The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum HowWouldYouAnswerThis?

Does Matt 28:19, 20 REALLY teach that any believer is to make disciples and then to baptize them in the name of the Triune God?

CONTEXT, context, context... I cannot deny that this text has been sorely abused and misused by the modern "church" to teach an errant view of evangelism but now also the administration of Christ's sacraments. That individual believers are to "witness" of the goodness of God in Christ and call men to repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a truth taught in Scripture. HOWEVER, there is a special calling of some to the service of "Evangelist", which it seems were under the authority of the Church and sent out for the purpose of conducting themselves itinerantly, i.e., while traveling about preaching the Gospel. The point here is that the mandate to "make disciples" matheteusate and to "baptize" baptizo was given specifically to the disciples; the 11 who Christ Himself had set apart for the establishment of the Church. And they in turn appointed Elders in the churches they helped establish through their preaching who then were delegated with the responsibility of administering the sacraments.

As I responded to "sojouner" I do likewise to you... Can you show from Scripture any occurrence where a sole believer, i.e., a non-Apostle or Elder baptized anyone AND where that single occurrence is paradigmatic, i.e., a universal teaching to be practiced in the Church?

In His grace,