- Oct 11, 2020
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Now, I know how triggering a post like this can be (for Protestants especially).
But there is more than one kind of apostle. There is the Apostle (the 12 and Paul) and there are other apostles (not part of that group).
What is my basis for this? The clearest example is that Barnabas was considered an apostles along side Paul seen here:
"But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out," (Acts 14:14)
Further, I see no Biblical evidence that the role of apostle has ceased. In fact, we can see that they exist until the Church of Christ has unity and it is no longer needed seen here:
"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes." (Ephesians 4:11–14) (Emphasis mine)
The italics clearly shows that there is a point in time that we will not have apostles, but that time has not come yet since the Chruch of Christ is not "unified in the knowledge of the Son of God."
But wait, there's more!
Not only are there apostles today, but the Bible actually says that even during the time the NT was written that there were Gentiles who were apostles seen here,
"Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy... For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ." (1 Thessalonians 1:1a; 2:5–6)
Paul says, "Nor did we.. though we could have... as apostles." And we know that Timothy was a Gentile.
But there is more than one kind of apostle. There is the Apostle (the 12 and Paul) and there are other apostles (not part of that group).
What is my basis for this? The clearest example is that Barnabas was considered an apostles along side Paul seen here:
"But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out," (Acts 14:14)
Further, I see no Biblical evidence that the role of apostle has ceased. In fact, we can see that they exist until the Church of Christ has unity and it is no longer needed seen here:
"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes." (Ephesians 4:11–14) (Emphasis mine)
The italics clearly shows that there is a point in time that we will not have apostles, but that time has not come yet since the Chruch of Christ is not "unified in the knowledge of the Son of God."
But wait, there's more!
Not only are there apostles today, but the Bible actually says that even during the time the NT was written that there were Gentiles who were apostles seen here,
"Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy... For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ." (1 Thessalonians 1:1a; 2:5–6)
Paul says, "Nor did we.. though we could have... as apostles." And we know that Timothy was a Gentile.
