The Great Commission ?

[Willie T]

Good answer in my opinion, but why didn't Peter utter the words "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit instead of Jesus alone?

Hummm, you think maybe he understood they are one and the same?

 

[Eugene]

Eugene,
You left the door wide open for an old salt that spent, entirely, to long on stage learning how to sin better, but to be realistic, I would suggest that had Jesus rode into town, that day, with the elements proclaiming His majesty none would have dared place Him on that cross. The common man would have lynched the Sanhedrin, the King, The Creaser in Rome and all of the Roman Army. That would, I'm guessing, have ruined the plan that had to be fulfilled.

Well, the Tree of Life was before Jesus' birth in the flesh but let me put my lame foot on the gas with a brick strapped to it and get this into reverse and catch up with you before you have all the fun by yourself.

I have never found anyone to make the argument nor have I ever discovered any reason to doubt the Omnipresence of God. There is, however, a situation that can be difficult to wrap one's head around with this truth. Omnipresence means there is no time constraint in place for God, of course. When God told Moses to tell them I Am sent him He broke the dam of eternal knowledge and we have been swept downstream ever since grasping and gathering before it floats away from us.

When God gave His name as I Am e destroyed all barriers. I will ask you to remember what my Vietnamese friend Tam Dang said about me, "Bill Taylor, crazy Vietnam Veteran! So the bottom line, having started three companies I love the bottom line, but, the bottom line is that God is, right now, present in the past, present here in the present and right now, present in the future.

If that did not break your mind, hold on. As a baby Christian, 45 years old, I came to understand that my name was written in the Book of Life before God created the first particle of dirt for the, now, great planet Earth. That was over six thousand years before I was born and if I, and I do, have a free will, how did He know I would accept His Son for my Savior, that far ahead?

Either the Five Point Hyper Calvinist is right and I have no free will and thus no manner to ever love God or He knew the future. That tree was there for our benefit, not Adam's.

Now, hold tight because there is a sharp turn here. Remember when God repented and changed His mind about Pharaoh? I will suggest to you, He did not! How could He, God knows! That line is in the account for our instruction. Consider how your head is reeling right now and move this conversation back four thousand years, into Israel with Jacob teaching it. LOL! The Israelites would have strung Jacob up by his toe nails.

So, the tree was there as a teaching point.

Partner, you've got a way with words, you've strapped on your side arm, and are ready to fight for truth. You mention the tree of life as a teaching point, and that somewhat agrees with thoughts I’ve had of the trees available to them. I’ve thought that the tree of knowledge of good and evil might have been the law in type; that ministration of death. The tree of life would be Jesus; God’s word revealing the way of eternal life; I’m probably wrong but it’s interesting.

Of course God knows the end from the beginning and was never caught off guard in His plan of the fall, and redemption of us whom He loved. I am one that believes God does not undeniably save us, but because of His foreknowledge that we would receive His sacrifice provided, our steps are prepared of Him.

 

[Eugene]

Hummm, you think maybe he understood they are one and the same?

I personally don't think so, but that's just my opinion. I'm on the way of a different conclusion to the reasoning of what they were doing, but there are so many good ideas being brought forth at this time I want to see where they take us. I love it when our discussion can change to include all facets of the OP, and even stray to things I may have never considered.

 

[Mike S]

Good answer in my opinion, but why didn't Peter utter the words "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit instead of Jesus alone?

I don't think we need to over-analyze it. The will and authority of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are united in perfect union...a single perfect authority. There is no difference between the authority of Jesus alone, and that of Jesus as an element of the Godhead.

 

[Gary]

But here Peter didn't even mention our Father.

Well he must've been doing something right because the chapter ended with this.

Acts 2
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
.

 

[Eugene]

Alright all, I'll proceed to some of my thoughts on these scriptures.

Now when Jesus said all authority was given Him, he had not taken possession of that until His reign was to begin. Also, those apostles had no idea they weren't to be ushered directly into the Kingdom Age. Many of us Gentiles were a complete surprise having been given the hope of glory, and receiving the Holy Spirit just as the disciples did. When all nations are under the rule of the King of kings I believe we'll see the Great Commission in its intended purpose to the nations. I've added a few couches at the end of this so as to have a way out of the room.

 

[th1b.taylor]

Partner, you've got a way with words, you've strapped on your side arm, and are ready to fight for truth. You mention the tree of life as a teaching point, and that somewhat agrees with thoughts I’ve had of the trees available to them. I’ve thought that the tree of knowledge of good and evil might have been the law in type; that ministration of death. The tree of life would be Jesus; God’s word revealing the way of eternal life; I’m probably wrong but it’s interesting.

Of course God knows the end from the beginning and was never caught off guard in His plan of the fall, and redemption of us whom He loved. I am one that believes God does not undeniably save us, but because of His foreknowledge that we would receive His sacrifice provided, our steps are prepared of Him.

If you're wrong about the understanding of the Tree of Life, that makes us both wrong and I agree, we are not God and do not understand all things and we might be wrong. But that is alright, Jesus will jerk out long, out of socket tails, and put us on the straight when we arrive home.

One thing that disturbed every First Sergeant I ever had, save Daddy Himes, was my usage of the English language. I could make every man under me and quite a few officers roll on the ground in glee, thank you!

 

[th1b.taylor]

Alright all, I'll proceed to some of my thoughts on these scriptures.

Now when Jesus said all authority was given Him, he had not taken possession of that until His reign was to begin. Also, those apostles had no idea they weren't to be ushered directly into the Kingdom Age. Many of us Gentiles were a complete surprise having been given the hope of glory, and receiving the Holy Spirit just as the disciples did. When all nations are under the rule of the King of kings I believe we'll see the Great Commission in its intended purpose to the nations. I've added a few couches at the end of this so as to have a way out of the room.

Your take is just as worthy of consideration as anything I can offer. There is one thing though, I found in 'Nam and in some Texas Night Clubs, Juke Joints, that the best way out of the room is with a pistol in each hand with the left hand shooting the ceiling up and the right hand levelled, swinging wildly as though searching for a target... never got shot once that way.

 

[Mike S]

Your take is just as worthy of consideration as anything I can offer. There is one thing though, I found in 'Nam and in some Texas Night Clubs, Juke Joints, that the best way out of the room is with a pistol in each hand with the left hand shooting the ceiling up and the right hand levelled, swinging wildly as though searching for a target... never got shot once that way.

Or, if you're not the one with the gun, Lynyrd Skynyrd has the answer:

 

[th1b.taylor]

Or, if you're not the one with the gun, Lynyrd Skynyrd has the answer:

Mike,
I haven't heard that number in years. I was, however, always certain the reason for that song happened at Little Moe's on State 249, one Saturday night while I was gigging... ohhhh, the good times, some think! But the music was and still is good. My favorite song back then was played anywhere from 2 to 8 am as we were taking off with a load of Troopers we were pulling out of a hot spot with machine gun tracers sailing the sky, both ways, green and red, and Country Joe and the Fish break out on AFVN Radio singing "Be The First On Your Block To Come Home In A Wooden Box."

My men all called me pop and I was 22 to 24 and I would get drunk grab my guitar and in ten minutes we were on the Flight Line with our 19 year old pilots and all of us, drunk as a skunk singing that song. I never did figure why the Old Man and Top chewed on those young officers so much after a good Flight Line Bash.

 

[for_his_glory]

The only difference is in what man does for self glory or for the glory of the Lord as all things needs to be done through that of Gods Holy Spirit working through us who have answered His calling. All three verses are the same as it is all Gods Spirit working in us and through us.