on "HEARING IN ORDER TO BE SAVED"

Question: Whom should we hear about how we are to be saved?

The invitation of Jesus Christ given at the conclusion of sermons is based on what is generally referred to as the "Great Commission." Just before Jesus ascended to Heaven He gave this commission in a series of instructions which is recorded in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20, and Acts 1. Unfortunately, the John 20 account is probably overlooked because of its brevity.Consequently, our appreciation of the powerful role of the apostles in our salvation and service to God may suffer.

So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20:21-23).

Two issues that are to be addressed:

1. To whom was Jesus speaking in verse 23?

2. What is the powerful message for us today?

 1. To whom was Jesus speaking?    To the Top

Was he speaking to the church? This seems to be consensus of the religious world.

My experience is that this is the way the great commission is preached by them. "It was given to the church”, says man.

How the Roman Catholics Look at the Commission.

During the 1950's I studied with the Knights of Columbus, an educational arm of the Roman Catholic Church. The textbook was their Church approved "Father Smith Instructs Jackson". Hence, I give this as an example. The message of Jesus in John 20 is interpreted as instructions given to the Church. The Church is interpreted as its leaders. The Church can forgive sins or retain them. The "confessional booth" hears confessions of sins; the priest representing the Church, forgives the sins, and metes out punishment for absolution of the sins.

Historically this interpretation is responsible for the granting of "indulgences" that paid for the cathedral built in Rome during the Middle Ages. These indulgences forgave the sins before they were committed. The indulgences was the catalyst for Luther's 95 Theses in protesting against the Church.

How the Protestants Look at the Commission. This interpretation also has influenced thinking among the Protestants so that the preacher Reverend or Pastor is thought to have the power to forgive sins if he prays for us.

How Some in the Church Looks at the Commission. But some in the church of Christ may also interpret John 20 to grant powers to the church to forgive sins or not to forgive them. In Alabama recently a church decided not to forgive a person for absenting the worship assembly. The Christian went forward and asked the church to forgive him (with the understanding that he had brought reproach on the church); some men in the congregation said that they would not forgive him and refused him fellowship in the congregation. To be fair, there may have been unrepentant factors involved but they should have been made public. Nevertheless, it serves to illustrate the power thought to be possessed by the members of the church.

Now, look at the Biblical passage. To whom was Jesus really speaking? All four of the gospel accounts state "disciples"; indeed, but which disciples? The account in Acts 1:2 clearly states who they were.

" … until the day in which He (Jesus) was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen," Jesus then continues to tell these apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Holy Spirit.

The disciples are identified as "The APOSTLES"! During the Last Supper with His apostles, just before His arrest, Jesus promised to them the Holy Spirit, who would guide them (the apostles) into all truth. And now after His resurrection, He breathes on them; commands them to receive the Holy Spirit, and in connection with the Holy Spirit, gives a powerful statement of their subsequent role in man's salvation.

 2. What is the powerful message for us today?     To the Top

Jesus is saying, "Apostles, what ever sins you forgive will be forgiven (or has been forgiven)." That has to be a very powerful pronouncement for us.

Many today are misled as to whom they should hear. Some incorrectly have said, I'm not going to listen to anyone but Jesus. Preach Jesus only. If it's printed in red, I'll gladly listen but the rest is only the teachings of men and consequently just man's ideas. The conclusion is reached that we should only hear exactly what Jesus says.

Let's look at that thought. Throw out the epistles of John (and his Revelation). It is a man who wrote it. But John also wrote the "Gospel According to John". Wouldn't we have to throw it out as well? Both were written by the same man. Then when we throw out the "Book of Acts", do not forget that Luke its writer also is the writer of the "Gospel According to Luke". We need to throw that out also. What about the epistles of Paul? If we throw out his writings, then it is reasonable to throw out the "Gospel According to Mark" since John Mark was Paul's junior companion. That leaves the epistles of Peter and James. Men. But if we throw out Peter's writings, Matthew was Peter's fellow apostle, also a man. Throw out Matthew as well. Now that we've thrown out these writings, what do we have left? The cover only. Throw away what man has written and we do not have a New Testament.

Someone has aptly pointed out that there is no Christian in any area of the world where the New Testament has not gone. While at the University of Florida during the sixties, I met with a religious group that was dedicated to the goal of supporting the translation of the Bible in every language in the world including its dialects. They reported how dedicated people would go into villages of Africa and live among them to learn their language, invent and teach them a phonetic alphabet, and then write and give them the Bible. The written message is the only true source of the knowledge of Jesus and of our Creator God.

Please be advised that Jesus did not - DID NOT - write down anything! There is no such thing as listening to Jesus (directly). Actually, we do not have one word from Jesus. We would not even know about Jesus, nor can we, without our listening to His witnesses, the apostles and those “prophets” they laid their hands on (Acts 8; Ephesians 4). And the apostles themselves claim that Jesus gave them power; i.e., the power to forgive my sins and the sins of the whole world. If I want to know about Jesus' love and instructions to me, I will have to listen to His apostles (and NT prophets). In Hebrews 1:1-3 we are told to hear Jesus:

"God has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds." But the same writer continues with "how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?" (Hebrews 4:1-4). The ones who heard Jesus were the apostles who have in turn have told us about Jesus and the powerful role and authority He gave to them.

Perhaps it would be better in our day and time to call out to the world, not for them to hear Jesus, but rather, "HEAR His apostles"! Then one can of course hear what Jesus wants us to hear. Jesus prayed in John 17:17ff for us to be ONE with the apostles. The apostles were given the words of the Lord by the Lord's Spirit (Acts 2;10). The apostles have the Holy Spirit of inerrancy (inspiration) that they were told to wait in Jerusalem for. They have subsequently the power of forgiving me my sins; their recorded instructions are for me, a soul living 2000 years down the road in the span of time.

CONCLUSION:

THE CHURCH CANNOT SAVE ANYONE; THE MEMBERS OR LEADERS CANNOT FORGIVE SINS. The apostles tell man what to do to be saved from their sins. THE CHURCH RECEIVES THE APOSTLES' TEACHINGS (words) AND IS TO CONTINUE IN THEIR TEACHINGS (Acts 2:42).

What did the apostles teach about how to be forgiven?

To the non-Christian: Acts 2:38; "Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (by His authority given to them) for the forgiveness of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." This is hearing Jesus.

To the erring Christian: What was Peter's instructions to backslidden Simon a former sorcerer? Acts 8: "Repent and pray God that the thoughts of your heart might be forgiven you". The apostle John in his first epistle also wrote, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive our sins" (1 John 1). This is how we are to hear Jesus.

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