every nation, and teach obedience to all commands without surrendering that right when civil authorities oppose, provided they conduct themselves civilly, with promise to be with them always. The promise of continual presence applies fully to workers who heed the command and go where sent, remaining with them at home and abroad, giving courage in discouragement and danger, and through his Spirit supplying power, conviction, and grace when human strength and words fail, so that dependence on him rather than self-reliance enables successful service and those submitted to him seeking his purpose have his power and protection with assurance of triumph over world, flesh, and devil. His presence supports preaching of his word however weak the preacher or imposing the audience, giving courage to speak without fear before rulers because the King of kings is with them. Ministers preach and baptize while civil officers keep peace, as distinct proper spheres serving the same King, and the commission does not require giving up authorized work when civil authorities oppose. When government forbids gospel preaching, obedience to Jesus who has all authority in heaven and earth comes first. Missionaries are to trust his continual presence for protection when facing persecution, destruction of property, and peril of life, instead of trusting their home country to defend them with temporal power.

Carrying the gospel depends on confidence in what he taught, by persuasion not civil force. The promise of presence and power pledged to every ambassador makes work effective and gives no need to seek help from human power or earthly governments, enabling faithfulness even when opposed by governments. Christ's presence and power make civil protection unnecessary, so persecution or loss of property is no reason to seek armed government intervention, for Jesus is fully sufficient for gospel work under his authority by the mighty Spirit. His continuing presence and power are sufficient for the mission, supplying power through his Spirit not through the state, and the church should not seek governmental power to carry out its work. God entrusts truth to men to spread by observing it and teaching others while calling on him for help, with the Spirit convicting hearers, and never authorizes carnal weapons, human laws, or civil protection in behalf of religion. The work of teaching the Christian religion belongs to believers in home and church, not to the state or its paid servants. Since Christ has all power for spread of the gospel and preservation of truth, the church does not need the state to carry out its mission.

The church should not ask state aid, use guns or military violence, compel abandonment of amusements, enforce Sunday, or insert doctrine into the Constitution, but rely on spiritual weapons, moral suasion, and the sword of the Spirit. Asking for human protection in religion shows heart belief that the Lord is not with them, and if Sunday had Bible evidence for sacredness its friends would never ask for human law in its favor. The promise of abiding presence is used to argue the church cannot teach falsehood, but applying it to the Roman Catholic Church to conclude infallibility is assumption. The same promise with the Holy Spirit is presented as ensuring the church cannot teach error and can serve as infallible guide. The commission remains in force until the end requiring ongoing teaching of all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching observance of all commanded with his presence alway even unto the end, from which the professed successor of Peter stands in wide departure. The promise identifies a church Christ would sustain but does not by itself prove any particular organization is that church. It does not identify that church as the Roman Catholic Church or establish any institution's claim to be it.

Christ himself remains head needing no vicar, visible human head, or infallible human authority, and by itself the promise does not prove any particular organization is that church while enduring authority is claimed to require accepting its teachings. Followers are to teach people to obey everything commanded with his remaining always to the end, an instruction essential for ministers, physicians, young people, and all members to study, whose Scriptural authority rules out advocating theories without foundation in God's Word, applying to evangelistic work in the world. Disciples are commissioned to teach all nations everything commanded, so people learn God's requirements through instruction rather than private impressions or intuition. Followers carry on his work in strength of his power and wisdom, teaching and preaching his Word as infallible guide against false doctrine until he comes to reap the final harvest. The final all-inclusive commission through apostles to messengers throughout the gospel age to teach all nations to observe all commanded can be known only through the written Word, for the Bible alone reveals God's will and the Head's will concerning his people, and success comes only by unswerving loyalty to Scriptural instructions, for his spoken words are spirit and life and God's Word is quick and powerful. The church is to teach everything commanded, which is the whole word of God that Christ gave as gospel authority.

His words are the message to preach, remaining the Gospel because he is the same forever speaking the Father's message whose commandment is life everlasting, so the whole Word of God is the Gospel whose power trusted for salvation is faith while refusal is reliance on self, working holiness, justice, goodness, and spirituality when received as true Word. Faithful preaching preserves sound doctrine, unity must conform to that word, and the church is taught by Christ and teaches the world rather than being its own teacher. The original commission still authorizes and confers privilege of preaching today by evangelists, pastors, and teachers, and the promise means Christ is ever present by his Holy Spirit in all its operations, working with preachers everywhere and confirming the word with signs as in the early church, running even to the end not yet reached so all advantages may still be claimed. Continuing presence comes through the Spirit, the power and presence given as the church fulfills its mission, teaching and reminding of his words, guiding into truth, and glorifying Christ while teaching nothing contrary to truth already given through Christ, prophets, and apostles, and the church cannot claim the Spirit while trusting earthly power or influence because God does not share his glory with them. Carrying out teaching and preaching throughout the world required preparation, and the Father's promise and power needed to save souls were bestowed in connection with that work. He sustains worldwide mission and remains to the end, accompanying teaching all nations to observe everything commanded, so laborers with God are not left unaided. Power for proclaiming the gospel throughout the world even to the end of the age comes from Christ received through faith, fulfilled in answer to prayer as the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost empowering mission.

Teaching and making disciples requires a Spirit-filled ministry and church so truth is shown in lives and reaches those in darkness in this generation. Power comes through faith and prayer with repentance, putting away differences and burden for souls. The business of the church and each member is to bring the gospel with convicting and converting power by studying it and connecting with its power source, leading to baptism and then obedience to all commanded, rather than studying the world to overcome worldly men in worldly way for worldly purpose by political intrigue, and the church holds no commission for work where baptism in that holy name would be out of place such as meeting unregenerate politicians in the game of politics. The commission sends individual bearers of divine truth to proclaim the gospel to all as witness to God's love before mercy ends, with all needed power. Disciples work in the same line as Jesus teaching observance of what he commanded, directed toward saving individual souls not political activity or reforming governments, with continuing presence accompanying. Ministers are assigned teaching obedience to all commanded with continual presence to the end, a mission higher than political or social reform. The ministry of preaching and teaching entrusted by God to ministers is appointed spiritual work, not a call to take on political affairs or impose moral standard through government.

The church's embassy is preaching the absent Lord, training children, gathering a few, not reforming world or state or using wealth and laws; its work is promulgating gospel, converting and upbuilding kingdom, guiding toward gospel lives while the state protects rights, and religious teaching belongs to home and church not the state. Christ chose men not literal angels as instrument to preach the gospel, promising to be with them always even to the end so human preaching will not fail. He commissions and sends followers to teach what he commanded, supporting that preachers are sent by the Lord. Preaching truth to earth's people is entrusted to human beings whom the Lord blesses until the end, supporting preaching of the time message. People are agents chosen to preach to the world until the end, so the message announcing judgment come is proclaimed by human messengers. The church's commission and high calling is to teach his commands and carry out his mission with assurance of his presence.

Entrusting teaching to human beings with promise to go with and bless them means the work can be hindered and his coming delayed when professed followers fail to cooperate, though opposition from sinners, nations, or human laws cannot stop it. The promise of continuing infallible guidance was given before any part of the New Testament was written. He is with those teaching what he commanded all the way to the end, belonging to faithful servants lifting the Word as standard of truth and freedom in every nation as beacon of hope and life to perishing souls bound for judgment, making success sure and guaranteeing passage to the kingdom, while leaving the Word now brings woe and strong binding chains. The teaching duty extending to belief and conduct is applied by those who hold it to the Pope as divinely appointed teacher and representative on earth. The command binds all disciples every day, requiring even plain laypeople to preach in public as often as people will listen, calling crowds in markets rather than only church audiences to be reconciled today, after frequent apostolic preaching rather than one formal weekly sermon.

God's laborers are commissioned to preach the gospel with God's word as standard of right, not to preach Americanism or make American custom the test in religion, so counting it great work to induce Chinese pupils to put on American dress and cut off the cue is deceptive teaching and worship of custom is idolatry. Followers are commissioned to proclaim one Lord, one gospel, one baptism, and one hope to make known the Savior from sin, not to impose customs or national ideas of the missionary's country, for making Christianity national or local misrepresents Christ and diminishes its divine character. Obedience to all commands governs use of possessions, for believers are stewards not owners and must give as commands require, with promise to remain always even to the end. Converts worldwide are to be taught observance of all commanded including liberality and zeal in bearing gospel work, shown when little companies build meeting-houses from own fields and work, support native evangelists, labor days or weeks among neighbors, and systematically develop evangelical, educational, publishing, and medical work with schools, rational treatment refuting sorcerers, and native laborers trained in mission schools seconding missionaries. Going forward according to his outlined plan carries promise to supply needed funds, so running expenses are more than paid, offerings flow for missions, tithe greatly increases, and churches are furnished for further advance.

The church receives the commission while the civil officer receives none, so the commission is to teach and convince of sin and convert through the Holy Spirit using only the sword of the Spirit never policeman's club or pistol or warrior's sword or rifle, with no authority for the minister to do the state's work of force nor the policeman to do the church's gospel work. The church under Jesus as supreme Reformer regenerates and reforms the world by the Spirit through the Word, with Word and Holy Spirit given to successors to guide its use, never by appeal to civil law or magistrates, for reform by civil law leaves his methods and is not work under his leadership. Disciples are commissioned to teach truth without seeking government aid, which could require teaching against Rome's union of religion and government. Christ gives his church power enough to occupy the world as mission field. His command to teach the nations is the basis for Christian proselytism which Protestantism cannot abandon without deserting principle, supporting proclamation while placing human teaching under God's Word. His command to teach all nations is a teaching mandate obstructed when the church is forbidden to instruct people.

He organized the church to keep truth alive and carry on propagation of the faith. His command to teach and make disciples is carried out as people are organized into a church, taught God's word, and encouraged to serve and share, with promise giving courage until all have opportunity to hear. Taking the gospel to the whole world entrusted to the church requires good organization. His promised power and presence to sustain and spread his religion until the end make reliance on state power to enforce beliefs, institutions, or observances lack of faith putting human authority in God's place. As highest authority Christians must hear him, and the church and ministers as his ambassadors speak in his stead commissioned to shout his words to earth's end including blessing that those doing his Father's commandments have right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city. The church's mission is witnessing for Jesus and saving souls through the Holy Spirit's power.

Evangelizing the world is done through foreign missions supported by giving to fund boards, missionaries, native preachers, preaching through native lips, and day schools, and giving pennies a year per member while spending freely on comforts, luxuries, artificial flowers, kid gloves, tobacco, choirs, programs, banquets, weddings, amusements, and idolatrous worship leaves work in debt showing failure to obey. The work assigned to the infant church is counterfeited by Rome's work among the people. The apostles commissioned to teach and serve raise whether ministers should leave congregations for extended recreation. The commission for the church to guide and govern the faithful in his name does not authorize commands violating God's commandments, including replacing seventh-day Sabbath with Sunday. The world-wide commission gives purpose for distributing work and funds, with organized conference receiving and disbursing tithes and offerings to coordinate labor in carrying the gospel to the world. The commission is the Bible's authority and foundation for Christian teaching and mission.

Worldwide Missionary Methods

The work is to preach Christ himself as living, personal, indwelling Saviour from sin here and hereafter, not merely about him as a historical figure, by speaking his word, through the printed page and books translated into all languages, with the church as the medium through which the Lord works by his Spirit like iron infused with magnetism attracting all who respond, and the message is the story of dying love rather than entertaining stories, made speedily universal by modern inventions, travel, mail, telegraph, printing, and Scriptures in hundreds of languages, with the Saviour present where the message is faithfully distributed even where no minister is present to reveal him and his love to a world that does not know him.
Followers must rely not on their own wisdom but on the wisdom and power God gives, with Christ as High Priest still praying for them, for those who know his power to which all authority in heaven and earth belongs will seek no other power to propagate the gospel, and those who by faith receive such preaching receive Christ himself and drink at the true fount, while dependence on him rather than self-reliance or on dependent human beings supplies courage in discouragement and danger, conviction and grace when human strength and words fail, triumph over world, flesh and devil, and assurance he can raise up people and means and multiply feeble efforts for work beyond human strength.
The command to preach the gospel to every creature joined to the promise to the end makes the missions outlook bright by faith rather than by present visible results, sure of eventual success under his presence, authority and heavenly power through the Holy Spirit bearing abundant fruit and giving courage to proclaim the return throughout the world, needing no power from political or religious alliances or earthly governments, and faithful prompt preaching helps bring the end sooner until the message has encircled the world in this generation.
The commission given to the disciples was to be passed to successors and carried to the end of time, committed to human messengers and not to literal angels, with angels helping, strengthening, ministering and overseeing, so workers in isolated places are never alone and never sent alone, for God is with them and Christ himself leads as sovereign Leader, fulfilling his presence on mountains or in valleys by holy angels and the Holy Ghost, giving fresh rations and orders from headquarters to those who approach the throne, preaching publicly and house to house and training native evangelists with literature in many languages, including the final proclamations of the second coming.
The commission applies to proclaiming the message in every city, village and unreached place to prepare the way speedily, devoting money, time, talents and selves in this generation, requiring decided efforts in Washington to set God's law as foundation of right laws before lawmakers, fast worldwide work with mighty agencies, carrying the last warning to the whole world until completion connected with the eternal home, searching deep water for fish, seeking lost sheep, tending the vineyard, sowing seed and inviting guests with courage by the Holy Spirit, bringing release by peace not force as among Filipinos, though obedience quickly strains loyalty and grounds the duty to support missions.
The medical missionary commission has the world as its field to teach the truths Christ came to proclaim, give opportunity to know present truth and know him as Saviour, and teach obedience to all he commanded, in continuation of his own going through cities and villages teaching, preaching the kingdom and healing sickness from compassion for scattered multitudes, so making disciples includes medical work and healing sanctioned by example and command, preaching without healing is partial, and health training in sanitarium classes equips workers to win people where truth has not been proclaimed, serving the sick and sinners and those who left the Father's house with light, grace and love to return to God.
Going to meet physical and spiritual hunger means house-to-house work in cities with health literature, hygienic cooking demonstrations and simple treatments, breaking prejudice, preparing the way for whole truth and sanitarium work and gathering many souls, taking the message into homes by prayer, singing and Bible readings requiring knowledge of Scripture, with the divine worker bringing conviction giving faith, hope and courage, and personal work for friends and neighbors, visiting, praying, imparting light and carrying publications, belongs to women as well as men with angels going before so repulse need not discourage, while Christ as great preacher and teacher lived truth in word and example.
The divine commission to disciple nations must be kept continually before church and world as safeguard against spiritual deadness, worldliness, false doctrine and loss of faith, for Christianity is distinctively and essentially missionary with the whole world in view at home and abroad as primary not incidental reason for existence, requiring a missionary church whose members labor beginning at doors with soul-winning as chief end and controlling motive, using talents, means and knowledge to rescue from guilt and indifference, carrying light not treasuring it until the world hears, serving as channels of light in all lands.
Fulfilling the command requires some to serve as foreign missionaries dedicating life to the field, from the twelve after Israel's rejection laying the foundation through Abraham's call onward, requiring broader vision, deeper consecration of life and means, businesslike methods and lay agencies, leaving lucrative business to labor without salary and giving proceeds, training youth with schools as gateways, language study, spiritual preparation and power, sending qualified laborers sustained by prayer and means to China, India, Africa and the islands, since saving souls in the Master's example by the Spirit carries the same success as Peter and Paul, whether by public preaching or quiet personal evangelism, to remotest earth in preparation for the advent.
The work continues in the closing period when the full message must reach all before the end, an unfinished worldwide task moving with momentum needing men and means, some going while others serve nearby and give, for refusing to support risks forfeiting presence, demanding greatest missionary endeavor by personal work at home and abroad, arousing churches and sending workers to heathen lands and regions beyond, going out two by two through slow centuries rather than merely founding a society, where neglect of the perishing is unlike Christ and failure to come sooner is shame.
Christ organized the church for missionary purposes requiring everyone called by his name to make his work first and highest, not ministers only but every member a sincere laborer with God filled with the Spirit, mind of Christ and sympathy bending every energy to saving souls and cooperating disinterestedly with heavenly intelligences, for receiving the gospel makes one debtor to all, wise and unwise, Greek and Barbarian, laying the same debt with no exemption to give what was received above the most benighted heathen, showing discipleship itself is spreading the gospel, withholding it makes stagnant pools and savorless salt, and fulfillment is the great obligation of every Christian.
The Advent message is sent to all the world in this generation by Christ's method of training leaders by doing the work in presence of recruits as with the twelve who evangelized the civilized world, giving the gospel invitation to Gentiles and all nations with continuing commission to the end, requiring schools connected with mission with missionary spirit in every subject, gateways passing youth into harvest, officers first learning definite personal soul-winning then enlisting all, conference leaders esteeming soul-winning above finances and administration, teachers training scores of leaders, so recruits soon become leaders and a mighty army carries the message to every soul without loss to inaction.
Preaching from the commission brings great power, freedom and clearness, with God's Spirit resting on hearers in a solemn yet cheering heavenly season.
Completing the commission is God's plan for growth by impartation where Christians gain strength by strengthening others and benevolence circulates back to its source, bringing inexpressible blessing with every part binding, confirmed after the resurrection as the Lord worked with them with signs following, with perpetual presence and cooperation leading the missionary host wherever preaching, witnessing, discipling and teaching are faithfully done, calling for active self-giving service.
Jesus sent his disciples to the whole world with the truths and methods learned from him, and though humble fishermen their teaching shook foundations of the civilized world, commissioning believers to represent him in character, speak his words, do his works and teach lessons learned so many know Bible truth, with spread despite opposition and weakness showing extraordinary reach, stirring others where few influence heathen to take up like service.
Christ does not call followers to idle existence but accompanies active service carrying the gospel throughout the world to the end, with continual presence by his Spirit directing men and angels in saving sinners, requiring actual going and initiative everywhere rather than staying where easy, as Abraham left kindred and pressed on and disciples scattered from Jerusalem by providence went everywhere preaching, making living the divine life and carrying the gospel the main business.
Carrying out the command to go and preach does not require waiting for another Pentecost or miraculous gift of tongues, but binds ministers to missionary work including making the Bible available in different languages.
The Master's great command must be waked to and literally obeyed, and literal obedience dissolves church debts and sends a blessed shout down redeemed ranks.
Disciples are commissioned to carry mercy and eternal life to all nations gathering believers into one church, continuing in his name with faith centered in him as power source whose name gives authority and success, sharing with all in need through faithful self-sacrificing service bringing salvation, lifting the fallen, strengthening the weak and preparing the Lord's way by God-given strength.
His servant is commissioned to proclaim his message and teach all people about him showing restoration and loving service, continuing as long as the commission lasts as a light through whom others see his grace.
The command to go and teach may require doing unpleasant things, and love for Christ gives strength to carry out all he commands.
Heeding the command of those who would be his means bringing thirsty, dying, sin-wounded and persecuted people to him who alone heals, comforts and restores, serving as instruments and channels of his shelter, grace and water of life, for God himself is refuge not the follower.
The command carries the gospel to earth's ends after Christ's untiring doing-good example seeking the lost, lifting the bowed, healing the sick and consoling the sorrowing with heart touched by woe, placed as living sacrifice on service's altar, requiring unceasing self-sacrificing activity without sparing self because darkness covers earth, multitudes wander as strangers from promise, judgments are in the land, the Lord is soon coming, and the unwarned must be warned everywhere with saving grace.
Responsibility for home fields and uttermost earth lies on every believer with ample provision including power to acquire wealth to finance the work, with continual presence giving power to fulfill teaching all nations.
Divine work entrusted to followers requires action by words and deeds, devoting life to serving others and seeking salvation as he did, not praying for the kingdom while neglecting souls or merely watching others work but taking hold to help save sinners.
The commission is not fulfilled merely by warning or moving to new fields, since the gospel's purpose is to save from sin, form Christian character and lead to life in the kingdom, joined with equal care for people at home in danger of being lost.
The command to go and preach calls believers to enter the world with a life of love, self-sacrifice, helpfulness and words expressing it, beginning by meeting needs and reaching even the disreputable and outcast, trusting God for what is left behind and for sustainment against opposition, casting bread upon waters by visiting the sick, feeding hungry, giving drink, clothing needy, patient mercy to sinners, spreading through consistent life, prayer and timely conversation that continues worldwide.
In redeeming the world the Son chose certain individuals as first fruits with inconceivable honor of proclaiming salvation to fellows in darkness, whose failure will be among greatest marvels in eternity.
The commission to take the gospel invitation throughout the world restores people to God's family carrying brotherly love across national, racial, religious and social divisions, removing hatred and calling back to harmony with God and one another.
Christ's last message commands disciples themselves to preach to the whole world and whole creation, leaving no room for writing others to get someone else to preach or pray instead, so passing prayer or service by chain letter shirks personal duty and mocks the command, for the preaching and praying required is individual and direct.
The command requires carrying the gospel to the whole world instead of strengthening only the original center, for Jerusalem of old was center but not designed to remain only center, and God-taught men went out to establish other centers until Gentiles were enlightened, as Jerusalem, Ephesus, Antioch, Corinth, Rome, Alexandria and others became centers whose authority rested not on position but on light and power through servants dwelling there with Christ as Head and none predominating, so the closing work must go everywhere by every agency with gospel and medical workers together establishing centers of light not in America alone but in other lands.
The last command to preach to every people carries the gospel alone with power to raise from degradation and misery, transforming cruelty, idolatry and selfishness to faith and conduct among many peoples.
The verse concerns the importance of gospel and missionary service including preparation and carrying to different countries, associated with carrying to the whole world by Christians' efforts, with believers' desire to spread and advance, as heaven's commission to preach and live among heathen the greatest earthly work, giving present truth's light as the true missionary and the Master's labor as the cause's work, with no further detail given in those allusions.
The mission to evangelize and teach includes those caught in religious error, opposing beliefs firmly but treating them with kindness and seeking salvation.
Christ's command to preach to all the world is represented by the white horse going forth conquering, the church's response, fulfilled in first centuries when purity, zeal and success made Christianity aggressive over huge error systems under unlimited commission.
Missionary work involves both reaching abroad and cultivating missionary spirit at home, with home support and devotion sustaining elsewhere, whether by personal effort abroad or work at home, serving where placed by visiting sick and discouraged, sharing Christ's story, using publications and correspondence and faithfulness in present sphere until wider field opens.
The divine commission is carried out through unselfish sympathetic ministry to the needy bringing knowledge of Saviour's love, with irresistible influence winning souls, through personal loving service bringing contact with Christ making churches living centers.
Proclamation to earth's ends in little time left requires forsaking all, parents placing children on the altar for near and far regions and dedicating themselves as volunteers under Christ while recruiting is open, for need makes delay shameful demanding self-denial, bringing comfort and salvation even to remotest earth.
Proclaiming to teach obedience is completed through united efforts of members, ministers and officers supporting worldwide mission work and carrying gospel throughout the world.
Followers carrying his message with consecration and zeal bring saving knowledge of Christ, with results belonging to God not human glory.
Apostles sent with divine power, gifts, signs and wonders saw few believe, so the commission did not convert every person or locality, and long labor may leave few lasting results.
Preaching includes beginning among own people by attending first to home missions then reaching neighbors, with his abiding presence assuring the work.
Teaching truth and winning souls applies to calling families to move South to do that work.
The purpose to do more missionary work stands with the Lord blessing laborers, requiring resources to enter open fields and reach the willing, reflected in zeal supporting distant workers.
Disciples are sent into active world life, not into convents or monasteries, to form Christian character and carry out the commission.
Preaching missions and world evangelism should be supported by direct giving rather than special fundraising transactions.
The commission left to be carried out on earth requires courage and faithfulness bearing trial, reproach, imprisonment and death if need be, keeping Christ's earthly life and character distinctly as copy rather than infatuation with heaven's glories, with the Holy Ghost as Comforter strengthening hearts until the same tangible human Jesus returns in like manner as hope and joy to the close of time.
The call to neglected peoples follows Christ's example, and servants receive support and blessings beyond those stated even amid hardship and slow results.
The continuing commission to preach in heathen lands rests on the church today, and lack of miraculous tongues does not cancel it since acquisition of languages by God-given faculties attains the same end.
Settlement of the new world and the United States Constitution with free speech and vast open territory were ordered to serve the closing tract and missionary work to nations and tribes, making the United States a vast field to present truth to every nation and tribe, where faithfulness taking the lead brings great results.
The Master's command sends out in Jesus' name to proclaim to those in spiritual darkness who need light even when not asking.
The command to go teach where needy and sow seed may be difficult with long unseen results, but God controls field and harvest, applying to searching for seekers to gather into the kingdom with promised presence encouraging.
The world mission call is answered by giving, sending workers, or going to help the dying without gospel, commanding carrying to other lands, supporting missionaries present and future by offerings, going, giving or praying.
Teaching obedience supports training native teachers and missionaries to carry to other islands and up country even by the faithful practical willing though failing examinations, establishing central stations training teachers for smaller stations among own people, preparing African converts to carry onward and Fijian locals to take farther, as in China and elsewhere.
God has entrusted his people with a work to finish and restrains opposing forces to give opportunity to complete it.
Carrying forward salvation belongs to every worker and institution each with distinct place, so every agency should be encouraged and promoted.
Those receiving message and missionary opportunities are responsible to prepare and do part promptly rather than neglect and lose opportunity to carry truth to the world still westward.
The commission with Master's presence requires workers to proclaim with more of Master's Spirit and power.
Worldwide opening of formerly closed lands with railroads, steamships and printing in many languages provides opportunity for the last-day charge to teach among all peoples, in fulness of time with preachers, teachers, explorers, empire builders, commercial promoters, schools, presses, hospitals, dispensaries and societies each allotted part under providence, medical work specially valued, as God's great purpose for evangelization.
The commission to carry to the lost through personal work inspires entering dangerous places prepared to succeed or die, sending heralds into all the world even where persecution or death comes, as in the West Indies worthy of gratitude.
The commission prepares the world for the coming King by sending workers to distant dark places, as from schools.
Taking truth to the world advances through missions among nations with providence opening the way and believers cooperating by efforts and support, missionaries going every direction so nations hear on God's word, God shaping rule of Protestant governments over vast territory and heathen peoples and growth in open lands to favor witness through uplifting service, schools, hospitals, asylums, homes and skilled workers breaking prejudice, with rapid converts and agencies preparing to carry everywhere until God finishes by his people.
Christ's call to serve and teach demands faithful labor without delay, success no excuse, with promise supporting service calling for soul-saving conversion and baptism for service, sending workers into every land without delay with re-enforcements.
Teaching what he commanded with continuing presence commissions missionary work, fulfilled as Paul carried Christ's name to chief Gentile cities establishing churches, preparing completion before the Lord's coming as solemn responsibility and blessed privilege beyond Jerusalem and Judea, heralded by many, calling every member alongside ministry to evangelize the present generation.
The commission supports urgently taking Christ's teaching while time remains to unreached people wherever they live.
Those receiving Christ and transformed by grace are qualified to carry salvation, and grace shared is renewed as they consecrate themselves, as in sanitariums as centers.
Followers are called to go work for others' salvation, a mission worth loyalty and sacrifice even of comfort, home and life, diligently teaching and discipling before the end.
Believers labor together for one purpose across institutional and conference lines without selfish or sectional prejudice in worldwide teaching of commands, as in publishing prosperity.
Taking the gospel to the world must not be delayed under pretense of thoroughness while people remain unreached, for careful work must not stagnate.
The spirit given to disciples sent worldwide should characterize schools as missionary centers preparing men and women for all parts, making worldwide witnessing of soon coming paramount in reading, geography, grammar and all teaching to fit students to carry Spirit's influence at home and abroad, teaching Bible through other studies and preparing for mission schools beyond, training laborers for own and distant fields reflecting promised presence establishing churches.
The great commission for lay members to fulfill by proclaiming the gospel requires God's workers be encouraged not hindered, serving as missionaries when ministers are unavailable to grow the church, including self-supporting work.
Carrying Christ's message is duty entrusted to believers, not a measure to compare with other churches.
The church has worldwide mission to go to nations rather than concentrate in few centers, spreading to lost world including pioneer work where no witness exists, beyond caring for established churches to destitute fields teaching each believer to work for others, for heaven's principle is diffusion not centralization.
Sharing salvation across islands is carried out by distributing literature, visiting sick and helping poor, where letter and leaflets led to conversion and evangelistic service spreading to new provinces as from Singapore.
Teaching and spreading includes encouraging all believers to take active part bringing salvation to themselves and many others, each using voice, influence, time and abilities to witness, visit neighbors and share experience of finding Christ with Jesus accompanying.
Teaching is fulfilled in carrying Christ's name to chief Gentile cities and establishing churches as Paul did.
Loving obedience enables bringing hope, peace, rest and blessings to needy souls.
Followers' work is proclaiming worldwide supporting calling many to herald it.
The commission includes medical missionary soul-saving proclamation calling for intelligent self-denying philanthropists.
Believers are sent far across seas to earth's end to call wanderers back where Arabs cower and billows harden, best known by those first prizing home, for true love begins at home with father, mother, siblings, friends, wife and children then grows outward to neighbors to earth's end.
People should enter Christ's work and remain faithful rather than turned aside by circumstances or slight discouragement, though service requires toil, deprivation and separation from family, as student volunteers obeying the command to foreign fields.
Leading those lost in superstition and ignorance to Jesus requires missionary awakening shared by goers and supporters, appointed responsibility sharing victory if faithful.
Teaching what Jesus commanded is reflected in keeping at work spreading good news widely as the glorious coming draws near.
The mission is carried forward by missionaries proclaiming while supporters with means share in salvation work, applied to workers, prayer and material means among those without gospel, a final command Christians must support.
Teaching by word and example is the work given followers sharing everlasting gospel and coming kingdom so others may enter.
Carrying the gospel makes followers responsible to warn the world and speak God's words so the world may know God sent them.
Christ entrusted followers with continuing salvation work extending to all nations, tongues and peoples by following his example and joining him in overcoming Satan.
Spreading truth everywhere through words and lives requires faithful sowing even without seeing harvest, including that Jesus will soon come, carried by movers to other places and neighbors as at Vallejo.
Children must later share that Jesus is coming again, for teaching Bible stories of Jesus, resurrection and new earth prepares them, with chief life object learned by practiced example as enthusiasm for holiday preparation.
Christ sends his love through followers who must deliver rather than keep the message of love for sinners.
Obeying Jesus means going wherever he sends servants to guide people to him, for there is work to do.
The Reformers thought the commission to the entire world rested particularly on apostles, so home focus delayed missions.
Bringing to Christ aims not merely to sell books but to lead lost souls to accept Jesus and prepare for coming, with book ministry as forerunner raising interest for fuller evangelistic teaching.
Giving the message and gathering souls requires going to masses in large cities and villages chiefly by hand-to-hand evangelistic and canvassing work with large volume of literature, with printing plant, schools, hospitals, sanitarium and workers' homes only to second and solidify that going work kept small enough not to impede it, leaving great majority native and foreign free to go, as in China's needs.
Moravian efforts to bring knowledge of Christ's love, whose prayer watch sent missionaries to enslaved West Indies, Greenland and Negro communities, show prayer bearing fruit in gospel spread under the commission.
Preaching God's Word makes others know Christ's power to create and save and receive blessings of obedience.
The great commission calls to faithfulness in his work, and he will see full result of sacrifice.
Discipling the world to every nation calls for workers prepared to labor and suffer empowered by the Holy Ghost for great ingathering.
Sharing good news with those who have not heard is a high and joyful endeavor under the Master's call to go.
The command includes telling the kingdom message to family, neighbors and far away unheard because it leads to eternal life, a duty to share salvation including at home.
The great commission requires active service now, not postponed promises but work today.
The field is the world for itinerant worldwide home and foreign mission often long absent from family, with original command's weight and fire on every true minister now as on first ministers.
The command to proclaim truth charges human messengers, and in obedience the Lord gives new force proclaiming enduring truth through faithful messengers as the banner.
The commission is practiced among foreign speakers by practical care, Bibles in their language, teaching children and establishing a mission, requiring earnest evangelism of North American nationalities by training same-language laborers and circulating suitable literature.
Missionary work beyond own limits requires definite plan and united effort, worldwide not confined to one locality to nations of earth, with same spirit every age but varying plans so special arousing message forms zealous definite action.
Spreading God's message worldwide connects with putting teachings into students' lives, as at Bethel closing.
The emphasis falls on command to carry to every field requiring consecrated messengers ready to sacrifice amid hardship, rather than on the promise.
Home and foreign missionaries are called to work everywhere carrying Christ's teaching, as at Madison camp-meeting.
Teaching and observing all commanded is practiced when students distribute literature, hold meetings and do Bible work before finishing training, as at Friedensau villages and Cedar Lake helping poor, and teaching through schools, out-schools and canvassing for Bibles stirs interest to learn more until finished though fields great and means lacking, for the Lord has unknown ways and blessings.
Following Jesus means carrying his message to the lost through hardship wherever he leads with patient willingness.
The missionary spirit to distant lands is Christ's spirit essential to all accepting present truth not only the greatly responsible, requiring faithful daily use of short time with promise remaining.
Carrying to all lands by teaching, baptizing and sending laborers includes Bible studies, sermons, church order, practical religion, baptism, sale and missionary use of books and periodicals, offerings, schools for believers, and selecting and sending to Africa, Mexico and Honolulu.
The commission must be carried out fully by consecrating means and abilities and going beyond institutions and churches to dark places accepting hardship and self-denial, as from Chicago to St. Helena.
The command with presence is carried out by bringing faith, organizing churches and establishing schools, as among colored people exemplifying missionary labor.
Teaching observance connects with further instructing believers and helping truth be published with promised presence accompanying, as good news from India.
Followers must carry his message everywhere even under scorn, trial and suffering, courageously bearing the warning charge as crowned with thorns.
Spreading truth includes training children and new believers for mission, entering new fields and opening Scripture house to house with promise remaining.
Believers must share truth with those lacking light and encourage missionary service at home and abroad, upholding truth by consecrated lives among neighbors as in Jamaica and by Signs and Review.
Students are called to devote lives to ministry and evangelize country and world in their generation carrying Christ's teaching.
Making disciples among South American Indians begins with teaching literacy in own languages as first step to gospel teaching.
Teaching commands applies to training native believers to lead and carry into unreached China, establishing Chinese church by presenting to every kind, training and supervising native workers helping self-extension and government, preparing men and women evangelists and colporteurs for towns and villages.
Preaching to the heathen is lifelong mission above ease, embodying higher ideals than settling to comfort and selfish enjoyment.
Sending and supporting laborers to warn and save requires workers and resources, as in Switzerland.
Obeying go and teach without knowing outcome brings blessing beyond expectation, as in beginning Indian mission.
Worldwide carrying through teaching and organizing mission workers fulfills the commission in united effort across fields.
Disciples sent as representatives to help sufferers, meet physical needs and bring gospel to lost tenderly serve sorrow, as in Caterham nurses' training.
Young men becoming teachers answering foreign calls exemplify the command to teach and serve with promise at schools' opening.
The commission continues to the end joining preaching the kingdom with healing and mercy as two important features.
Christian life is missionary calling to proclaim God's kingdom by love not worldliness or concession.
Vast unentered fields like India with slender forces against entrenched heathenism require greatly strengthening stations, dispensaries and schools with more men and means, where home liberality and sacrifice decide advance.
This people are pre-eminently missionary not primarily publishing but carrying to all parts to earth's ends, in four natural divisions in order evangelical, publishing, medical, educational with subdivisions, each succeeding as actuated by missionary spirit with publishing as machinery and motive power, calling for pre-eminent Missionary Department pushing literature and every line.
The command with promise joins teaching and discipling to sanitarium missionary work and youth willing to go wherever called, as at New England Sanitarium.
Carrying the saving message with promised presence belongs to canvassing to bless others, as for Christ's Object Lessons.
The final command brings burdened sinful thirsting people to Christ through believers sharing him as soul's satisfaction, healing and refuge bringing blessing.
Making disciples with Christ remaining appears in Tamil students carrying to villages supporting spread, as Ceylon young men in India show converts becoming workers beyond first places.
Teaching all with presence to the end includes training teachers to carry to own people in Nyassaland.
Followers must carry truth and raise churches with whole-church talents and pure sound example helped by God and angels, members preparing for service in missionary campaign.
The able should not evade the divine commission to nations with excuses given urgent need of those ignorant of Christ, but send the best.
Heralds must move swiftly on love's wing to remotest bound and ocean ways in Jehovah's might till wrong yields, night rends, new-born souls sing and Christ crowned comes to reign shore to shore, sceptre taken, hell confined and curse ended.
Taking beyond reached places fulfills the commission, as Livingstone among Bakwains and farther north beyond white missionaries.
Teaching the world with presence to the end applies to using newspapers to spread widely reaching otherwise unreached, as in Atlantic Union activity.
Spread of major languages gives access to multitudes in many regions for worldwide evangelization.
Efforts obeying the command even secretly are witnessed and recorded by angels as duty.
Teaching beyond the church to distant unheard lands contrasts with efforts mainly undermining existing churches, shown by establishing missions, sending workers and teaching to follow Christ versus opposition.
Teachers bear responsibility to lead every pupil to Christ bringing decision to serve under teaching mission and continuing presence, as in Sabbath-school report.
The meek are commissioned to preach manifesting Christ's meekness with no part in destroying enemies, since executing judgment belongs to the Judge of all the earth concerning future real estate.
Followers receive a commission not to take life but like their Lord to save life, not as a military people.
God's people responsible to give the message to the world face calamities for failure and must continue under difficulty, applying to present opportunity to finish.
Teaching and discipling requires no prior civilization, preaching to all including rough or uncivilized under expansive gospel.
Carrying to the world uses every fitting means God opens, since reaching representatives of all nations in one country does not exhaust duty because same methods do not help all, as in hygienic dining-room missionary side.
Jesus commissioned followers to go as teachers, for his own work was teaching and his commission established new education against papacy.
Consecrated hearts for worldwide mission with lives devoted with soul-love sealing even life are acknowledged by pouring of Spirit leading souls to truth and providence blessing every effort in Christ's Spirit, using new enterprises permeating public mind to reach honest-hearted in every dark corner to nations, tongues and people.
The commission to teach belongs to school teachers to whom children's souls are solemn trust, requiring missionary spirit drawing divine lessons from subjects and working for character in every lesson, teaching Christ's instruction as highest study preparing for service, being evangelizing spiritual moral force where they teach.
Teaching commands with continued presence appears in missionary spirit extending to those still worshiping at Buddhist shrines, as at Amoy and Swatow.
Making disciples and teaching with continuing presence appears in Waldenses' renewed missionary giving of God's word, while earlier loss of zeal warns temporal prosperity weakens that work in southern Italy.
Every believer is called to active missionary work everywhere entering opening fields, learning languages, opening Scriptures to other tongues, laboring for all helpable and getting light before people now while opportunity lasts, for judgments come more and more, requiring prophecy study and Christlikeness in two kinds of service.
Going out to carry the last message with Christian example bringing to faith is what the Lord would have his people do, as in field notes.
Christ's presence appears in colporteur work where selling a book and giving readings led a family toward baptism with thanks for fruit in Uruguay.
Converted people carrying to others appears where those brought from heathenism serve as colporteurs sharing with countrymen.
Teachers sent from far country to distant places teach God's word preaching simple gospel calling to accept, be baptized and join church, providing continual instruction by frequent visits, schools and missions, promptly answering pressing calls because people hunger for bread of life, as entering Patanllye.
Christians must carry Christ's true message to those receiving false picture, and the cross must not be misrepresented by violence in a Christian nation's name nor readiness withheld to disarm hatred.
Teaching and discipling gives mission applied to St. Louis as great field for labor for souls between Protestantism and Catholicism.
Giving the gospel to the world is shared mission through coordinated ministries whose departments cooperate to bring contact with gospel in loyalty to instrumentalities.
Divine commission to distant hostile lands gave courage to enter Africa despite danger, resistance and slow response trusting divine sending, as with African savages experiences.
Teaching with promised presence belongs to mission reaching beyond home far across world to everywhere, connected with home circle.
Carrying the Saviour to all the world is disciples' mission helped by unity in brotherly love.
Carrying to all nations applies to foreign missions to those without message supported by literature sharing and funds raising for help.
The commission sent the early church to witness to the world through gospel message for salvation as witnessing of God.
Teaching and discipling calls to active Christian service putting faith into practice and testing Christianity by living it, as at Baptist convention.
The general commission to preach throughout the world, unlike temporary Palestine journey instruction, does not forbid taking money or provisions, so workers may carry purses to support work in business dealings with God.
The verse is part of the Great Commission given to the church for triumph of the gospel.
Preaching and teaching the faith, baptizing converts and organizing churches reflects the verse in reported missionary work.
God's word keeps expanding through wider spheres to the end, so truth rooted in a heart keeps working bearing lasting fruit, as by Bible society colporteur.

Comfort Courage and Living

The promise comforts workers in loneliness, perplexity and trials, assuring every disciple that the risen Saviour stays continually with them through the darkest hours and deepest trials to the end of the world, giving comfort and courage to remain true when the way is rough and thorny and circumstances look dark, and sustaining gospel work through territory, churches and obstacles as they open the Scriptures to those unfamiliar with them under his authority.
The same presence encourages service to others and belongs to praying, trusting workers who go forth to teach all he commanded.

The companionship is personal and daily, at home and abroad and in every place morning, midday and night, sharing joys, sorrows and work and making servants fellow workers and family, guiding with a hand to hold and a breast to lean on so the believer is never alone and goes forward with joyful heart.
In affliction seeking his presence is never in vain, bringing gladness and cheer in pain, with the Saviour nighest when flames are highest and fear encompasses, sending angels of comfort near and giving joy and peace that repay suffering, abiding now and forever beyond doubt.
His departure did not withdraw sympathy or love, for he remains in loving, protecting care, and dependence on him rather than self-reliance supplies power, conviction and grace when human strength and words fail, with courage in discouragement and danger and assurance of triumph over world, flesh and devil for those submitted to his purpose.

The promise is a definite personal guarantee to the lost sinner who accepts salvation, on which all hope for this life and the life to come rests and which must be reviewed often because of proneness to forget.
It assures those sincerely seeking forgiveness and victory over sin that he supports complete victory over evil habits honestly given up, identifying with people in fallen condition and taking infirmities upon himself so that contact by faith exchanges sin and death for life and righteousness.
That continual remaining gives continued freedom and power to resist sin, with the Holy Spirit given to make free, and strength to overcome and stay faithful to the commandments after receiving truth.

He is continually present wherever his people are in every circumstance, hearing prayers, comforting the afflicted, forgiving the penitent and helping even first efforts to come to him.
That nearness gives comfort and confidence to the spiritually discouraged, weary and sorrowful, help when cast down, opening of Scripture by the Spirit of truth to those longing to understand and live by it, and companionship in every path and hardship by one who himself suffered.
The promise is for each person today and afresh each day, more precious as the end draws near, giving comfort and friendship especially to those cut off from human fellowship and to every doubting, trembling soul left to stand alone to learn dependence on him alone, who regards the outstretched hand, grieving heart, tears and prayers and calls the fearful not to cast away confidence.

His continual presence through the indwelling Spirit is a constant living reality to be kept before the mind at all times, a real vital power not mere theory making believers God's children with power to overcome the world.
Only by living in the atmosphere of realizing it is his power manifested, so that those in whom he dwells do as he did in gentleness, kindness, unselfish labor for others and building on his righteousness, with supernatural resident strength for resistance to temptation and victory over sin and selfishness.
He lives and reigns and does not leave his servants orphans, going with them when they give him room in heart, faith, life and ministry, waiting to respond to acts of obedience and faith, guiding and teaching as leader and instructor so they need not depend on human wisdom, and keeping supply inexhaustible with no place for alternating fullness and decline.

He is with his children always even to the end and will not forsake when cast down, calling the afflicted not to give up but to keep hold and keep as brave a heart as possible because the dark outlook will not last and dawn comes when darkest.
He raises up friends for the suffering so lack of expected sympathy does not leave them alone, and even a young wife with little children and a sick husband bearing heavy burden can expect help and rallying, with tender unfailing strengthening, lifting and help in hour of need through trial, struggle, sorrow, adversity, illness, loss, poverty and helplessness.
A child recalling the promise finds courage to endure an operation trusting his help with pain and shares it with another, and a lonely child remembering it is comforted and strengthened in love.

His continuing presence brings personal, effective, lasting comfort in every tribulation through perils, storms, troubles, temptations, fear, weariness, false accusation, grief, sorrow and death, with understanding, reunion at the resurrection, dependable friendship and sure foundation, and no trial defeating his care or taking his people from his hand.
It extends to followers suffering imprisonment for conscience, identifying himself with them, and gave courage and comfort under threats and fierce opposition in preaching without meaning opposition would be absent.
The same comfort, grace and wisdom for perplexities is realized in unity of many languages as last issues close, belonging to the remnant waiting for his return in close relationship with him.

His enduring remaining shows God faithful and able to answer prayer, belonging to faithful servants lifting the Word as standard of truth and freedom in every nation as beacon of hope to perishing souls bound for judgment, making success sure and passage to the kingdom certain.
It belongs to active workers investing by self-denial and sacrifice to aid salvation, bringing closer relation to him and increased love for souls, with devoted workers united in systematic benevolence receiving power that would make the world tremble.
That unfailing presence gives real physical strength to preach by faith despite sickness and weakness, enabling speaking for nearly two hours when unable to sit up with congested lungs and hoarseness and leaving the speaker strengthened and less tired afterward.

He remains through the whole mission to the end, accompanying teaching of all he commanded with power in distant fields, on the journey from bondage to heavenly Canaan, in canvassing wherever they go, and in witness and daily mission blessing and help.
He sustains patient pressing forward through work and struggles to the eternal home, dispelling fear and loneliness and taking away terror of darkness, guiding and keeping through every circumstance even when presence is unrecognized.
His loving presence accompanies those far from home and in every place of service until the end.

His presence gives courage to the worn, persecuted and unbelieved, courage to stand by truth and duty despite opposition with the Comforter abiding forever, and spiritual strength to do right without civil compulsion even when employers oppose.
It gives courage to keep the seventh-day Sabbath though relatives leave, and through faith in his power to meet God's mind and stand uncondemned by the law which he has met in full and enables them to meet in him.
Through perilous times, temptations and fear of weakness it gives hope of close union and salvation when he returns in glory to lead to the Father's home.

The command with assurance of support encourages continuing the mission despite financial hardship and through hardship and uncertainty, trusting needs will be supplied and keeping at the work.
The promise of continuing presence after departure encourages believers to gather and encourage one another.
He who kept vigil in the garden still keeps vigil with every wakeful watcher to the end, making watching bring new strength and power for battle, new views of him as wise mighty Commander, and new delight of rest in labor, with constant study of his word keeping faith, rousing energy by sense of danger, rousing hope by the reward, and calling God's soldier to courage, armor anew and steadfast liberty.

Because he is continually beside followers and hears every unkind or cutting word, his presence should guard speech and actions, avoiding hurt and division and cultivating humility, meekness, kindness and unity.
Assurance of remaining through the work to the end supports loving fellow believers to the end despite imperfections, as he loved his own.
The same continual presence gives a weary discouraged mother renewed strength for burdens, patient endurance through small trials and crosses, faithful perseverance to the end, with the Father knowing needs in responsibilities to children.

Even when only two or three gather, isolated believers may worship and serve with confidence, for being physically alone is not being spiritually dead or without service, and his divine presence felt like sunshine satisfies every need so those pining for society may confide in him, bring will into subjection to his will and safely imitate his ways beyond criticism.
Because God is with them they can do good to others as he did.
Alone in prayer the Christian is not alone but feels him near, making prayer strength and only true happiness with no disappointed hopes, while seeking enjoyment outside him brings restlessness.

Neglect of prayer by reading fascinating stories that excite imagination and arouse unholy passions unfits the mind for God, makes his word distasteful and causes prayer to be forgotten, whereas reading his word prepares the mind for prayer and sensing his presence, with daily quiet contact keeping the world out and the Spirit in and giving power for witnessing.
Those seeking him in prayer may rely on his nearness and join themselves to him rather than imperfect people, receiving power to overcome and sanctification for eternal life.
He is with followers at all times even in ordinary household work such as washing clothes, and remembering him brings spiritual purpose and love to labor as reflection on obedience, cleanliness and service.

He is with his people even while terrible war increases in violence and brings financial pressure, giving good courage to work with energy as if war did not exist, with wonderful evidences of care so those trusting him never come to shame.
Lonely believers far from fellow believers and their privileges may trust he remains to the end, and accepting his rest brings assurance of love and presence.
His continuing presence sustains trust through sorrow and trouble until trouble is over, and after loss of a loved one the bereaved is not truly alone.

His continual presence is reason to refuse places and actions conflicting with faithfulness, for he is not to be left waiting outside a bar-room.
It accompanies following the path of God's truth, learning from him and following his example of obedience by living on right principles.
On a hard journey when friends leave he stays, giving confidence, joy and rest by unchanging love, and remains near when separated from fellow believers, in lonely travel and labor without human encouragement, and with lonely Sabbathkeepers and traveling colporteurs bringing comfort by his word.

His continual remaining gives reason for cheerfulness and hope whatever the circumstances, in fulfilling duties while looking to eternal life and a higher place with him.
His promised presence gives assurance in faithfully setting aside tithe and trusting God to care.