The evolution of the Great Commission over time.

There are many reasons to market a product other than just making money (although that certainly seems to be the motive behind much of Christianity today), and note what you just wrote: Yes, most folk have a "What's in it for me" approach to Christianity, but what Jesus taught was quite different. Did he ask that question when he healed the sick, feed the hungry, comforted the sorrowful?The changes in the Great Commission reflect just that issue; to sell "just do for others" was a tough sale.

Im starting to come around to the idea of doing for others...with no promise of a reward...is a noble philosophy. (It would be nice to get paid, though. The rent must be paid. ) I'll get back to the other arguments and discussions in the other topics when I can. This holiday season is quite busy for me. Lots of folk buying lots of food. 40 hours at the grocery store. Which is a blessing! I wont gamble it away...im getting too old to waste money. I now agree with the personal duty and responsibility charge. It rings true with my soul. Im not sure, however, why the woo factor is totally illogical nor wrong. We can discuss it more if you would like.

In my belief, who I am reflects how much I am allowing myself to decrease and Christ in me to increase. Some days I realize how selfish I really am. I repent, ask for wisdom, and resolve to try my best to be more generous...but in my belief I need Him in me to help. Perhaps on this point we could agree that the responsibility is mine--not His.I believe that GOD is Spirit and I believe that Gods Spirit is in communion--intermingling with my human spirit. I could never test nor show how this is possible and would leave it for others to observe me to verify or refute my claim.

Seems to me like you need to deal with your guilt issues more than anything else. Guilt is a worthless and crippling emotion if you let it persist.Here is how to get rid of guilt. If it is a behavior that makes you feel guilty don't it. If you do the behavior, guilt won't change what happened so persistent guilt does nothing. Acknowledge what you feel guilty about and move on. Perseverating on it does nothing good.
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The thread is not about you but rather about how the story of the Great Commission evolved over time in the Bible stories.

OK, back to the topic. One thing that gets me about what the commission is is between two extremes. Some say that Christianity is all about what we do for others. Others say that Christianity is not about what we do entirely...it is about who He is and what He did for all of us. While I will agree that merely sharing the idea that He died for all of our sins past,present and future is not the entire message, I also dont agree that God is unknowable and that our focus should be entirely on simply doing for others with no promise of any hope nor reward nor even any certainty of an afterlife.I will agree that we should focus on doing for others all of the time and that we should not merely do things in expectation of favor or reward...either from God or humanity. One scripture grabbed my curiosity, however. Paul...in Romans: Is trying to do our best daily with no expectation of reward establishing our own righteousness? OK...so our charge is to try and do our best on a daily basis and repent for anything our conscience tells us is wrong. So to tell people that Christianity is not about who He is so much as about what we do would to me seem contradictory to what Paul was teaching. Comments?

Each day I am aware of how I have fallen short of what I know I should have or could have done. I realize, however, that I am human and can always improve. To me, its not so much guilt as it is conviction. I do. I dont have a negative self image nor a belief in impending doom in the world. I try to look at life and people optimistically.I believe that I can do it with Gods help.

What does any of that have to do with the evolution of the Great Commission over time in the Bible or is that back to "what about Phat?"

If you want to limit the topic to what is said in the Bible, I'll step out. The fact is, the Great Commission is only possible with commissioners. jar is a commissioner as is Phat as is Tim, Buck, or Too. The Bible is only useful to humanity if it can be applied today...not just as some study of what folk did way back then.

Are you suggesting that Matthew had the original intent correct while Luke and John expanded the teaching into myth? Or are you suggesting that all of it is myth?It seems to me that you really prefer the charge to try and do your best--regardless of any promise. Perhaps your Mother had an influence in this regard. The Book of Acts explains the expansion of the "franchise". I know that you suspect that all later attempts were insincere.I believe that God revealed more to latter believers (after His Son died and was resurrected) than He did to former believers who were of course unfranchised Jews.

The issue is interpretation of the Great Commission. Paul states plainly that simply doing for others is a form of establishing ones own righteousness. He is challenging the original religion. You seem to prefer to keep it.

UH...chapter and verse Phat, chapter and verse.And that is not the issue at all. The issue in this topic is that the Great Commission evolve over time and the changes simply added perks for following it. No, I am not talking about whether anything is myth, I am talking about conscious marketing advertising; about selling the sizzle not the steak.

I covered this in Message 36 but I can do so again. What makes you convinced that the original had more truth than the latter additions/modifications? Is it because you want to believe it?I realize that you rant against the diminishment of personal and social responsibility. I get that. I would argue that Paul was correct. The original religion was more about personal responsibility and an unknown God. You argue that the evidence still shows this to be true. Paul may say that you are establishing your own righteousness based upon logic, reason, and (your perception of) reality. I defend the sizzle. (as you call it) I say that it is important that Christ lives today. I say that this belief does not diminish personal and social responsibility, however. It merely places God in charge over us rather than our own human vanity and hollow wisdom.

What does that have to do with doing for others? Putting someone else in charge is the definition of changing out responsibility.

You need to stop quote mining Phat; stop listening to anyone that feeds you a "proof text". Read ALL of Romans Phat and don't just pull out what you think supports your position but ignore the rest.Does Paul go one to talk about those who came before Jesus?Does Paul go on to talk about those who have never even heard of Jesus?And what the hell does any of that have to do with the topic which is how the Great Commission evolved over time? LOL Strawman Phat?No where do I say that any of them have any truth. What I says and have said and it seems true based on what YOU have said is that marketing the original version was a very hard sell and so benefits and woo (sell the sizzle) were added to make it easier to sell.How many times have you told me "Why worship a God that does nothing for me?"