Apostles, teachers and other offices

[CoreIssue]

The body of Christ has many purposes and parts.

Gifts of the spirit will not cease to be given on this earth.

But is that true for all the offices and purpose?

 

[CoreIssue]

Ephesians 4:11-13 New International Version (NIV)
11 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 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

 

[CoreIssue]

When you examine the verse it does not say every position will continue to the end,

 

[CoreIssue]

Apostles is a very disputed one.

God appointed 12 apostles.

Judas was lost to his sin.

Mathias replaced him.

So back to 12.

 

[CoreIssue]

Selected Paul for a special purpose. But never called him an apostle.

So what was he?

I believe so because in some of his l letters he was identified as an apostle.

But he was different in the fact he was the only post resurrection picked apostle.

So those that have meaning? I don't know.

Doesn't mean Mathias was not an apostle? He didn't write in the books of the Bible.

Again, I do not know.

 

[CoreIssue]

Apostles means one who was sent. Several people were called apostates. But not everyone.

The 60 that the apostles sent a called disciples. As all followers of Jesus Christ are disciples and Saints.

The only differentiating factor is the 12+ Paul and those who journeyed with the apostles were called apostates.

So they had a very unique position in church history.

As the 13 apostles died, there is absolutely no mention of anyone else being called an apostle.

The answer is simple, that unique included special authority and Holy Spirit given powers other than the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit.

So the role of apostles ceased. But the role of disciple continues to this day.

 

[amadeus]

Ephesians 4:11-13 New International Version (NIV)
11 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 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

"...until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God..."

And how may we, [you and I and any others], reach this unity except we are completely subjected to the Head, which is Jesus?

"And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." Eph 1:22-23

And do those working in those five named offices not help us move toward that goal? They do indeed!

"...to equip his people for works of service..."

 

[CoreIssue]

Then the role of prophet. Not meaning in the context of foretelling the future.

A prophet is one who God gives special knowledge in certain circumstances. Knowledge they could not have otherwise known.

Nothing a modern-day prophet is given his biblical level. There is no new revelation of the future.

It is knowledge given to the benefit another or sometimes self.

It is not to be confused with the nonsense espouse by Pentecostalism and all its theatrics.

It does not amaze and confuse others. It simply has some scratching their head over how that could have been known.

 

[CoreIssue]

Next is evangelists.

Simply put an evangelist is one that goes from place to place and preaches.

Sometimes for conversion and sometimes for education.

It is a very vital role in the church.

Not many are suited for this task.

 

[CoreIssue]

"...until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God..."

And how may we, [you and I and any others], reach this unity except we are completely subjected to the Head, which is Jesus?

"And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." Eph 1:22-23

And do those working in those five named offices not help us move toward that goal? They do indeed!

"...to equip his people for works of service..."

The hardest part is getting people to listen.

 

[CoreIssue]

The pastors
Does much the evangelist does, but in a local church.

He is a preacher, a teacher and an administrative.

A complicated and critical job.

 

[CoreIssue]

Teachers
Have a gratifying, complicated and rewarding job.

Summer great at dealing with children. Others were teenagers. Others with various groups.

It requires time and preparation and knowledge deal with questions.

It is a job that frequently does not get the credit it deserves.

 

[CoreIssue]

Looking at these positions in unity, you see they start with bringing people to Christ for salvation and then working with them to grow in sanctification.

They also can encompass helping people through times of pain and loss and more.

 

[CoreIssue]

When you think about it quickly see they all need each other.

What use is it to bring someone to Christ if they do not have a way to grow and share?

How can a local church function without structure and leadership?

 

[amadeus]

The hardest part is getting people to listen.

It is easy enough to "listen" but when a person walks more according to his own fleshly ways than by following the Holy Spirit, what is he really going to "hear"? It isn't so hard to both listen and hear if a person doesn't have too hard of a head or too stiff of a neck. Jesus said it this way:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30 [KJV]

Or in your preferred version:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" Matt 11:28-30 [NIV]

Apostle or evangelist or teacher or pastor or prophet, it still comes back to coming to Jesus...!

 

[CoreIssue]

But with this comes responsibility.

Paul in Galatians condemns those for cause division by creating today what we called on.

Or false teachers that bring in teachings contrary to the Bible.

Or pastors that allow immorality church.

 

[CoreIssue]

Here I will have congregations who allow violations of the Bible by appointing female preachers.

Or tolerate those in the above positions that are outside of the Bible.

 

[CoreIssue]

These roles intertwine for the perfecting of the body of Christ.

Look at denominations that adopt doctrines contrary to the Bible.

What does that say about those that just accept and let it go to be part of that church?

 

[CoreIssue]

Can you imagine the apostles coming up against Calvinism. What they would say about this violation of the gospel.

 

[CoreIssue]

What would they say about such as WOF, name it and claim it and other false teachings about gifts of the spirit.

After all, they condemn those trying such things in their day.