The Great Commandment

What is this Easter Season all about?

Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.’ So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it. - Mark 16:9-20

This version of the ending of Mark's Gospel captures the events of the past three weeks as a quick summary, and then goes on to tell us what will happen next.  Jesus will be taken up into heaven.

While Mark does not spend a lot of time on the details of the encounters on the road to Emmaus or in the locked room, he does draw our attention to the great commandment.  Go into the world and proclaim the good news, he tells them.

Those who believe and is baptized will be saved.  

This has become very controversial for many who believe that all are saved through Christ, and for others who believe all paths lead to God's Kingdom, whether we are believers in Christ or not.

If we are open to salvation for all regardless of faith, isn't that like saying it doesn't matter what we believe?

Jesus came to his own kind and tried to convince them that he was the one they were waiting for, the Messiah, but many did not believe.  He criticized those who acted righteous but failed to take care of the poor, the widows and orphans.  He told them parables about showing love, compassion and forgiveness as true virtues and ways to show one's faith.

So, here is the challenge for all of us.

If someone does these things, showing love of neighbor, and is willing to sacrifice for others, shouldn't they be saved?

If we believe that before Jesus, people could have turned their lives toward God and God would accept them into His Kingdom, then we must believe they could still do that, regardless of whether they believe Jesus is the Messiah or not, right?

If so, then what is our commandment?  

More to come...