I have heard many assumptions about the discontinuing apostles. Most say that they had a job and the power to carry it out, and then imply that this excludes anyone else from experiencing that power again.
I do not see Matthew 10 limiting the number of Jesus' disciples to twelve, or exclude anyone else from receiving the same authority. Others besides the Twelve certainly performed signs and wonders.
I see it the Holy Spirit job, not just the Twelve, making known to us what is of Jesus.
Mark 16 makes it plain that it is the believers that signs will follow not just the apostles.
Another observation from previous threads is the assumption of there are only going to be twelve seated in heaven so there are only 12. My question to them at this point is who is going to take that 12th seat? Matthias who took Judas place or Paul? What about the other apostles that are named in the New Testament?
Paul also makes it clear in I Thessalonians 1:1 and 2:6 that his apostleship is the same as that of Timothy and Silas.
Did Paul qualify for a place among the Twelve under the terms Peter laid out in Acts 1? Was Paul a follower of Jesus since John the Baptist?
The Twelve were a distinct group, but not the only apostles.
Jesus is not dead; he can continue to call apostles just like he does pastors and teachers. Paul said Jesus does this for the equipping of the saints.
I see it completely unbiblical for anyone to assume that Jesus is not callings out apostles today.
One last point…I have mentioned before…In Eph. 4:8-12 it says that it was after Jesus ascended up on high that he gave gifts unto men. Then he list those in vs. 11..apostles being one of them!
So we have the 12 named in Matt. 10.
Acts 14:14 we have Barnabas named as an apostle.
Andronicus and Junia are of note among the apostles in Rom. 16:7.
Paul calls Silvanus and Timothy (and himself) apostles in 1 Thess. 1:1;2:4-6.
Paul calls Apollus and himself an apostle in 1 Cor. 4:6-9.
Researching apostles...
Discussion in 'Other Christian Denominations' started by awaken, Apr 4, 2013.
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It is hard to debate when the facts are laid out there so plain in scriptures!
This is an on going research. So if anyone has anything to add to it....please feel free! -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
1. Of the 11 remaining they understood a clear call from God to replace Judas (v.20;25)
2. The whole of the above passage assumes the Apostles were a very specific group and different than the average disciple. But especially (v.26)
3. That the qualification of being one of these Apostles was that they were a witness to the resurrection. In other words was there to see it themselves. (v.22)
4. This Apostle was chosen by God. (v.24)
After a careful consideration of the above list of 4 facts as found in scripture a reasonable person would see that no one alive today qualifies as an Apostle. -
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How can Paul be an apostles if he did not witness the resurrection or was there since the baptism of John? If we are going to make these qualification that most claim...then Paul does not qualify!
Don't give the exception to the rule! If exceptions can be made for Paul ...then exceptions can be made for all that God calls! -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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The onus is on you to prove that he does.
We have already proved that:
1. The 12th office of the apostle was replaced by Judas, and the decision was never questioned or revoked by any. It stood. Matthias was the 12th apostle.
2. There will be 12 and only 12 names written on the foundations of the walls of the New Jerusalem: the 12 names of the 12 apostles.
3. These were all witnesses of the resurrection during that time, the time of the Apostolic Age.
4. The apostolic age has now ended. It ended when the apostles died. That is a given. I know you want to go against the very definition of this age, but it doesn't work that way.
5. The only exception to this was the apostle Paul, and he is the only exception. He saw the risen Lord:
a. at the time of his conversion on the road to Damascus.
b. he communed with him for three years in Arabia before he even went to the apostles.
c. Christ appeared to him many times after that, as he did in Corinth, the Macedonian vision, and on the way to Rome.
d. Paul was accepted by the apostles as an apostle chosen specifically by God, for the work of an apostle. (Others were not).
e. He was an Apostle to the Gentiles.
f. He introduces himself in his letters as an apostle (Romans 1:1).
g. He admits that he is an apostle, but "one born out of due time," because he persecuted the church of God.
h. We find him listed with the apostles in 1Cor.15 along with the other witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
No, Christ is not calling others out as apostles today. The witnesses to his resurrection are in 1Cor.15. They must be among that number. -
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Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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you CANNOT claim modern day apostleship unless you have had a commissioning from the risen Chrsit, that he actually appeared to send you forth..
has that happened to you, or to ANY today that you know of? -
Paul saw NO MAN..just a bright light. Nowhere does it say that God will not appear or call anyone else today! As a matter of fact Eph. 4 says that they (gifts of apostles, prophets, evangalist, pastors, teachers ) were given after Jesus ascended into heaven. So apostles were called out or given to the church after He ascended.
WHY?
For the perfecting of the saints..are we perfect yet?
For the work of the ministry...is the work over?
For the edifying of the body of Christ...do we still need to be build up?
UNTIL...
We all come into the unity of the faith...are we in unity??
The knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man...are we perfect now?
THe measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ...are we there yet? -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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Or are you calling Paul a liar?
Which one?
1 Corinthians 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. -
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Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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The answer seems obvious to me. There are the 12 Apostles who meet the criteria set by the bible. Accompanied Jesus from the beginning of His Ministry (His baptism) through the end of His Ministry (His Ascension) which includes being an eye-witness to His Resurrection and Resurrection Ministry.
There are 17 people called "apostle" (apostolos) in the New Testament, including Jesus Himself.
The bible makes it very clear that when using the term "Apostle" in a specific manner it is referring to the 12 and only the 12.
However, the Greek word "apostolos" is simply one of two Greek words in our New Testaments meaning "messenger." (The other being "aggolos" usually translated "angel.")
12 of those called "Apostle" (messenger) were those specific 12 who meet the above criteria. The other 4 were "messengers" of the Gospel but not part of "the twelve." The 5th was, of course, Christ who Himself brought the Gospel message from heaven to mankind.
Today we do not have Apostles in the sense of the 12 who received direct revelation from God. That office died with John in around 102 AD.
Today we still have apostles (note the small case "a") who are called as messengers of the Gospel to carry the Good News all around the world. Today we call them "missionaries" (a word that doesn't appear in our English bibles).
Any man or church group who claims the office of Apostle (capital "A") is anti-christ and anti-bible, and we, the believers, are warned against such self appointed blasphemers by Paul in his letters to Timothy, the Galatians, and John's epistle.
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