Just a question I was thinking about recently:

"Are there modern day Apostles now"?

No... not as they were in the Bible. For one thing, all the Apostles in the Bible were physical witnesses of Christ after the resurrection. They were the testimony.

Krispy

KrispyKrittr wrote:

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Christiaan

The word apostle is nowadays just as besmirched as the word prophet. Most of those who proclaim to be one are false. That does not mean that their ministry has ceased just as some claim that the charismata have ceased. I believe there were even true apostles in Paul’s time apart from him and the 12. Apostle simply means sent one. They were sent out by a church to start new churches and established them in governmental order (elders, deacons) as well as in ministerial order evangelists, teachers, pastors)

Apostles lead exemplary lives worth imitating. Apostles work signs and wonders and were often subject to all sorts of persecution, mobs, abuse, possessing nothing and making everybody rich. They are a public spectacle before the angels and the whole universe, the scum of the earth as Paul put it. I daresay that saints like Hudson Taylor, John Wesley, Watchman Nee were apostles in a biblical sense. Zac Poonen could be one.

There are still apostles around today who match the above description, but they are unlikely to be esteemed by today's Christian celebrities because they put them to shame. Most of the true ones would not dare to claim the title lest pride besets them or they are counted among the false. They call themselves rather missionaries, church planters, or just brothers. Actually I think that those who fit the description of a biblical apostle today should be acknowledged as such. Just because the name apostle is so misunderstood doesn't mean it should not be rightfully attributed to those who are in fact apostles. It is not a title. God will make sure that a true apostle will be kept humble through adversity.

The fact that an apostle is sent by both the Holy Spirit AND a church body gives them the spiritual authority to establish God's work.

Acts 13
1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

Would that nowadays we would understand the spiritual principle of sending people. The ignorance of the church to exercise biblical sending created a vacuum that self appointed, naturally gifted, strong personalities filled who gave the present day Laodicean church its shape.

Would the true apostles please come forward?

narrowpath

"Are there modern day Apostles now"?


Do you believe that God calls people today to be missionaries? If so, then you believe in modern day apostles. For the word "missionary" comes from the latin word that is used to translate the Greek word for "apostle." Apostles are simply missionaries who establish churches and oversee their spiritual well-being.

According to Ephesians 4, they are part of God's "five-fold" ministry in the church, which will exist until we all attain corporate maturity and unity. They have an ultimate purpose which goes beyond the simplistic and naive explanations people give for the cessation of apostolic ministry in the first century (e.g. "to write the Bible"-- which you'll never find a single verse in the Scriptures that teaches such, but such is taught anyway). To believe apostolic ministry died in the first century is to totally misunderstand God's ultimate end-time purposes.

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Jimmy H

Quoted from 'romans_9', CCEL forums:

"The word apostle came from the greek word “APOSTOLOS” which means “"ONE WHO HAS BEEN SENT" or "A MESSENGER". This word was used in the Greek New Testament whenever the subject was a “one that has been sent forth”, its reference was not limited only to the twelve apostles or Paul.

For example, in Phil2:25 the apostle Paul said, "But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger (translated from the Greek word apostolos)and minister to my need. "

When the word “apostolos” pertained to apostle Paul or the other twelve apostles, what it really meant was “apostle of Jesus” or “sent forth by Jesus” as in their salutation in the epistles.

These personal messengers of our Lord Jesus were personally sent and commisioned by Him_ and testified by the scriptures. In the case of Matthias (who replaced Judas Escariot), he was chosen by God through the apostles in fullfillment of a prophesy with strict qualification:

Act 1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Act 1:22 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 responsibilities given to the apostles of Jesus were too delicate. The authority that they have especially in keeping the doctrines of Christianity could not just be bestowed to anyone without a clear and authentic mandate from Jesus Himself who knows the heart of everyone..

Will any man living today, truthfully claim that they were face to face sent by Jesus as His apostle_ or testified by the scriptures in some sort of a prophesy, command , or other forms of commisioning?

Truly, we can say that the ministry of the apostles of Christ are still existing and needed today, but it doesn't mean that our Lord has to commision new personal apostles again. The ministry of the apostles of Christ are still much alive, but it is through the scriptures. As it is written:

1Jo 1:1 What existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we observed and touched with our own hands-this is the Word of life.

1Jo 1:2 This life was revealed to us, and we have seen it and testify about it. We declare to you this eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.

1Jo 1:3 What we have seen and heard we declare to you so that you, too, can have fellowship with us. Now this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

1Jo 1:4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be full.

The Gospel that they declared is already enough to reconcile us to God, for the salvation of our souls, for the perfecting of the saints, and to test for the truth.

Our Lord Jesus said"If you continue in my word, you are really my disciples. And you will know the truth, and the truth willset you free."(John8:31-32).

They,that are really commited to follow Christ can freely enjoy the fullness of His fellowship without looking further for new apostles. The message is already written, what we need rather is a humble and obedient heart." (End of quotation).

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The apostles of Lord Jesus Christ did not exercise lordship nor dominion over the churches. They exemplified as good brothers, as faithful elders, and humble overseers to the flock.

To them, their apostleship is not an office nor a throne but a task which they obeyed with utmost reverence and care. They did not make the churches a marketplace nor den of thieves and they drank deeply from the cup of our Lord's suffering.

Can any of the self-proclaimed apostles in our time claim with all honesty and without a doubt the anointing of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Are they ready to drink deeply from the cup of His suffering?

Are they ready to be burned, hanged, mutilated, beheaded, ready to hunger, thirst, to go naked for our Lord?