The Reality of the word Part 9
The great commission given to all believers is a mandate to make disciples of all nations. That was the parting directive Jesus gave to his disciples prior to his ascension. This is documented in Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
This is the common duty of all believers.
Jesus said we should go into all the nations. The nations refer to people of different background, young and old, people of diverse societal status, people of diverse orientation etc. To teach will imply to instruct people. In doing this, believers are to announce the lordship of Jesus. It is to announce the conquest of Jesus over sin and death. Other synoptic writers reechoed what Matthew wrote.
Mark spoke of this in Mark 16:15-20. Luke did also in Luke 24:47-49. John also wrote about this in John 20: 20-22
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Verse 22 said … he breathed on them. The breathing wasn’t a literal blowing of air. It speaks of an internal work. It describes a quickening from the inside. Jesus achieved this when he taught his disciples for 40 days after he rose from death. It was in this process that their understanding of who the personality of the scriptures is. when their understanding came alive, that was a quickening from inside. That’s what John referred to as he breathing upon them.
Verse 23 says that the believer has the power to forgive people’s sins by the preaching of the gospel. However, it’s only God that has the authority to forgive people’s sins as clearly stipulated in the scriptural references below.
Micah 7:18 says, “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
It is within God’s remit to forgive people’s sins.
Isaiah 43:25 states, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins”.
Psalm 103:3 states, “He forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.”
Back to John 20:23. It is the power of God to forgive people’s sins.
However, by virtue of the new birth, he gives us his and we now function in his stead to see his plans on the earth come to fruition. By his spirit, we preach the gospel to men. We prophesy into men’s lives and when they believe, they receive the gift of forgiveness of their sins. When they reject the gospel, their sins are retained. All believers have received the bestowal of the power to function in God’s stead on the earth to serve as his spokespersons through the instrumentality of the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
From the last write up, Jesus referred to Abel as a prophet. Luke alluded to this in Luke 11:49-51
49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
In Genesis 4, it was documented that Abel brought of his firstlings
Genesis 4:1-4 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
V2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
V3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
V4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Let’s observe carefully what the author wrote in verse 3
Genesis 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. Vs And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
The word “firstlings” was translated from the same Hebrew word as “firstborn”, which is
“bekorah”, which implies birthright; firstborn
Observe further the writer’s explanation concerning Cain;
Genesis 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. Vs6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? Vs7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Therefore, when God said to Cain “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door”,
This was in reference to believing in His voice that is God’s covenant,his promise.
That is, the sin in context is disobedience to the voice of God, in God’s covenant, in God’s promise. This can also be described as unbelief.
This explains why Moses taught with the same word in the book of Genesis;
In a similar vein, there will be a similar scenario in Genesis 27:19-20.
Genesis 27:19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.
Vs20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.
From the above narrative, Esau was the first child.
Historically, he came out of the mother’s womb before Jacob.
Genesis 25:26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them 27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob w a plain man, dwelling in tents.
In the near Eastern culture of their day, the father would transfer the right of the firstborn to his first son.
This was also referred to as birthright.
Hence, the “right of the firstborn” according to the oriental language of their day means authority to stand in your father’s stead.
The right of the first born was not given to Esau (though he was born first rather it was given to Jacob.
This was so because Esau despised the birthright.
The right of the first born was also given to Isaac though not the child born first because there was an Ismael. Isaac received the right of the first born because he believed in the promise.
The same pattern was also repeated in Cain and Abel. This is because Abel believed in promise of God and Cain did not.
Genesis 25:26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.
Vs27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. Vs28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. V529 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: Vs 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. Vs31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. Vs32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? Vs33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Vs34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
Esau despised his birthright.
What exactly did Esau despise? We’ll explain that in the next post.
Confession: I believe in God’s promise that has been fulfilled in Christ. I’m a partaker of God’s divine nature. I have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
