To Whom The Commission Was Given
Zion's Advocate, Vol. 44, No. 1, January 1905.Jesus said to his apostles, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." He did not address them as a church by saying, send preachers into all the world, but he addressed them as ministers and commissioned them to go. All of the Lord's gospel ministers are under the same commission. The pattern found in the practice of the churches and ministers in the apostolic day is the one for us to follow. We can never be wrong in following that pattern. That pattern is given in I. Cor. 9:11, "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?" This question is a declaration of the right of those who have sown spiritual things to reap the carnal things of those to whom they have sown. The condition of reaping is that they have sown spiritual things. Unless this has been done no claim ought to be made of the carnal things. This shows, also, that the reaping is to be from those to whom the spiritual things have been sown. It is not apostolic, then, to require churches to contribute to send preachers to other fields to sow spiritual things. It is nowhere stated that the apostles sowed spiritual things in places because the saints at other places bestowed upon them their carnal things. This plan would require reaping before sowing, the very reverse of the apostolic system. This has been the position of the New School or Missionary Baptists from the time they went out from us. We have contended for the apostolic order and system all along the line.
The preachers are to do the preaching, of course, and not the churches. The Saviour commissioned those to preach who were to do the preaching. It follows that the apostles as preachers, and all who were to be called to this work subsequently, were commissioned to go into all the world and preach the gospel. Every called minister has felt this impression to go. The demand is made of all who are called to the work, and all of them feel the weight of that demand. They should have the sanction of the church, it is true, but that is only a recognition of the divine call. They receive their authority from the Lord, and the church, seeing the evidences of that authority and calling, gives its sanction to the gifts the Lord has bestowed.
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