The idea that Jesus would choose a foundational office like the Apostle, only to be there to set up a few churches aroung the Meditteranean is silly. The bible in fact disagrees with you.
Ephesians 4:11-14
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Who is he? It is Jesus that gave them.
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
What reason did Jesus give them:
1) for the perfecting of the saints. Looks like saints cannot be perfected without living apostles.
2) for the work of the ministry. You have to be living to do the work of the ministry.
3) for the edifying of the body of Christ. Looks like the body of Christ can not be edifed without living apostles.
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:
How long do we need the apostles and prophets?
1) till we all come in the unity of the faith. Not till the foundation is layed??
2) till we all come to the knowledge of the Son of God. That certainly has not happened yet.
3) till we are perfect men as measured by the stature of the fulness of Christ. Are we all perfect men like Christ?
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
This is the main reason we still need apostles and prophets and others.
You say: So, there are no "living Apostles". That is a misunderstanding of the office of Apostle that the Bible teaches about.
Show me 1 scripture that says that the apostles and prophets of the church of Jesus Christ was going to go away after they layed the foundation. I have shown you a scripture that proves that is not true.
Besides it is silly to think that Jesus would set up the most important office of apostle, and not preserve it, but he would preserve a much lesser office of pastor.
What do you think happens to a house when it's foundation is weakened or ruined? It falls.
I can show you scriptures that define the qualifications of an Apostle. Consider Acts 1 where the Apostles choose a replacement for Judas and state that he must be one who was with them all the time Christ was with them and he must be a witness of the resurrection. Note also that this passage states there were 11 Apostles (with Matthias added to them).
Acts 1
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.
23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias;
and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Acts 10 confirms this:
Acts 10
39 And
we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
41
Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
42
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.
Paul asserts his title of Apostle by claiming his witness of the risen Christ:
I Cor 9
1 Am I am not an apostle? am I not free?
have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
And again in I Cor. 15
I Cor 15
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8
And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9
For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
In Ephesians 2 it gives the best picture of the fact that the Church is like a building
Ephesians 2
18
For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And
are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom
all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom
ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
The Apostles were clearly intended to establish the Church (with Christ as the Chief Cornerstone) and the Church is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets". We have the words and teachings of Christ through the Apostles in God's Holy Word, the Bible. There is nothing else to be established. The Church is the structure built on top of the foundation. The Church is the house of God through the Spirit.
To claim that there is further revelation is saying that the Bible is imperfect. That is the mormon claim, but it is wrong and it is not the Christian view at all.
