Mat 28:19, 20
This past week I had someone from our political mailing list
call me. He was greatly concerned about things which he kept hearing
about Bush's new world order, the beast of Revelation, the mark
of the beast and Bo Grits, among many other things. He was ready
to throw up his hands and quit. He ask if he could come up and
talk with me. This was the first time this particular man had
shown any kind of concern, so, being the good preacher that I
am, I took full advantage of it. He sat in my office for probably
1 1/2 hours while I read 2 chapters from Daniel to him and went
through some things.
He is a lost man, and I tried to make it clear that the Lord is
the only hope that there is for the situation we find ourselves
in. Since he came to see me, I laid it on. He left with a hand
full of material, including the salvation book, which I am confident
he will read.
As a result of that man's visit, I have two messages. Both deal
with current situations in the world today; one from a biblical
prophetic view; the other from the biblical view of the evil.
This morning I would like to deal with the biblical view. Maybe
another time we will deal with the prophetic aspect.
Our text today is one of the most familiar passages in the word
of God. Within evangelical Bible believing circles, this passage
is second only to John 3:16.
We rightly say that this is the regiven Dominion Mandate, but
that is not our message today. We rightly say that this is a command
by our Lord upon every child of God, but that is not our message
today.
So, what is our message for today from this last command given
to mankind by the Lord before He ascends to the right hand of
the Father?
If you do not get any thing out of our message today, please get
this. I want to point out two things that the Lord gives here:
1) the only means of advancing His kingdom on earth and 2) the
only answer to the ills of the world.
Now, notice what the Lord did not say.
1) Go into all the world and vote good men into
office. 2) Go into all the world and study the
constitution. 3) Go into all the world and get
good laws passed. 4) Go into all the world and
protest the evil that is taking place.
All these things are commendable, and I either am or have been
involved in all of these things, but the Lord said that the answer
is to Go into all the world and preach the gospel, baptize
those who receive the Lord of the gospel and teach them to the
total of God's word.
The only means which the Lord has of advancing His kingdom here
on earth is by proclaiming the gospel of the death, burial and
resurrection of Christ. And then teaching the converts to apply
the word of God.
The only answer given by God to solve man's ills is to proclaim
the gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. And
then teach the converts to apply the word of God. 3 Any other
answer for the ills of mankind is the spirit of anti-christ at
work (as John said he was).
Now, concerning salvation I believe in election and that the sovereign
Lord God of the universe has chosen who will be saved. I believe
the word of God; therefore, there are two things which address
the possible corruption from believing strongly in the doctrine
of election which says, "Well, they are going to be saved,
so why worry about it?"
1) God commands us to go preach the gospel to
every soul that has breath. Disobedience will reap the wrath of
God, as we are reaping it today in unjust rulers and the spirit
of anti-christ having dominion (even in Christianity).
2) 1 Cor 1:18, the only means
which God has ordained to reach the elect is by the preaching
of the gospel.
The answer to the family's ills, The answer to the church's ills
the answer to the community's ills The answer to America's ills,
the answer to the world's ills,
is clearly presented as the preaching of the gospel and then teaching
obedience to God's word.
The command is so clear and the answer is so obvious, the
question aries, "Why cannot people see that this
the answer?"
Why cannot professed Christians see that the Lord has clearly
given us the answer to the crises around us, and that answer is
not in some far away place or unreachable object. According to
Deut 31:14, But the word is very nigh unto thee,
in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. The answer
is right before us in Mat 28:19, 20, and it is
not at all difficult to see or understand.
Why will Christians dedicate themselves to everything except getting
out the gospel? Why will Christians find time to do every thing
except obeying our Lord's command to get out the gospel?
And all of this is an introduction to the message. I will try
to restrict it, yet give a basic understanding of our point.
The question we want to address is this: Why cannot Christians
and even pastors, see that the Lord's commission here in Matthew
is the only answer which will change things for the Kingdom's
sake?
A term which we hear which describes the situation is JUDICIAL
BLINDNESS. By this term we mean that men are blinded
by God so that God can bring judgment against sin.
As an intorduction to these thoughts, let me mention 2 points:
I. 2 Cor 4:1-6 Judicial blindness
prohibits men from seeing cause and effect, especially in their
own lives; therefore, they see no need to repent, to turn or to
obey God's word. If they would see the need to repent, they would
see God's mercy in every area of society, including their families
and civil government.
II. It prohibits Christians from seeing the obvious
teaching of the word of God. In our text, judicial blindness
prohibits Christians from seeing that the answer to society's
ills is the presentation of the gospel and the application of
God's law.
Basically we could sum up Judicial Blindness as an escape from
reality on the part of those blinded. Those who are not in this
Judicial Blindness are astounded at the blindness of those, including
God's people, who are unable to see any cause and effect either
in their own lives, in the decisions they make or in society around
them. They are unable to see the answers for societies ills in
the word of God. So they must look elsewhere.
In my contact with people, including pastors, there are times
that I am amazed at the blindness present; they seem to be totally
oblivious of any connection between what they see happening all
around them (in their families, in their society) with any sin
in their lives. The Scriptures say a great deal about this Supernatural
Blindness; a few passages would be: Ex. 5:2; De 29:4;
32:28.
The first dirrect record we have of Judicial Blindness is with
Pharaoh and the nation of Egypt. Pharaoh was blinded (hardened)
by God so that God could bring judgment against Egypt for its
sins against Him and against His people.
Judicial Blindness was also sent upon Israel so that God could
judge them for their sin against Him (they rebelled against His
man, Moses, and absorbed much of Egypt's ungodly culture). All
of Israel's Egyptian generation had to die because they were Egyptian
slaves at heart.
There are a few things that enable us to recognize Judicial Blindness.
Let me remind you that Judicial Blindness IS NOT
limited to the unsaved; rather, it is in relationship to the law-word
of God. Accordingly, both professed Christians and pagans can
be blinded to cause and effect in relationship to His word.
Now let's consider 6 points about Judicial Blindness (and multitudes
of passages):
1) Isa 29:10-12; Rom 11:25; 2 Thes 1:8,
2:11, 12, the purpose of Judicial Blindness is so that
the Lord can take flaming vengeance upon the disobedient to His
law-word; ie. that God might judge sinners.
(Ps. 79:6; Pr 4:19; 10:21; 13:18; 14:12; Isa 6:9, 10 [Mt 13:14;
Jn 12:38-41]; Amos 9:10; Mat 15:14; cf. Tit 1:16; 1 Jn 3:4)
2) 2 Cor 3:14, a result of blindness
is that people cannot understand (or ignore) Moses. (1
Jn 1:6, 2:4-9, 3:1 all fit into the same category.)
3) 1 Cor 1:18-20, blindness replaces the wisdom
of God with the wisdom of this world.
Judicial Blindness seeks to solve society's problems through many
other means other than obedience to our Lord's final command to
proclaim the gospel and teach the application of His word. This
is extremely prevalent among Evangelical circles.
4) Acts 26:18; Eph 4:18; Col 1:13, only God's
supernatural intervention will deliver one out of the kingdom
of blindness (darkness) and into the kingdom of light.
5) 2 Tim 3:13, Our Lord warned us that from His
time on, we would see Judicial Blindness increase; therefore,
we should not surprised that people cannot see the obvious teaching
of God's word.
When Christ said that For judgment I am come into this world,
that they which see not might see; and that they which see might
be made blind, Jn 9:29-39, He was speaking specifically
of and to the nation of Israel of His day.
In Mat 23:34-39 Christ said that Jerusalem was
going to be judged for all of the innocent blood which had been
shed upon the earth from Abel unto Zacharias. Thus, He came, not
only to redeem His people (Isa 53:8), but to judge those who rejected
Him (ie. Jerusalem) and the One He represented, the Heavenly Father.
In other words, Israel was supernaturally blinded to Christ so
that they would crucify the Son of God (Acts 2:23), and so that
God could judge them for all the innocent blood that had been
shed upon the earth. Israel's murder of Christ resulted in Israel's
destruction as judgment for her evil ways.
It took about 4000 years for God to avenge the inocent blood of
Able. When He did, He did it by blinding them to Christ so they
would reject the gospel message. I believe that part of the vengeance
of God of our day against the murder of the many millions of innocent
people from 70 AD, is the current blindness to the obvious teachings
of the word of God.
Even Christians will not believe the Lord's words of Mat 28:19,
20, because if they did, our society would be healed.
6) We are left with this question regarding Judicial
Blindness: "Why does blindness increase instead of decrease?"
Let me give 3 reasons why blindness increases. Though there is
an abundance of passages which deal with this question, we will
only look at a few.
First, Isa 42 (v. 21), it is through His judgment
against sin that,
a) men forsake their false gods and graven images.
They learn that all of the things which they trusted in (even
good political leaders, as I told this man in my office) are nothing
but wood, hay and stubble.
b) The time-frame of Isaiah 42 is important:
it was set in motion at the time of Christ, v. 1-4. Therefore,
through His judgment, His law is magnified and made honorable
in these last days which started at the time of Christ.
Why does blindness increase?
Second, Isa 48, it is through His judgment against
sin that the hypocrite turns from his hypocrisy.
Third, Isa 51 (v. 4-6) defines God's salvation
as His judgment against sin, eradicating sin. Isa 11:4
tells us that God's righteous judgment against sin (the
rod of his mouth..) will result in three things: 1> the slaying
of the wicked, 2> the exaltation of righteousness and 3>
the earth being filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters
cover the sea.
Ps 72 (cf. Ps 96 & Isa 55:10), tells us that
as His righteous judgment against sin descends like the rain,
righteousness and peace will flourish like the new mown grass.
Moreover, God's judgment against sin establishes His dominion
from sea to sea, unto the ends of the earth; it causes all kings
to bow before Him and all nations to serve Him. In addition, His
deliverance of the needy, the poor and those who have no help
depends upon His judgment falling against sin. (See also Acts
14:17.)
Therefore, the answer to the questions, "What is the purpose
of Judicial Blindness?" and "Why does blindness increase
instead of decrease?" is that God increases blindness so
that He can bring in His righteous reign and justice here on this
earth.
As time progresses from Christ on, men grow harder and harder
in their refusal to turn to obedience to even the simple things
of the word of God; things such as the Lord's great commission.
The result will be the expiration of the Lord's goodness, forbearance
and longsuffering, His wrath revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness, His law exalted and magnified and, finally, righteousness
and salvation springing up as the new mown grass after a rain
storm. (Cf. Rom 2.)
Judicial Blindness is prevalent today, not only among those who
make no profession of Christ, but among the great majority of
God's people. People are unable to make any connection between
their personal relationship with the Lord and His law, their personal
lives (attitudes and decisions), and what is taking place around
them in society. People are unable to see that society only reflects
their attitude toward the Lord and His word.
The result is two-fold:
first, men, even "Christian men," seek answers everywhere
except where the answer lies: renewed faithfulness to the Lord
and to His total word, and
People no longer see the foundational importance of proclaiming
the gospel, teaching the law of the Lord to the converts and of
long range planing. People now look for short cuts through protests
of all kinds, laws, political and religious leaders, but they
will only find judgment.
second, the situation only gets worse, hastening God's judgment
against sin.
But in spite of the apparent impending flood of fiery wrath against
sin, we have a sure promise: judgment descends like the rain so
that righteousness, justice and salvation might flourish as the
crops in the field.
Ill: At the first of this month, the corn out
our way looked very sickly. Since the rain started, it has grown
at an astounding rate. According to the word of God, heavy rain
on sickly corps pictures God's judgment against sin. Then the
resulting growth pictures God's righteousness after the judgment.
Answer?
First, the answer to Blindness is to sincerely seek the Lord,
Pro 28:5;Ph 3:15.
Second, the answer is to obey Mt 28:19, 20. The
spreading of the gospel and the instruction in God's total word
is God's only ordained means to address the problems of our day.
Any thing else clearly unscriptural.
God has given our church an exceptional opportunity to obey Mat
28:19, 20: proclaim the gospel and teach God's word. We dare not
be blind to what the Lord has permitted. We must be faithful in
the proclamation of His salvation both in regeneration and living
a victorious life.
What a marvelous day for the faithful servant of God to live in!