It should become apparent, after this series has been completed, how fitting a metaphor is this term to represent the history of the discussion of the "Great Commission" among the "Ant-Mission," "Hardshell," "Primitive," "Old School," or "Old Regular Baptists."
This topic was a leading stated cause of the "Old School" or "Primitive" Baptists separating themselves from the main body of the Baptist denomination. The questions discussed and debated were - "to whom was the Great Commission given?" Is it still binding upon any? Upon the present day ministry? Upon the church? Upon the individual disciple?
Standing in an imaginary circle of hot potato game players, are the leading apologists of the Hardshell Denomination. The "hot potato" is the subject of the "Great Commission." Each of these "apologists" have passed around this "hot potato" for the past two hundred years, each giving forth a different reason for "passing on to someone else" the responsibility and duty of the "Great Commission." They all seem to hope that it does not "fall upon" them to personally fulfill the great command of Christ!
The topic of the Great Commission is not one that the typical Hardshell proselyter wants to discuss with an "Arminian." They had rather talk to the Arminian about Calvinism and election, and limited atonement, and such things, but the subject of the "Great Commission" is one that the Hardshells would just soon leave till a much later time, when the prospective proselyte has "taken the bait" on other hybrid Hardshell propositions.
One of the "arguments" that the Hardshells make on the Commission, in support of their refusal to obey it, is to say--"The Lord said, 'GO ye,' not 'SEND ye.'" Only the apostles, they say, were to "go." If he had given this Commission to any besides the apostles, or to the church, they argue, then the command would say "SEND," and not say "GO".
Wrote a group of "Primitive Baptist" elders of recent years:
"We find no scriptural basis for the belief that the "great commission" was given to the church and that the church is responsible for the spread of the gospel in the world today and therefore is justified in organizing programs and raising funds for this purpose. What saith the scriptures? Mark 16:14-15; Acts 1:2, 8; Col. 1:6, 23."
This is clear and to the point. The Hardshells, as a people, believe that they have no responsibility to keep the commandments given in the "Great Commission." But, more on this shortly.
"Shortly before His ascension, Christ commanded His apostles to "go...into all the world, and preach the gospel unto every creature" (Mark 16:15). (This command is commonly referred to as the "great commission," although this term is not found in the Scriptures). The Scriptures make it abundantly clear that the apostles did indeed fulfill this command. Several years after the command was given, the apostle Paul reported that the gospel had come into "all the world" (Col. 1:6) and had been "preached to every creature which is under heaven" (Col. 1:23)."
"Moreover, when Christ placed this "great commission" upon His apostles, He promised them that great signs and wonders would accompany the fulfilling of this commission. These signs would be in the form of special apostolic powers, such as the ability to cast out demons and the ability to drink any sort of deadly poison and remain unharmed (Mark 16:17-18). We take the fact that these special powers are no longer with us as further proof that the "great commission" has been fulfilled."
"We stand with our Baptist forefathers in rejecting the heresy that the "great commission" was given to the church body. Elder John R. Daily (one of our Baptist forefathers) explained: "None of us believe that the commission given by Christ to His apostles was intended to be laid upon the church as a body, which false idea has been the parent of all Missionary machinery that has ever been invented" (Advocate and Messenger, "More Specificity Requested," July 1996, pg. 149)." (Addendum to the "Pitt's Resolution of the Old Line Primitive Baptists," Item VIII, "That The 'Great Commission' Was Given To The Church") (All emphasis mine - SMG)
(http://www.carthage.lib.il.us/community/churches/primbap/PittsResolution.html)
We may summarize now the leading arguments put forth by today's Hardshells. We can presume that this modern apologetic statement reflects the position and arguments that seem to have survived and gained the overwhelming ascendency among the Hardshells. We may take this modern apologetic as itself a summation of the reasons offered by the Hardshells for their historical non-compliance, as a religious denomination, with the terms of the "great commission."
"Iron sharpens iron," and it is apparent that the more learned of today's Hardshells, the ones most familiar with their history and heritage, and with the historic debate on the subject of the "Great Commission," have "weeded out" the "arguments" that have not "passed muster" and now only use those few remaining arguments, as listed above by those who signed the "Pitt's Resolution" (against Elder Lasserre Bradley Jr., and those alligned with him and his "liberal movement.") But, more on this in other upcoming series.
Besides summarizing the major arguments as given by the elders who wrote the "Pitt's Resolution," and of those who spoke apologetically on this "hot potato" issue, I will also relate other minor arguments and "interpretations" that have been given by leading Hardshells, over the past two hundred years, and whose apologetic intent has been to try to prove that the Hardshells are not guilty of violating the "great commission."
1) The "Great Commission" was fulfilled by the apostles and ended with the death of the apostles.
A) The scriptures expressly say that it was fulfilled.
B) The "signs" and miraculous gifts were to be co-extensive with the fulfilling of the "Great Commission," and since the signs and gifts ceased, then the commission must have been fulfilled.
2) Baptist history (teachings of our forefathers) held the Hardshell view on the "Great Commission."
Besides these "arguments," we will list these other ones that have been put forth in an apologetic effort to uphold the Hardshell position on the "Great Commission."
1) The "Great Commission" was given strictly to the eleven remaining apostles. All other ministers receive a special and separate commission.
2) "Every creature" means "every new creature in Christ," and therefore the gospel is not to be preached to "every creature," but only to the already "regenerated."
3) The "Great Commission" was given to the ministry as a separate entity from the church.
In addition to these apologetic arguments, I will mention other related issues and questions, such as:
1) Is the church ever authorized to send out men as missionaries of the gospel?
2) Is the church ever authorized to financially support roving evangelists and church sponsored missionaries?
3) What is the relationship of preachers of the gospel to the churches in regard to missionary and evangelistic work?
Now, let me cite from Hardshell "founding father," Elder Gilbert Beebe, one of the very first to have the "hot potato" tossed to him, and see what he said while he had the issue in his possession. He wrote:
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." - Mark xvi. 15.
"TRUE to the promise made to our correspondent at Burdett, in our last number, we will give a brief expression of our views upon the above text. We regret the want of room to give our mind more fully on this important subject, as we conceive it to be most awfully and wickedly perverted by the popular theologians of our day. It is by them perverted to mean anything and everything but the truth. They quote it as a full and sufficient warrant for theological seminaries and colleges; they profess to be governed by it in the formation of Mission Societies, and profess obedience to it in getting up and sustaining Sunday Schools; they inscribe these words as a motto upon the frontlet of their tracts, and other popular religious publications; and in short they would use it to sustain any practice they may choose to adopt. And yet how very simple and plain the language is, when stripped of the sophistry and confusion into which the subject is thrown by the artful management of those who handle the word of God deceitfully..."
Ironically, one can truly see, from the above citation, the "sophistry" of Elder Beebe himself as he handles this "hot potato"! In his ranting he does not deal with the real meat issue, but begins by appealing to popular prejudices among his "Hyper Calvinistic" brethren, and by throwing out "red herrings." He is also clearly attempting to "poison the well" when it comes to the "hot potato" issue of the "Great Commission."
He wants to attack first what he perceives to be "perversions" on the topic, and thus his intent, from the very outset of his apologetic writing on the topic, is to "cast in a bad light" all who believed that the "Great Commission" gave warrant to the churches to labor to promote the spread of the gospel.
He also wants to build the proverbial "straw man" and attack it, insinuating all the time that those who believe the "Great Commission" is not fulfilled, but still in force, are gross "perverters" of the great commission, guilty of usurping authority that was not given to ordinary ministers, but to the eleven apostles alone.
Whether or not the "Great Commission" gives warrant to theological schools or other methods of training disciples and young preachers will be taken up in future chapters dealing with ministerial education and related topics. The same with the issue of "mission societies," and with "Sunday Schools," and with the distribution of tracts and bibles.
It is even more ironic that Elder Beebe speaks of how those who believe that the "great commission" is still binding, and not fulfilled, as being those who, on this passage, "handle the word of God deceitfully"!
But, by the time this series on the "Great Commission" is completed, it will be obvious that the very reverse is the actual case, for it is Beebe and the Hardshells who have, on this topic, "handled the word of God (relative to the great commission) deceitfully"!
What is wrong with having the words of the "Great Commission" as a "motto" or "banner" for the church? for every disciple? for every gospel minister? What kind of spirit is driving Elder Beebe when he harshly criticizes and judges those who take as a motto the words - "go preach the gospel to everyone"? Certainly the words of the "Great Commission" make a better motto than some mottos the Hardshells use! Recall the one I mentioned in earlier chapters, where Elder C. M. Mills stated that the Primitive Baptist motto was "give us our bible and leave us alone"!
Those old "wicked perverters" of the words of the great commission, the apostate "Missionary Baptists," take the bible to everyone and believe the commission warrants them doing so. But, the Hardshells, who affirm that they are the "only ones" who properly understand the "Great Commission," believing that they are warranted in "staying put," in going nowhere, and in keeping the bible to themselves!
No wonder the Hardshells, who have so vehemently opposed churches involving themselves with trying to fulfill the "Great Commission," were often styled as "do-nothings," and as "Old Ironsides," and as "Anti-Mission Baptists."Elder Beebe spoke of some who"use" the words of the commission "to sustain any practice they may choose to adopt."
This accusation of Elder Beebe was made against his Baptists brethren who were "professing obedience" to the "Great Commission"!
Does the abuse of a thing make the use of the thing itself wrong? The logic and argumentation of Elder Beebe is precisely just that! Now, who is the real "Sophist"?
Amazingly, as will be seen, it is the Hardshells who "handle" the words of the great commission "deceitfully."
Elder Beebe continues in his "diatribe":
"Who is the commander? This is a very important question in the consideration of the subject in our estimation; for we hold that there is but one being in existence, either in heaven or on earth, who is clothed with such authority to give such commands; hence should we -, should an angel from heaven, or a Missionary Society on earth, say to any of the sons of Adam, Go ye and preach the gospel, it would me most daring presumption, and woe to the wretch who would obey our command. The commander in this case is none other than the Lord from heaven..."
Who in the world denies that Jesus is the "commander" in the giving of the great commission? Elder Beebe continues, in this next paragraph, to use old worn out Sophist tactics in discussing this "hot potato" issue! Beebe charges more on his opponents than they affirm. He may have believed that some of the missionary practices of his day, by logical deduction, brought a logical consequence that in effect made someone else, other than Christ, the Commander, but this is not what he says. He arrogantly charges all who believe that the commission is not fulfilled, and is yet binding upon all the followers of Christ, as actually believing that Christ is not the one who commissions, sends, or commands!
For one Christian to tell another Christian that it is his duty and privilege to go and tell others the gospel, according to Beebe, is a "daring presumption"! As for some other things that Beebe says in the above paragraph, I will address later.
Beebe continues:
"The people to whom this command was addressed. It has been very common with christians to suppose that this text was addressed to all those who in every age are divinely called to preach the gospel; and that a very similar commission, in may respects, is given by our Lord Jesus Christ to every one whom he has called to that work, we do not doubt; but those words were addressed exclusively to the eleven disciples whom it was his pleasure to name apostles. We have already shown that many at this degenerate age attempt to apply this commission to the various schemes and inventions of the day. We recollect seeing some twelve months ago, if our recollection serves correctly, an advertisement in the Baptist Repository of New York, calling for six hundred persons to distribute tracts in that city, in obedience to the command "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel!" We are persuaded that every candid child of God is fully prepared to say with us that this commission belongs to none but such as are specially called and chosen of God to that work."
The view of Elder Beebe is the strictest interpretation of the view put forth by those who first rose up to oppose the widespread missionary work and zeal that was at work among the Baptists, and other denominations, in the first half of the 19th century.
Most of the first generation of Hardshells, in the 1820-1860 period, believed that the "great commission" was "given chiefly to the apostles, and secondarily to gospel ministers in every age."
Beebe does not believe or promote this apologetic, but argues that the "great commission" was given strictly to the "eleven" apostles who were assembled together when Christ uttered the words "go ye into all the world and preach..." He then holds the view that every other minister or apostle, other than the original eleven, all received special and particular commissions, rather than simply being called to fulfill the original commission. But, I will address this line of argument later also.
As far as "every candid child of God" being able to see the Hardshell interpretation of Christ's words in the commission, that will be shown to be a false charge, for the case is just the opposite, for "every candid" and honest student of the words of Christ will see that the duties connected with the great commission are not fulfilled and are yet binding upon all the disciples, to one degree or another, and not only upon eleven disciples!
Beebe continues:
"We come thirdly to notice the command, Go ye - not send others; this would certainly be an awful perversion of the word of God. Who does not know the sense of language better than to ignorantly fall into so fatal a blunder? Go ye, i.e., yourselves, those to whom our Lord addressed the command, into all the world and preach the gospel unto every creature. The extent of the divine command is not to be restricted for want of funds..."
"But this command not only designates the men, and points out to them the field of their labor, but it directs them what to do: preach the gospel. There is no authority here given to play off seminary airs, read notes or beg money, for after all these things do the Gentiles seek, but preach the gospel. The term gospel means now precisely what it always did...In short, they taught the disciples to observe all things whatsoever Christ had commanded, and to let any and every man or angel be accursed who should preach any other gospel."
Beebe's statement that the "eleven apostles taught the disciples to observe all things whatsoever Christ had commanded" goes against him, as I will show shortly. Notice that Beebe says that "preaching the gospel" includes "teaching disciples to observe" the commands given to the apostles.
But, he writes further, in his conclusion, saying:
"In conclusion, we were to note some few plain inferences. 1st. As all the power in heaven and in earth was indispensably involved in qualifying the great Redeemer for the work of calling, qualifying, sending forth and sustaining the ministers of the gospel; there are, and can be none of his ministers on earth at this day but what are so called, qualified, sustained, &c., and consequently all such as do arrogantly assume this work, and pretend to call, qualify or send forth ministers, or to do any part of this work, are anti-christ. Second, Inasmuch as Christ has all power, he can, and does call into the ministry whomsoever he pleaseth, independently of all the schemes of men. If, therefore, he has occasion for learned men, the learned are at his command; and the only reason why the church has not a more plentiful supply of faithful and talented ministers, is not occasioned by bankruptcy on his part, but is simply because he has not seen fit at present to call them to the work. Again, as the work is wholly his own, he is as able to raise up the natives of Burmah, Hindostan, or the Indians of our woods, as any of those whom human wisdom might suggest."
What Elder Beebe says about the use of theological schools to train and "qualify" men to preach and teach disciples will be addressed when I get to the question of Ministerial Education, but I want to respond now to what Elder Beebe says about the "Lord not sending" or "calling" any learned men into the ministry. Does he not put the blame on the Lord? Does he not say that the reason why the Primitive Baptist clergy is unlearned and uneducated is because the Lord does not want any who are such?
I said earlier in this writing that the atmosphere in the Hardshell Baptist cult is one that scandolizes education and a learned ministry. A man is not judged a "good" or "called" or "qualified" man to teach and preach unless he can show himself ignorant!
The Hardshells have glorified ignorance and there is much more evidence to prove this that can and will be given. He calls any person who helps train preachers and teachers as being "anti-christ"!
He then attacks again the "peddling of tracts," as though it was wrong to pass out biblical literature! But, Elder Beebe and his brethren did not live up to their own standard for he and they began an immense publication crusade in writing diatribes against the anti Christian practice of spreading the gospel!
Elder Beebe writes further:
"As this commission was addressed to none but such as were designated by our Lord, and can apply to none others without manifest violation of its proper sense or meaning, it is insulting to the divine majesty for us to so far abuse its meaning as to apply it to the peddling of tracts, and the promulgation of error, or the building up of the various inventions of men or devils, whether they be called benevolent or otherwise."
It is unbelievable that Elder Beebe would say that the "commission was addressed to none but such as were designated by our Lord, and can apply to none others without manifest violation of its proper sense or meaning..."
This statement is absurd and I fully intend to overthrow it in this series of articles on the "Great Commission." But, I will just say this much, just now; by this line of argument, Matthias, Paul, and even Thomas perhaps, were all excluded from this commission, for they were not part of the "eleven" to whom Christ gave the original commission! Were they, as Elder Beebe affirmed, all given different commissions? But, I will expound upon this rebuttal argument in upcoming chapters in this series. I will say this, however - It is a rather manifest violation of the words of the great commission to restrict them to just the original eleven!
But, Elder Beebe continues:
"As the command plainly expresses what those unto whom a divine application of it is made are to do, there can be no place found in the sense of this, or any other bible arrant, for building or sustaining of theological institutions for that purpose of teaching such as are so called what their Lord and Master would have them do. As their calling is of God - and the King's business always requires haste - it would amount ot rebellion, if not treason, for any one of his called ministers to spend any time to learn, in any humanly contrived school, how or what to preach in his name. We are unavoidably driven to the conclusion, that no minister of Jesus Christ ever has or will be detained any longer in such a place than he could be in the belly of hell." ("The Gospel Commission," NEW VERNON, N. Y., July 22, 1835)
It is again unbelievable that Elder Beebe would argue against theological training because the work is "urgent" and therefore the called minister ought to just go preach immediately! This "argument" would have some "teeth" in it if it were backed up by a history of Hardshell "urgency" as regards preaching! But, the fact is, such is not the case at all.
This "argument" does not seem to "hold good," however, with Paul, for immediately after he was converted and called to preach, he went and spent three years in solitude in Arabia! Looks like the Lord thought he needed three years of training in the desert before sending him off to preach! (See Galatians 1: 16-18)
In concluding this first article in this series, I will first ask this most important (compound) question of every Hardshell who may either read or respond to what I am here writing - "What duties, in the Great Commission, do you believe are now forbidden or wrong for any Christian to do? And, "why are those duties now wrong?"
"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28: 16-20 NIV)
"Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16: 14-16 NIV)
Here are the things that Jesus commanded the "eleven" to do, in the above accounts of Matthew and Mark.
1. Go everywhere and announce the gospel to everyone
2. Disciple all nations in the truths of the gospel
3. Preach remission of sins to everyone in the name of Christ
4. Preach repentance to everyone in the name of Christ
5. Tell everyone that those who believe the gospel will be saved and those who believe not will be condemned.
6. Baptize all those who believe and repent, every disciple, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
7. Teach believers and disciples to obey every command I give to you.
Now, which of these duties are Christians exempt from doing today? Will the Hardshells tell us? Which one do they not do? Which one of these "commands" was only for the original eleven? Which ones were the eleven not to teach others to do?
To prove "right from the very start" that it is the duty of all Christians to do what they can, providentially, to fulfill all the commands in the Great Commission, I can do no better than to emphasize and point to the very words of Christ as given in the Commission.
"Teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you."
The Hardshell must twist the verse to say and mean - "Teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you, EXCEPT for this very command to go and to preach and to teach the gospel to every creature."
Did Jesus command the eleven to "go everywhere" and preach? Did Jesus tell the eleven to teach others to observe this command? or was it excluded? The Hardshells say no! They do not teach disciples to observe this first directive! No Christian is under obligation to go! Did Jesus command the eleven to teach, disciple, and baptize? Did they teach their disciples to do the same?
Did the Lord command Peter to "go"? Did the Lord tell Peter to teach other disciples to observe the same command to "go"? Well, no, not according to Hardshellism. They believe that Peter was not to teach other disciples to "0bserve" the same command to "go"! Isn't their blindness amazing?
The Elders who wrote the "Pitt's Resolution" said further:
"It was recommended and urged that the commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel was given to the church. It has been the position of the Primitive Baptists that the commission was given to the ministers. If the command had been given to the church she would have been told to send her preachers into all the world. As it was not said to the apostles to send into the world but to go, we have always held that the commission was given to the ministry. That the minister must have the sanction of the church is not disputed. The church ordains the minister to administer the ordinances, and approves of the call made by the Lord, but that call to preach he receives from the Lord alone, and the church can only sanction the gift she sees the Lord has bestowed. But the commission to go and preach is one thing, and an approval or sanction of that commission is quite another. This has been the bone of contention between the Missionary or New School Baptists and the Primitive Baptists. We here quote the following statement from the Throgmorton-Potter Debate, as made by Elder Lemuel Potter in his first speech on the affirmative of his question: "I object to it (the foreign missionary work) on another ground. I do not believe it is warranted in God's word. Because in order to find even a shadow of authority for it in the Scriptures its advocates say that the great commission was given to the church, instead of to the apostles and ministers. Remember, the position that I am here to prove is that the Missionary Baptists believe that doctrine, and that the advocates of modern missions say that the great commission was given to the church, instead of to the apostles and ministers."
)"A Loving Appeal to the Primitive Baptists" By Elder John R. Daily
1906)
http://www.carthage.lib.il.us/community/churches/primbap/Appeal.html
Elder Daily was a 2nd and 3rd generation Hardshell. He differs slightly from Elder Beebe in that he believes the great commission was not given to the apostles alone, but to every minister in every age, and this is truly the leading view of the first Hardshells, and the view that has "held sway" since that time, although more and more neo-Hardshells are going back and adopting the view of Elder Beebe.
Recently my father had a written debate with Thomas N. Thrasher of the "Church of Christ" on the subject of the "Great Commission." In that debate, dad argued just as Elder Beebe and the men who signed the "Pitt's resolution."
I will address all these points in the remainder of articles on the "Great Commission." It is hoped that this chapter at least helps clarify the points of debate, the crux of the matter in dispute.
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