Modern Apostles there?

If so, what shall we do with the old?APOSTLE WHO IS?By Les ThompsonWe live in days when many evangelical church leaders, seeking honors unique, makeextraordinary claims. One of the most recent (very controversial, of course) is to anointsomeone as an "apostle of Jesus Christ." Since such statements by the church is concerned, it isworth biblical-historical examination to establish the legitimacy of these claims.HISTORY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT APOSTOLATE1. The word "apostle" in Hebrew (shaliah) refers to a person who is fully authorized to represent another. In Greek the word is apostolos and means: one who is sent, usually interpreted as "one sent to fulfill a special role in the church."2. The first mention of the title appears at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus: Luke 6:12-13: In those days he was on the mountain to pray, and spent the night praying to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom also he named apostles (see Matthew 10:1-4 and Mark 3:13-19). This is a new and distinctive appeal by Jesus Christ (whom Paul, in Colossians 1:18, called the "head of the body, the church"). The King of the church gives this call and the title. There was a general call, open to anyone, but highly specific and particular. Only they, including Paul, who called himself "the least of the apostles" (1 Corinthians 15:9), received the honor of being called "apostles of Jesus Christ by the will of God" (Colossians 1:1).3. Convinced that the number of twelve apostles was important, after the death and ascension of Jesus, the eleven who were gathered in Jerusalem (Acts 1:12-26) to elect a successor to Judas Iscariot. Casting lots, they chose Matthias. In doing so, special requirements carefully specified to be called an apostle:• He must have lived with the twelve from the baptism of Jesus.• It must have been witness to the death and ascension of Jesus.• It must have been witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.4. It has been suggested that the number twelve is identified with the twelve tribes of Israel and, in choosing twelve apostles, Jesus begins a new era in which the nations (led by these twelve) are grafted to the historical branch of which are followers of the Triune God. As Paul says: At that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:12-13).5. Interestingly, when Jesus Christ called Saul of Tarsus (as this had not enjoyed the same experiences as the first twelve), it did so through a special appearance, his resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15: 3-8), also gave him three years of special revelation in the desert of Arabia (Galatians 1:11-19), and each committee to be an apostle to the Gentiles (Galatians 1:1, Acts 22:17-21, 26:16-18 1 Corinthians 9:1, 15:8).6. Apart from these twelve, no other in the history of the church who have received this title or that very special distinction of being called by Jesus Christ.7. It is true that very few others mentioned the title of "apostles" (James the brother of Jesus, in Galatians 1:19, 2:9, Barnabas, in Acts 14:4; to Silvanus and Timothy, in 1 Thessalonians 2:6, and Andronicus and Junia in Romans 16:7), but it is obvious that these other in any way were neither accepted nor classified with the authority and prominence of the first eleven and Paul. Note that were designated "apostles" by the church, but not Jesus Christ.Moreover, as Matthias does not appear again in the New Testament, leading some commentators to conclude that the eleven, to choose it, went ahead with the plans of God, as Saul of Tarsus (Paul) was that God would anoint apostle.8. There is an additional observation we can do: Herod martyred the Apostle James, brother of John, who was the apostle recognized the emerging Christian Church in Jerusalem (Acts 12:1-2). On that occasion, as in the case of Matthias, the surviving apostles did nothing to replace it. In other words, it seems that the apostles and not more concerned about the number of apostles who remained, as they learned their lesson after their rush to name Matthias. We could say that they recognized, by the extraordinary way in which Saul was elected and appointed apostle, that this call is a single act of Jesus Christ, King of the church.This special and specific appointment of "Apostle of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:1, Romans 1:1, 1 Corinthians 1:1, 2 Corinthians 1:1, etc.). By no means come from an appointment made by men.We must now interpret the meaning of biblical texts on which the modern "apostles" are based to justify his appointment as such, appropriate explanatory passages in the context of the subject.Ephesians 4:11-15:He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, to train God's people for works of service, to build the body of Christ. Thus, all reach unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, a perfect man, according to the full stature of Christ. So no longer be infants, tossed by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Rather, speaking the truth in love, grow up in allas one who is the head, namely Christ.This text can not be interpreted without first considering the previous reference to "apostles" and "prophets" that Paul makes in chapter two. Remember the theme of this letter to the Ephesians: The Church of Jesus Christ. Paul's letter is divided into two sections: (1) The glorious church founded by Jesus Christ (chapters one, two and three, (2) How has living members are the church (chapter four). In chapter two Paul describes the basis on which the church is built. says on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with the chief cornerstone Jesus Christ himself (Ephesians 2:20).What sets the parameters on which the Church of Jesus Christ is built? Where are its boundaries? What is it that keeps pure in doctrine and true to their mandates? Paul explains. Declares that God has given to his church two pillars: the apostles and prophets who, in turn, are based solely and solidly in Jesus Christ, the Savior and Son of God by the shedding of his blood made possible the existence of this church (see, for example, Titus 2:13 -14). In explaining this, see the great and glorious wisdom of our God.Not until we realize that Paul describes how God established His church that we realize that the reference to apostles and prophets has nothing to do with the gifts of the Spirit, but with the way that Jesus Christ gave basis safe for the establishment of his flock. For ease of explanation we refer to Mark 1:2, Luke 18:31; 24:25, John 6:45, 2 Peter 3:2 that we use the word "prophets" to-at-inclusive way to refer to the authors the Old Testament. They, under the manipulation of the Holy Spirit, were called by God to give us the Old Testament (2 Peter 1:19-21).However, for the time of Jesus, the word "prophet" had lost its sacred meaning. Now called a prophet to any person to give a statement, a pagan or Christian, religious or political. Everywhere there were prophets. The word did not imply respect or reverence or authority or a special anointing, as it did in ancient times.Remember when Paul wrote this letter, readers of the New Testament began to enjoy explained by Peter in Acts 2:16: "But this [what happened the day of Pentecost] is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: And in the last days, saith God, I pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days I will pour out my Spirit and they shall prophesy. "In the Old Testament there was only a small group indeed, a very select-prophets. To these God inspired them to give us the Old Testament as His infallible word. These prophets, through his writings, tell us what happened to the people of God from creation to the time of Jesus. Now with the coming of the God-Man, there is lots of noticeable changes. No longer will you be the synagogue, but the church. It's not just Jews who worship the one true God, but Gentiles who abandon their false gods to worship and serve the Triune God. Another is that these changes are many prophets in the churches, see Acts of the Apostles. But another problem is both prophet among them are many who are false. This is a major concern of Paul writes to Timothy and Titus. Requests to be alert, do not allow "many false prophets" deceiving the people of God. A voice joins Paul the Apostle John, telling us: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).There is a difference between Old Testament prophets reliable and unreliable many of the New. Therefore, when Jesus selects those to be pillars of their church, choose another name, another qualifier. In those days the word "apostle" had connotations. The truth is that it was little used. Christ, however, takes it and rises to give a special meaning. We saw its meaning. "Apostle" in Hebrew (shaliah) refers to a person who is fully authorized to represent another. Apostolos Greek simply means: one who is sent.Jesus Christ, according to the Gospel of Luke, gave the following steps: ... went to the mountain to pray, and spent the night praying to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas , James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor (see also Matthew 10:1-4 and Mark 3:13-19). It noted that each list has the same name. No one was removed, to the treachery of Judas Iscariot, after which Jesus Christ himself, on the road to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus surprises, changes his name to Paul and singular names among the list of the Twelve.These twelve were the ones God chose to establish and guide, rebuke, and feed, expand and teach your church. Seven of them received a special commission to write the New Testament. They form the second major pillar of the church. Thus, the call of these apostles was unique. Only they were in their inspired writings authoritatively announced the gospel and divine guidance for us Gentiles, by the grace of God, were grafted to the historical branch of the chosen people. When Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians there was the New Testament was being written. Instead were these twelve great apostles appointed by Jesus Christ to declare their truths without error and authoritative guide to the church in God's ways.When we read in Ephesians 2:20 that the church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with the chief cornerstone Jesus Christ himself, we realize that Paul in this verse is referring to the Bible. This, written by the prophets and apostles, is an instrument created by God to unerringly guide his people from generation to generation. She, for example, shows us our need for Jesus Christ, who we are humans, where our faults, what God asks of us and how to prepare to live eternally with God in his glory.We now live under a New Covenant, we who before lived so far from God we are "grafted to the branch" of the chosen people. What would we do without the Bible? We have to learn who really is Jesus Christ, we must know the Father, we must learn what is communion with the Holy Spirit, we must learn what faith is, how we leave our old habits. We have to learn how to appropriate the power of God to live holy. To meet all these needs, Jesus Christ chose only twelve apostles so that they, like the prophets of old, gave us our spiritual instructions in writing. Since these apostles were faithful, today we have a faithful guide, true, infallible and unchangeable.Now that we understand the place and appointment of prophets and apostles, much more clearly we can turn the page in the Bible, Ephesians 4:11-15 Ephesians 2:20 a. Again are apostles and prophets, but now they are mixed in a fascinating chain of calls that Jesus Christ gives to his church, using them to extend it here on earth. He says he himself [Jesus] gave some, apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, to train God's people for works of service, to build the body of Christ .In this important chain of appointments necessarily the prophets, as they represent that part of the Bible that gives us the story of God's people before the arrival of Jesus. Likewise, the apostles, because for those of us in the New Testament era need information and detail to know how to please Jesus Christ who saved us from our sins. What would we do without the New Testament?But the apostle Paul tells us that for every church on the face of the earth there are three so-called glorious: evangelists, pastors and teachers.I wonder, with these three positions as highly important, why is this desire that has appeared in recent times will be appointed Prophets and Apostles? By the way, and some are giving the title of "anointed of God," Jesus Christ himself stealing his exalted title! For over two thousand years the leaders of the church of Jesus Christ have been content with these three appointments exalted. Until today, in the evangelical church leaders are not looking to be fought apostle or prophet.Can not we just as honorable a title as "evangelist" (the one gifted by God to proclaim the glorious message of salvation to mankind), or "shepherd" (such as special servant of God here on earth replaces Lord himself as the guardian of his flock), or "master" (those men and women receiving light and special wisdom from God to interpret the Book of books)? What madness is this that makes us dissatisfied with what God has favored us!I fear that today, with such loose interpretations of biblical texts, it is bringing incredible confusion to the church. Here comes one that is said to be an apostle, claiming to be followed and obeyed, exalted like a prince. There stands another prophet who claims to be possessed inspired words, and asking them to give more importance to what he says that we give to the Bible. This pride, this clamor for positions and recognition, will you come to the One who humbled the most, who had no roof over his head lie?As a result of all this quest for personal honors, which will result in the congregations? Confusion! Error! Heresy! Who to follow? Will is said to be an apostle or prophet, or Jesus Christ and His true apostles and prophets? Another thing, I'm surprised the character of many of these have been appointed apostles and prophets. They walk as if they were great men, some even with bodyguards. They dress like Hollywood stars and demand to be served as if they were rulers and kings. If you really are followers of Jesus Christ, where is the humility that he displayed? Will the book of Philippians removed from your Bible? Have they forgotten that Jesus said that whoever wants to be great in the kingdom of heaven is a humble servant of all? Rather than evangelize, to pastor, to teach, seems to be the fame, a luxury car, the best neighborhood house and enough money in the bank. In the Bible, what apostle, prophet which exemplifies this attitude and lifestyle?Finally, we must remember that the only God endowed with infallibility were those twelve apostles and prophets who gave us the Old and New Testaments. With the genuine prophets of the Old Testament, with legitimate apostles appointed by Jesus Christ we have all the prophets and apostles we need. Their example is one that should inspire us. Their teachings are to be enlightened. The character of them is the one to serve as an example.So, you want a prophecy? Want an apostolic council? Open your Bible, there are waiting for these unmatched authors to give you everything you need-and the infallible authority of the Holy God.We have the prophetic word made more sure, which you do well to heed as a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:19-21).