Why do you keep EVADING simple Christian questions STV? Do you believe the Bible is God's Word? Your total EVASION says NO!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Continued from the previous post.
Let's review our key verse and take it from there.
"built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." - Ephesians 2:20 NIV
Here are the questions we began with in the OP. (post #1)
Okay, so who are these apostles and prophets?
And what is the significance of the list order?
- Were there apostles other than the 12 Apostles? (capital A)
- Were there prophets other than the OT Prophets? (capital P)
- Were there prophets other than the OT Prophets in which the foundation of our faith was built?
As in, prophets that made a significant contribution to faith in Christ after the Apostles, and with the apostles. (small a)
We have answered the question about apostles.
We found references to the original 12, and Paul, and Barnabas, Andronicus and Junia as apostles.
Also found were reference to the office of apostle in the church, I would say EVERY church fellowship.
As part of the list of offices of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
Known as the five-fold ministry.
"So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up" - Ephesians 4:11-12 NIV
We have exhausted the biblical references about apostles outside the 12 and Paul.
Or perhaps we have only exhausted me? - LOL
What about prophets in the New Testament. References to prophets other than the OT prophets.
We have already seen the office of prophet, along with apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
But was anyone named as a prophet in the new testament? Let's check.
Jesus said this,
"“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." - Matthew 7:15 NIV
If there are false prophets, we can assume that there are real prophets.
Here are more references that speak for themselves.
"Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes
a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward." - Matthew 10:41 NIV
"If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces.
9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet." - Matthew 11:8-9 NIV
So, evidence here of New Testament prophets. John the Baptist being a named, or inferred prophet.
Now we can begin to name some New Testament prophets. (and other significant passages)
"There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage," - Luke 2:36 NIV
"During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch." - Acts 11:27 NIV
"Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger,
Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul." - Acts 13:1 NIV
"They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos.
There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus," - Acts 13:6 NIV
"Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers." - Acts 15:32 NIV
"After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea." - Acts 21:10 NIV
"Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said." - 1 Corinthians 14:29 NIV
"The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets." - 1 Corinthians 14:32 NIV
"If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what
I am writing to you is the Lord’s command." - 1 Corinthians 14:37 NIV
"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.
They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—
bringing swift destruction on themselves." - 2 Peter 2:1 NIV
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God,
because many false prophets have gone out into the world." - 1 John 4:1 NIV
Again, please note that any reference to a FALSE prophet indicates that there are TRUE prophets.
So we have some named prophets found in our search. Anna, Barnabas, Simeon called Niger,
Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. Judas and Silas.
So, we do find both apostles beyond the 12 and Paul and prophets beyond the OT Prophets of old.
QUESTION: What do we suppose was the foundation which was built upon?
"built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." - Ephesians 2:20 NIV
But again, you did confess "no wonder I don't trust the Bible"!
