Are True Apostles Still in Existence Today

[ByTheSpirit]

No, the main telling point of the apostles were that they had been called to preach the Gospel among the nations and build up Christ's Church. The working of miracles were entirely peripheral and served only that primary purpose.

Where do you get this notion that the miraculous is somehow a primary characteristic of apostleship? The Church has always recognized the miraculous, it doesn't take an apostle, God can work however God desires to work. If God wanted to use a donkey to raise the dead, He is more than capable of doing so.

-CryptoLutheran

Yes Apostles were called to preach the gospel but to try and state that miracles were not one of the signs of an apostle is to outright deny scripture itself.

2 Corinthians 12:12

I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.

You cannot refute that and your entire basis of discussion is rendered mute by the Holy Spirit.

 

[least]

What else is a miracle then if not someone calling down God's power on someone else? Doesn't matter if it's a mother or whatever.

I am not going to say those stories were "Apostles" in action, only that such miracles are signs of an Apostle . Have a blessed day

I am not dismissing that God works miracles today, what I am saying is that the conversation is about whether or not there are Apostles today. The testimonies you presented do not have anything to do with apostles. God did validate his Apostles by working mightily through them, but that doesnt mean that every miracle is channeled through an apostle. Just because we witness a miracle, does not mean we witness an apostle.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Just because we witness a miracle, does not mean we witness an apostle.

I agree

 

[ViaCrucis]

Yes Apostles were called to preach the gospel but to try and state that miracles were not one of the signs of an apostle is to outright deny scripture itself.

2 Corinthians 12:12

I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.

You cannot refute that and your entire basis of discussion is rendered mute by the Holy Spirit.

My entire basis of my argument is that there is no reason to believe that there are apostles today. I have no reason to believe that claims of miracles by so-called apostles proves that there are apostles.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ByTheSpirit]

No, the main telling point of the apostles were that they had been called to preach the Gospel among the nations and build up Christ's Church. The working of miracles were entirely peripheral and served only that primary purpose.

Where do you get this notion that the miraculous is somehow a primary characteristic of apostleship? The Church has always recognized the miraculous, it doesn't take an apostle, God can work however God desires to work. If God wanted to use a donkey to raise the dead, He is more than capable of doing so.

-CryptoLutheran

My entire basis of my argument is that there is no reason to believe that there are apostles today. I have no reason to believe that claims of miracles by so-called apostles proves that there are apostles.

-CryptoLutheran

You were the one that said miracles were not a sign of Apostleship, not me. I merely showed you it was an unscriptural stance.

I am not claiming that everyone who "works miracles" (notice the quotation marks for sarcasm) is an apostle. Far from it.

I am merely saying that true miracles do still happen in today's age and if a person were an apostle, and I do believe God has called apostles still, that such a person would have to work in such to be an apostle.

 

[Greg Merrill]

Not true.
There are nine gifts of the Holy Spirit dispersed to a Pentecostal Fellowship that is disciplined and
obedient to the Word.
These gifts are there for each saint to make use of when necessary - such as; working of miracles,
faith (when undergoing tribulations or chastisements), wisdom, gifts of healings, etc.

But there are three gifts that are used only in a formal Pentecostal Assembly meeting -
How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine,
hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
1 Corinthians 14:26

After the taking of communion at a Sunday meeting we exercise the voice gifts of the Holy Spirit
wherein one will speak in tongues (diversities of tongues) and this is followed by interpretation.
No more than three times max.
Then up to three prophets shall speak giving revelation directly from both Jesus and our Father.

Interesting that you have to qualify your answer by saying "in a formal Pentecostal Assembly". This is separating
the Pentecostals from the rest of Christendom, seeming to say that Apostles are for Pentecostals, but not for
the majority of Christendom. That would seem to say that Pentecostals are either like the Gnostics claimed to be
(Specially privileged by God) are variant/erroneous in their belief regarding Apostles, as well as a few other things.

 

[Root of Jesse]

BUT, Roman Catholics do not claim that today's bishops are Apostles in the same sense as the 12 were.

Rather, they are bishops who, in theory, receive their authority to lead from having it handed down through a line that goes back to the Twelve Apostles.

As I said, the bishops are the successors of the apostles, meaning they have the same function, meaning they are the apostles of the day.

 

[Albion]

As I said, the bishops are the successors of the apostles, meaning they have the same function, meaning they are the apostles of the day.

They may be successors of the apostles, but they are not apostles except in the loose sense of the word, meaning someone who is sent out.

 

[Root of Jesse]

They may be successors of the apostles, but they are not apostles except in the loose sense of the word, meaning someone who is sent out.

Exactly what I said.

 

[LoveofTruth]

My entire basis of my argument is that there is no reason to believe that there are apostles today. I have no reason to believe that claims of miracles by so-called apostles proves that there are apostles.

-CryptoLutheran

There are apostles today because they are one of the five fold gifts for the church after the risen Lord went up and gave gifts unto men Ephesians 4:11 . Just as there are pastors and teachers and evangelist and prophets today until we all come into the unity of the faith unto the perfect man

 

[LoveofTruth]

As I said, the bishops are the successors of the apostles, meaning they have the same function, meaning they are the apostles of the day.

No a bishop or overseer is and elder in the body and they may be any one of the five fold gifts

 

[ViaCrucis]

There are apostles today because they are one of the five fold gifts for the church after the risen Lord went up and gave gifts unto men Ephesians 4:11 . Just as there are pastors and teachers and evangelist and prophets today until we all come into the unity of the faith unto the perfect man

And yet we find no apostles after that first generation of Christians had reached their end and the last of them reposed in the Lord. The Church did, however, have bishops and presbyters who, consecrated and ordained by the holy apostles, continued in the apostolic ministry.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[he-man]

You can use a concordance (Strong's preferably to get the meaning of the word "Apostle." Let me know if you need me to post what Strong's says here.) and a good Bible dictionary to get the definition of an Apostle. Scriptures that com to mind of the top of my head are Mark 3:14-19; Acts 1:16-17; 2 Corinthians 1:1 as well as chapters 10-13 where Paul defends his apostleship.

αποστολος a delegate, envoy, messenger, commissioner, ambassador; Matthew 10:2; Mark 6:30; Luke 9:10; Acts of the Apostles 4:33. If you wish to be a messenger of Christ then teach what he taught. It does not follow that Christ appointed anyone, after the originals, with the power to heal, speak in tongues, or cast out fatalities like cancer, muteness, or the like. However, prayer is the healer of all infirmities if you are a believer and follow what Christ taught.

 

[LoveofTruth]

And yet we find no apostles after that first generation of Christians had reached their end and the last of them reposed in the Lord. The Church did, however, have bishops and presbyters who, consecrated and ordained by the holy apostles, continued in the apostolic ministry.

-CryptoLutheran

There have always been apostles and prophets and evangelist and teachers but somehow they were redefined in many of their roles as missionaries etc . Because of cesstationist view of these gifts many were confused. Even today when a church gathers into a man made religious building u