“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2
When Jesus called His twelve disciples to leave all and follow Him, it was not a calling to simply inform them of spiritual things. It was for the purpose of bringing them into a relationship, an experience with God whereby Christ would be formed in them. As Jesus came declaring to mankind the “truth,” absolute in its form and essence, He also demonstrate that eternal “truth” by the His life, a holy life set apart to God, strengthened and kept by the Father, and led by the Spirit. That which Christ sought to accomplish in the calling of those twelve men, even though Judas was not willing to truly follow, was to bring them to an experiential knowledge of being saved from the guilt and consequences of sin but also being delivered from the law of sin in their natures. He came proclaiming a message of forgiveness, cleansing, deliverance, and present victory over the enemies of the soul. He came proclaiming a Life, His Life, which could be known and experienced by the power of the Spirit working in and through the lives of those who would not only follow Him, but who would believe Him for His highest and best. Christ’s goal was to form within them His very person, His nature, His holiness, that the world would see, know, and be thoroughly convinced of the wonder of His Life, eternal and blessed forever.
After Christ accomplished on the cross of Calvary His perfect work of redemption, by His suffering and death, confirmed by the resurrection from the dead, He fulfilled the promise of the Father to give to those who would follow Him, the Spirit of God in a wonderful, convincing way, but also, and at the same time, demonstrating His power to work through them for the salvation of many. It was as the Spirit of Christ within them strengthened them to abide in Him, and He in them, that they were able to be led by the Spirit, and accomplish their mission, which was to spread the gospel throughout the then known world, demonstrating the veracity and power of the gospel, because of the saving effect it had on those who heard and believed it. From the moment when the church of Christ, the living body on earth, was born on the day of Pentecost, to this very day, the mandate has not only been to make disciples of all nations, but to teach them to obey all that Christ had commanded. To do this would require a consecration and devotion to worship and serve Christ according to the gifts and specific calling of each member in the body of Christ, which was only possible by the power of the Spirit of God.
One key element of this commission, given to the church, is so very clearly revealed in the writings of the Apostle Paul to his son in the faith, Timothy, who in a real way would be his successor. This matter had to do with the passing on, or the conferring of the truths of Christ to faithful men who would be able to teach others also. If the great commission would be realized by the church, then there must be the communicating of the great truths of the gospel to those who will follow Christ in the present day, but also in the days to come. The commission given to the church was not just so the church could be edified in its walk of faith in Christ, but that the world might KNOW that the Lord He is God, there being no other Savior from sin.
When Paul saw that the time of his departure was approaching, he wrote clearly to Timothy: “And the things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”
Dear Father, Make us faithful now. In Jesus’ name, Amen.