The Latter Day Apostles

The apostle is responsible for the doctrines taught in the church. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that he is thoroughly convinced of the message he delivers. After the resurrection, Jesus remained with them for forty more days teaching those things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. The Scriptures declare that after the receiving of the Holy Ghost they understood the things He had taught them before His death. Before ascending into Heaven, He commissioned them to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. They obeyed. They went into all the known world and set up churches, ordaining elders and setting in order all things pertaining to the worship of God through Jesus Christ. They wrote letters to the churches and sent ordained men to pastor and train others. However, after about seventy years or so, the last of the original apostles died. Through much persecution and the scattering of the church, Apostolic Order eventually faded away. The church went into what is commonly called the Dark Ages. This was a time of no enlightenment. A time when Christianity became fragmented and denominationalism replaced sound doctrine. Many were and are the victims of this non-enlightened church.

But where are we now? This is the year 2016. There are earthquakes in divers places, wars and rumors of wars, pestilence and famine throughout the world. This is the beginning of sorrows. This means that there is only a small window left open to preach the Gospel of Christ to the nations of the earth. But what is the true gospel; seeing as how all the branches are yielding different and complex fruit? Who is going to carry this Gospel? Which of the broken branches of Christendom will be chosen for such a task?

1 Corinthians 1:10

10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among

you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

The scripture calls for unity in our preaching of the Word, and in our judgments. It demands that there be no divisions among us. But more than that it calls for all the saints of God to have the same mind. Sadly, the hope of these things ever being accomplished in what we know to be the Body of Christ today has all but totally diminished. The people of God do not expect to ever unite in one belief and one mind.

Nevertheless, the Scripture continues to speak...

Ephesians 4:1-6

1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

The unity of the ‘one Faith’ is found in the Spirit that is in all born again believers. However, Paul admonishes us to walk worthy of this great vocation (carrier of the gospel of Jesus Christ). Hence, the elders of the Body have fallen short of this command. Their souls have become wanton. Lowliness has been replaced with self-exaltation, meekness with pride, and longsuffering with intolerance. The souls of God’s people have become high things that exalt themselves above the knowledge of God. They have departed from the right way... and

are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness (2 Peter 2:15). It would really help if we knew the mind of the Father in this matter.

I mean, what is His intent or plan here? Are we to simply remain splintered and disjointed; or is there a failsafe plan in place? We all claim to believe in the Father and the Son. We all preach from the

same book. But it seems the more we preach the more we become divided. Beloved, were it not for steadfast faith in the Word of God, we would be most miserable, having no hope of ever seeing the Scriptures fulfilled in our time.

Ephesians 4:11-13

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

The disunity in the Body of Christ has overthrown the faith of some, causing them to draw back. But the Lord is faithful to His Word. No matter how much of an impossibility ‘unity of the faith’ seems to be at this time in church history, it will be accomplished. However, there are some legitimate questions being asked that beg to be answered:

1. What is the truth?

2. Who will be given this great end-time mouthpiece?

3. Where are the apostles of today?

Maybe a better question would be, were there any other apostles after the original twelve and Paul; and has God ordained any modern day apostles?

APOSTLE

Strong’s Number: <G652>

Original Word:, apostolos Usage: “one sent forth” ( “to send”). Messenger to the church.

Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words. A thorough search of the scriptures reveals the apostle to be a specially sent messenger to the Body of Christ. These apostles are special messengers sent to the Church and the world. The thing that makes them special is that the Mystery of Christ was given to them.

Ephesians 3:4-5

4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

Real apostles are given the knowledge of the Mystery of Christ. They are then sent into the world and the Church to proclaim that mystery. Some believe the criteria for becoming an apostle, to be set in the book of Acts by Peter; as they attempted to replace Judas who had hung himself after betraying the Lord.

Acts 1:20-22

20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

22 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.

The Criteria for replacing Judas:

1. He must have been with the disciples from the baptism of John to the ascension of Christ.

2. He must be an eyewitness of the resurrection of Christ. (He must have seen Jesus).

John the Revelator also seems to bear witness of these criteria in his epistle.

1 John 1:1-3

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;

2 (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;)

3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

If this is the criteria set by the Lord for receiving the apostleship today; then there would be no others ordained in this office beyond Matthias. However, we know right off the bat such is not the case. We have Paul who is undoubtedly proclaimed throughout scripture to be an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some also believe that Paul was the last of the apostles; concluding that there are no real apostles today. But I respectfully disagree with this conclusion. Consider the following passages. Titus was a messenger to the churches. The Greek word for ‘messenger’ used in this passage is apostle.

2 Corinthians 8:23

Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers

of the churches, and the glory of Christ.

James, the brother of Jesus was an apostle.

Galatians 1:19

But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother. Andronicus and Junia (female) were noted among the apostles.

Romans 16:7

Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Epaphroditus was a messenger (apostle) to the church.

Philippians 2:25

Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour,

and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

Barnabas was an apostle

Acts 14:14-15

14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,

15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these

vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

I think I have successfully proven the fact that others were called to the office of Apostle after Paul. It behooves us to accept the fact that there are true apostles walking the earth today; and their responsibilities in the Body are the same as they were in the establishing of the early church. They are to edify, perfect and unify the Body of Christ. We know for a certainty that the Word of God will not fail to perform its part in the mystery of Christ. The church will come to the unity of the faith and it will stand up in the fullness of the stature of the man Christ Jesus.

I posted parts of this chapter on my blog a few days ago. Interesting enough many eyes were opened to the truth. However, there was one individual who after reading all the scriptures that prove there were apostles chosen to serve after the twelve; he was so engrossed in his own pride until he responded by saying, “there are two different types of apostles.” One is less than the other of course. This is the response of someone who refuses to accept truth that may destroy a pet belief. The truth will always prevail, but you will fail if you reject it. So where are the apostles of today? How do we recognize them in this shattered, broken Body? Well, the answer has already been given. The apostles of the Lord, whether in the early church or the latter, are given a revelation of the Mystery of Christ. This revelation of Christ is their identity. This is how you will know them. They have a revelation of the Mystery of Christ that reveals the truth about our salvation.

Ephesians 3:3

How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

Ephesians 6:19

And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

The latter day apostles will do as was done by the apostles in days of old. They will be given a great mouthpiece to speak the revelation of the Mystery of Christ in the ears of the people of God and the

world. They will re-establish order in the Body of Christ and install the apostle’s doctrine in all the churches within their territorial sphere of influence. True apostles will understand the mystery; which is Christ in us, the hope of glory. When this mystery is revealed to the church it will destroy much of the sin we now see in the Body.

Christ will speak to the church through His true apostles.

2 Corinthians 13:3

Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

John 10:3-5

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

John 10:27

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: The true Church will be restored to its glory. For it is written...

2 Corinthians 3:7-11

7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the

face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

This is the promise we have of the Father. The time of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of the living Christ dwelling in the people of God, will be a glorious wonder to behold. It will exceed the glory of the giving of the Law. The restoration of the glorious church of Christ is the plan of God and the purpose of the latter day apostles.