As Christians read this chapter, it seems to them to refer quite clearly not only to the general outlines of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, but to particular aspects of that life—to His ministry, death, and resurrection. Yet there is blindness even here. Some reject the view of the atonement which is found here. Others refuse to apply these teachings to their lives.
Over the past two days we listed six subjects that faithful teaching needs to include: a high view of Scripture, the sovereignty of God, the depravity of man, grace, work to do, and the security of the believer in Christ.
Today’s Christians need to articulate these great biblical doctrines afresh, not just adopt the theology of our culture. We need to speak of the depravity of man, of man in rebellion against God, so much so that there is no hope for him apart from God’s grace. We need to speak of God’s electing love, showing that God enters the life of the individual in grace by His Holy Spirit to quicken understanding and draw the rebellious will to Himself. We must speak of perseverance, that God is able to keep and does keep those whom He so draws.
Yesterday’s devotional concluded by looking at the first two elements of faithful Christian teaching. Today we will consider four others.
3. The depravity of man. Church people are willing to speak of sin in the sense that all are “less perfect than God” and need help to live a godly life. That is not offensive to anyone. But it is not the full biblical teaching. The Bible teaches that men and women are in rebellion against God (Ps. 2:1–3). It says, not that they are marred by sin, but that they are dead in it (Eph. 2:1–3). It says they have been so affected by sin that even their thoughts are thoroughly corrupted: “The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time” (Gen. 6:5). So great is this depravity that a person cannot even come to Christ unless God first renews His soul and thus draws Him (John 6:24).
The second of these is “all nations.” It refers, as I indicated in the last section, to the universal authority of Jesus and the worldwide character of Christianity. It is surprising that Matthew, of all the Gospels, should end on this note. Each of the Gospels has its unique character, as commentators have long noted. John’s is most universal; it presents Jesus as “the Savior of the world” (5:42). Luke is a Gentile or Greek book; it is usual to think of Luke presenting Jesus to Greeks as the perfect or ideal man (as well as God incarnate). Mark seems to have been written for a Roman audience; it stresses Jesus as a miracle worker, giving less attention to His discourses than the others.
Yesterday we ended by mentioning the first part of Christ’s authority, which is his authority in heaven. Today we look at the other three.
2. Authority over spiritual forces. Jesus’ claim to have been given all authority in heaven probably extends also to what in other passages are described as principalities and powers, that is, all spiritual forces, including those which are demonic. Paul wrote about these in Ephesians 6 in his classic description of the Christian’s warfare: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (v. 12).
