Are there Apostles today. Scripture says no!
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles (1 Corinthians 12:28)
And he gave some, apostles . . . For the perfecting of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (Ephesians
4:11-12)
That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the
holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and
Saviour (2 Peter 3:2).
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; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch
(Acts 5:12).
Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience,
in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds (2 Corinthians 12:12).
It
is becoming more common today to hear church leaders referring to themselves
and one another as apostles. Furthermore, those attaching to this title
generally claim authority that is equal with—or superior to—the original
office, ie, Latter Rain Manifest Sons of God heresy, the cult of Mormonism,
etc. But are these claims warranted? Do they
meet the Biblical criteria for apostolic authority? I don’t believe they do.
Now
wait! Before you accuse me of being unlearned, unloving, or unsaved, grab
your Sword and—like the blessed Berean’s—let’s discover what the Scriptures
say (Acts 17:11), because the Bible indeed talks about apostles.
Who were the apostles?
The
transliterated word apostolos actually means a sent one. In that
broad sense, every born-again Christian should be operating in this gift.
However, Scripture bears witness this term was never used loosely and there
is a deeper meaning as evidenced by 19 NT references to this office:
The original Twelve- Mark 3:14; Luke 6:13; John 6:67, 70
Matthias, the replacement for Judas- Acts 1:26
Barnabas Acts 14:14 (ministry partner with Paul
Paul- Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:1; the least of the apostles- 1 Cor. 15:9
Andronicus and Junia- Rom. 16:7 (better translated they were highly
respected by the apostles
James, the Lord’s brother- Gal. 1:19
And of course, the Lord Jesus- Heb. 3:1
What were the distinguishing characteristics of authentic apostles?
Jesus warned of deception in His day (Matt. 7:15) and as a sign of the last
days (Matt. 24:4-5, 11). So did Paul (1 Tim. 4:1); Peter (2 Pet. 2:1-3);
John (1 John 4:1-3); and Jude (1:3-19). Since false claims of authority and
giftedness have always existed (2 Cor. 11:13), the apostolic office
contained characteristics that would distinguish those with it from those
lying about it (Rev. 2:2). John the Beloved summarized apostolic distinction
(1 John 1:1-3), and so did Peter (2 Pet. 1:16), and Luke Acts 1:21-22).
Original, authentic apostles:
were selected by Jesus to minister with/for Him- Matt. 9:36-10:42;
Luke 6:13; Acts 9:3-6
were limited in number- Matt. 10:1-4; Acts 1:20-26
were to be humble, self denying servants- Matt. 10:37-39; 20:26-27
received personal instructions from the Lord Jesus- Matt.-Jn.; Acts 1:2
received a special calling- Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:1
performed signs and miracles- Matt. 10:1, 8; Acts 2:43; 5:12; 8:9-24; 2 Cor.
12:12
lived in Christ’s time and personally witnessed the resurrected Savior- Acts
1:22; 3:15; 4:33; 10:39-42; 13:31; 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:3-8
What was the purpose for their existence and calling?
Their office was transitional, not permanent (Eph. 2:20). Let’s remember,
during the time Christ walked earth, there was no church. His Kingdom
mission was to the House of Israel and He chose twelve to travel with Him in
itinerant ministry, witnessing His work and receiving on the job ministry
training. As planned, Jesus sent them to proclaim Him to the House of Israel
(Matt. 10:5-6; Luke 24:47; Acts 13:46), but He was rejected, tortured, and
crucified. However, He had revealed the establishment of a new organization
(the church) under a New Covenant of His blood (Matt. 16:18; 26:28) that
would accomplish what Israel refused. He then sent those He had called and
commissioned (Mark 3:14; John 15:16; Acts 9:3-6) to evangelize the world
(Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; 2 Tim. 1:11), which they initiated (Acts
8:1-28:31). Scripture tells us apostles:
were necessary for initial first century ministry- Acts 1:20-26
formed the foundation of the original church upon Christ the
Cornerstone- Eph. 2:20; 1 Cor. 12:28
presided over all of its original ministries- Acts 2:42-47; 6:1-7; 8:14
ordained initial church elders- Acts 14:23
received, and imparted new revelation- Eph. 3:5; 2 Pet. 3:15-16
solidified doctrinal truths- Acts 15
led in public defense of, and suffering for, the faith- Acts 5:29-40
planted churches worldwide- Acts 8:1-28:31; 1 Cor. 9:2
were exclusionary- 2 Pet. 3:2
How did Apostles become overseers of the church?
Apostles were chosen and called as original church leaders by the will of
God (1 Cor. 1:1). The miraculous birth of the church happened during one of
three annual feasts every Jewish male was required to attend, Pentecost.
Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17; 15:26) and multitudes
were gathered in Jerusalem to witness it (Acts 2:1-13). Peter, himself
filled with the Spirit, stood to preach one of the greatest expository
sermons ever recorded, and three thousand foreordained souls (Acts 13:48;
Rom. 8:29-30) believed on Jesus, and walked the aisle to be baptized (Acts
2:14-41). But then what?
There was no church and no Sunday School at that time. Furthermore, there
was no completed canon of NT Scripture (called the Bible), or pastors to
preach it. In order to avoid chaos, God established a temporary leadership
core for His emerging church of newborn babes (1 Pet. 2:2) by installing
apostles and prophets (1Cor. 12:28; Eph. 2:20; 3:5; 4:11) as overseers.
These men of God wisely and prayerfully formulated the foundation of
doctrine and duty for all the ongoing evangelism and equipping ministry we
build upon today (Acts 2:42; 15; Eph. 2:20; 3:5; 4:11-12).
How did apostles finally come to an end of their designated ministry?
Gradually, with the completion of the Bible and as ordained men of God
replaced them. When the church at Jerusalem exploded with new converts (Acts
2-7), the rigidly religious guardians of Judaism were again threatened and
killed Stephen (Acts 7:59-60). As a result of the intense persecution, these
men fled Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the World
(Acts 1:8; 8:1) where they continued their miracle working ministry as
evangelists and missionaries (Acts 8:5-15). One of the great churches they
planted was some 300 miles away in the Gentile city of Antioch, Syria (Acts
11:20). At this monumental juncture, two vitally important apostles,
Barnabas and a converted Rabbi named Saul, aka Paul, come to the forefront
of ministry. It is in Antioch that follows of Jesus are labeled Christians
(Acts 11:26) and the twelve fade from the Sacred narrative. And, except for
claims from Satanists, and liars (2 Cor. 11:13-5; Rev. 2:2), history tells
us they eventually disappeared.
Why aren’t apostles needed in the church today?
The
apostles oversaw the founding of the church (Eph. 2:20; 4:11) and Paul and
Barnabas initially ordained its elders (Acts 14:23). Later, however Paul
instructed Titus to ordain them, not any of the apostles (Titus 1:5). Had
they carried the weight some claim for themselves today, would Paul not want
them receiving or performing ordination? The fact is, he didn’t even mention
them in his pastoral epistles (1 Timothy-Titus), nor give them any viability
in his church epistles. Was he ignorant? Obviously not. He knew their office
had served God’s purpose and had expired with himself designated by God as
the final apostle to the church (1 Cor.15:7-9).
What does it hurt if someone claims to be an apostle even if they are not?
Dear friend, the Bible is now complete, and we are commanded to add or
subtract nothing from it (Rev. 22:18-19). We now have elders to preach the
Word and guard the flock from error. What purpose therefore would an apostle
today serve?
Jude, the Lord’s half brother, spoke of the age of the apostles as past
(Jude 1:17) and warned in the last days of boastful church men who appear as
clouds without water, trees without fruit, raging waves of the sea, and
wandering stars on their way to eternal darkness (Jude 1:12-13). Does that
not sound like those who claim to be something they are not?
Paul took these false claims further, stating they may be of Satanic origin:
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into
the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into
an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be
transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according
to their works (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
What did Jesus say about those claiming to be apostles and were not?
Jesus exposed deception and warned of its exercise in the end times. The
very church Paul revealed the foundational ministry of apostles and prophets
to had become plagued by men claiming false apostolic authority. The Lord
Jesus aimed His words toward them and to us: Unto the angel of the church of
Ephesus write . . . 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 (Revelation
2:1-2).
Are there Prophets today. Scripture says no!
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the
spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out
into the world (1 John 4:1.
If we use the Bible as our sole authority- which
is incumbent upon those rightly dividing it- there isn't a man on the face
of the earth that fits the Biblical requirements of a prophet of God! While
the Bible has always existed in God's economy (Psalm 119:89) it has not
always been available to us in its present printed format. For some 15
centuries, God dispensed Scripture to His servants the prophets, who were
first and foremost stewards of it (Heb. 1:1).
Today when we expound from any of the 66
inspired, canonized Books, we are able with confident prophetic authority to
say thus saith the Lord because we are reading it, not
receiving it; forth-telling vs. foretelling. This is a
more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto
a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star
arise in your hearts (2 Peter 1:19). Sadly, in a show of either blind
stupidity or willful ignorance, far too many Christians have formed their
idea of the prophetic office based on what they've seen portrayed on
"Christian" television rather than from Scripture bringing us face to face
with the reality of Jesus' warning: For
there shall arise false Christs
[claiming special anointing],
and false prophets
[predicting lies],
and shall shew great signs and wonders
[get out tract with this
title]; insomuch that, if it were
possible, they shall deceive the very elect
[try speaking out against
these scurrilous skunks and see how their followers treat you]
(Matthew 24:24).
In this tract I
will- with the Word of God- demonstrate why all
of these self anointed prophets are not only false, but that they are
deceptive, dangerous, and delusional. It is my contention they should be
exposed and excoriated as the heretical frauds they have proven themselves
to be.
God's Prophets
I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have
multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets
(Hosea 12:10). God used prophets during
a time when there was no completed canon of Scripture. After Revelation (95
AD) He stopped. He told Moses to lead His people to the Promised Land. Once
there, Israel was confronted with- and
often seduced by- occult religious practices, including child sacrifice
[with abortion]
and sodomy
[homosexuality]. Since there was no
completed canon of Scripture aside from the Pentateuch during those years,
the Lord raised up a select group of prophets to reveal His will and His
Word to His people. However, since Canaan also had prophets, God's men were
to be divinely distinguishable by speaking clear messages that did not
contradict other known Scripture (including the Pentateuch), and that
included short range and long range prophecies that had to be fulfilled with
100% accuracy.
Any violation or deviation of any of these things by any prophet resulted in
disqualification and death (Deut. 13:5; 18:20).
But there were false prophets also among the
people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall
bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them (2 Peter
2:1). Satan has always been able
to raise up false prophets, and a crowd of devotees to follow them.
The term is defined by Thayer as “one who, acting the part of a divinely
inspired prophet, utters falsehoods under the name of divine prophecies.”
Where this is all headed is part of the predicted mystery of iniquity (2
Thess. 2:7) where signs and wonders- that incidentally ceased by mid first
century AD- are used as a means of establishing "anointing" credibility
which ultimately impugns and subverts trust in the Word of God by adding to
it and subtracting from it.
Even once fundamental churches are exchanging the immutable Word of God for
the emotionally subjective words of knowledge and new revelation, gibberish
tongues with interpretations
so called,
and prophecies that seldom are accurate.
False prophets today have a traceable link to
Babylonian mysticism (Rev. 17:5) that goes back to the Garden where the
serpent Satan- father of lies- is unveiled as the very first false prophet
(Gen. 3:4-5). Pay special attention to this verse because it shows us where
these fake- but fiendishly followed- miracle workers are leading everyone:
For they are the spirits of devils,
working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the
whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty
(Revelation 16:14).
Failed Predictions from False Prophets
But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a
word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall
speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die . . . How shall
we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in
the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the
thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it
presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him (Deuteronomy 18:20-22).We
are living in a day where the unbiblical and untoward are not only accepted,
they are applauded- just as long as they sport the "Jesus" name tag. Since
space is limited and I have dealt with the flipping, flopping, barking, and
bellowing (in the spirit) in previous publications, along with the Copeland,
Hinn, Crouch, etc blasphemies
[Jesus had to be born again in
Hell; we're gods]; and the Bob Jones-Todd
Bentley angelic meetings and heavenly restaurant excursions
[Latter Rain Manifest Sons of
God Heresy- Dr. Mike's booklet], I'll stick
to listing some of the failed prophecies and false prophets making them.
Kim Clement:
prophesied a cure for AIDS by the year 2002
(12/26/2000 edition of Praise the Lord on TBN).
Kenneth
Copeland:
claimed
America would be fully led by leaders following the Holy Ghost
during the Clinton presidency. Enough said. Copeland also predicted in a
dedication service on 12/02/01 for the new 2000 seat Word of Life church
auditorium in Honolulu, that one billion Muslims would be saved in the next
few months.
Kenneth Hagin:
(the late) lied that he received his teaching, not from any man, but
directly from God. Yet, years later it was discovered to be plagiarized word
for word in some places E.W. Kenyon.
Benny Hinn:
appears often on TBN claiming wonderful things the Lord is showing him:
Fidel Castro would die in 1990s, and that God would destroy the homosexual
community of America.
On
a TBN praise-a-thon April 2, 2000, Hinn brashly stated the Lord told him He
would begin appearing physically on the platform of his crusades.
[Hinn who was still married to the woman
divorcing him was caught emerging from a hotel room with Paula White].
Rod Parsley:
Parsley, the hokey Hoosier handkerchief handler claimed in an April 1999
mailing God spoke through him to the distraught mother of a drug addicted,
AIDs infested, homosexual son she hadn’t seen in over 12 years- (Parsley’s
speaking for God) “Anything you ask Me today, I will grant
it.” She asked for her son to be saved, healed, and restored to his family.
Parsley claimed in his newsletter that 3 months later the miracle was
confirmed when the son called with the exciting news that her prayers were
answered. Inner City Christian Discernment Ministry (ICCDM) became
suspicious and requested verification NINE YEARS ago. Still nothing! What is
Parsley hiding? Why won’t he provide this info, unless of course it is . . .
mythical.
Oral Roberts: In
1977 Roberts said he had received a vision from God telling him to build the
City of Faith. He later claimed to have seen a 900 foot tall Jesus who told
him that the vision would soon be realized and that the hospital would be a
success. The City of Faith opened in 1981. He later closed it down for
financial reasons. All of this info is in my booklet The New Age
Charismatic Seed of Corruption.
Pat Robertson:
Last but certainly not least.
He and his staff he have consistently practiced divination (word of
knowledge) on the 700 Club in the same manner as occultist William Branham
[you may order our tract on this deceiver].
In 1982 and again in 1984, Robertson predicted the Tribulation would take
place in those years.
January 2007 he predicted a terrorist attack on the US causing death and
destruction equivalent to that of a nuclear war by the end of the year 2007
(CNN.com).
Dear friend,
I've provided evidence for everything I've written and all the charges I've
made here. What I find alarming is that the charismatic community has
virtually remained silent about these blasphemous lies and liars. It's time
Christians stood up for God's truth. I'd love to hear from you if you will
join us in contending for the faith against the mounting heresy and growing
number of heretics (Jude 1:3). Will you?
