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It is becoming
increasingly fashionable
for some of the leaders
of the various WCG
splinter groups to
assign themselves the
title and rank of
apostle. The reasons
given by these men for
the adoption of their
new position vary. The
question must be asked:
do the qualifications of
these individuals who
say they are apostles
measure up to the
Biblical requirements
for such an office? God
praised the brethren in
Ephesus for proving that
some of their leaders
were lying when they
adopted the title of
apostle. Notice:
“I know thy works, and
thy labour, and thy
patience, and how thou
canst not bear them
which are evil: and
thou hast tried them
which say they are
apostles, and are not,
and hast found them
liars” (Rev. 2:2).
This clearly indicates
that God expects His
people to prove if those
who are leading them are
actually lying to them!
God’s people being led
by men who have raised
themselves in rank to
the office of apostle
must test their leaders
and prove whether or not
their title is
Biblically approved.
God’s inspired Word
admonishes His people to
prove all things (1
Thess. 5:21), and test
their leaders (Rev.
2:5).
The word “apostle” is
found in the New
Testament and is
translated from the
Greek word “apostolos”
meaning “a delegate;
specifically an
ambassador of the
Gospel; officially a
commissioner of Christ,
with miraculous powers:
- apostle, messenger, he
that is sent”. As we
discuss this definition
further, let us take
into account some
relevant scriptures on
this subject. These
scriptures are intended
to help the reader in
his/her endeavor to
prove all things and
test their leaders:
1) Apostles were
eyewitnesses of Christ
during His earthly
ministry:
“Even as they delivered
them unto us, which from
the beginning were
eyewitnesses, and
ministers of the word”
(Lk. 1:2).
“Am I not an apostle?
am I not free? have I
not seen Jesus Christ
our Lord? are not ye
my work in the Lord?” (1
Cor. 9:1)
“That which was from the
beginning, which we have
heard, which we have
seen with our eyes,
which we have looked
upon, and our hands have
handled, of the Word of
life; (For the life was
manifested, and we have
seen it, and bear
witness, and shew unto
you that eternal life,
which was with the
Father, and was
manifested unto us”
(1 Jn. 1:1-2).
From the above
scriptures it is evident
that an apostle is one
who was an eyewitness of
Christ. Scripture states
that apostles saw Him
with their own eyes!
They were individuals
who were taught by
Christ first hand. They
witnessed His life! 1
Corinthians 9:1 plainly
states “have I not seen
the Lord”, clearly
implying that this was
one of the main
requirements of an
apostle.
2) Apostles were
eyewitnesses of Christ’s
resurrection
“Wherefore of these
men which have companied
with us all the time
that the Lord Jesus went
in and out among us,
Beginning from the
baptism of John, unto
that same day that he
was taken up from us,
must one be ordained
to be a witness with us
of his resurrection”
(Acts. 1:21-22).
“Him God raised up the
third day, and shewed
him openly; Not to all
the people, but unto
witnesses chosen before
of God, even to us, who
did eat and drink with
him after he rose from
the dead. And he
commanded us to preach
unto the people,
and to testify that it
is he which was ordained
of God to be the Judge
of quick and dead” (Acts
10:40-42).
The above scriptures
demonstrate that an
apostle had to be an
eyewitness of Christ’s
resurrection.
3) Apostles were given
the power to perform
miracles, signs and
wonders including
healing:
“And when he had
called unto him his
twelve disciples, he
gave them power against
unclean spirits, to cast
them out, and to heal
all manner of sickness
and all manner of
disease” (Matt.
10:1).
“And fear came upon
every soul: and many
wonders and signs were
done by the apostles”
(Acts 2:43).
“And by the hands of
the apostles were many
signs and wonders
wrought among the
people…” (Acts.
5:12).
“Truly the signs of
an apostle were wrought
among you in all
patience, in signs, and
wonders, and mighty
deeds” (2 Cor.
12:12).
“How shall we escape, if
we neglect so great
salvation; which at the
first began to be spoken
by the Lord, and was
confirmed unto us by
them that heard him;
God also bearing them
witness, both with signs
and wonders, and with
divers miracles, and
gifts of the Holy Ghost,
according to his own
will?” (Heb. 2:3-4)
Apostles were given the
power to perform
miracles, signs and
wonders, such as healing
etc. They were empowered
to perform miracles as
testimony of their
apostleship! The twelve
apostles were sent forth
to preach about Christ,
His life, death and
resurrection, together
with spreading the good
news of the coming
Kingdom of God. The
miracles which they
wrought were to help the
observers of that day to
see and believe that the
twelve were in fact
apostles ordained and
sent forth by Christ.
This fact is even
outlined in the
translation of the Greek
word “apostolos”
translated into the
English word “apostle”
in Strong’s number 652,
as discussed in the
opening comments above.
Being eyewitnesses of
Christ, apostles were
official
commissioners of Christ
who were given power to
perform miracles, signs
and wonders.
The Jamiesson Fauce
Brown commentary states
the following on the
office of apostle:
“How clearly is the
primary office of the
apostles here expressed:
(1) to testify, from
personal observation, to
the one great fact of
‘the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus’;
(2) to show how this
glorified His whole
previous life, of which
they were constant
observers, and
established His divine
claims”.
This paper would not be
complete if we did not
mention the
circumstances
surrounding Paul and his
apostleship. It is true
that Paul was called and
sent forth by Christ
Himself after
Christ’s ascension;
however, in Acts 9:1-29
we see that Paul did in
fact see Christ,
and Christ spoke to him
directly (Acts 9:27).
Christ Himself
gave Paul his commission
of apostle (Acts 9:15).
Scripture also confirms
that Paul was given the
power to perform
miracles, the following
scriptures refer: Acts
13:6-11; 14:3, 8-10,
19-20; Acts 16:16-18;
Acts 19:11-12; Acts
20:9-11; Acts 28:3-9; 1
Thess. 1:4-5. Acts 9:28
further tells us that
Paul was accepted by the
apostles as one of them.
Evidently, even though
Paul was called after
the other eleven
apostles, he was an
eyewitness of Christ
(Acts 9:1, 1 Cor. 9:1
and 1 Corinthians 15:8).
Paul was also a witness
of Christ’s resurrection
and was given power to
perform miracles in
accordance to the
Biblical criteria of an
apostle.
As we have seen, the
rule or measure of the
apostleship was that
they were actual
eyewitnesses of Christ,
and His resurrection.
God also gave them power
to perform miracles,
signs and wonders as
further evidence that
those He sent
forth were in fact
apostles. This is the
standard of the
apostleship.
Does anyone today come
close to fulfilling this
criterion?
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