Who am i? I find it difficult sometimes to preach the word of ALMIGHTY GOD my CREATOR. Are present day christians believers or apostles? can a believer be an apostle? Can a believer preach the word of GOD ALMIGHTY?
Seems to me that the one qualification that people overlook is that all the NT apostles were Jews who saw the Lord face to face and got their marching orders from the Source. Paul saw the Lord, but not til after He was dead and glorified by His Father. It was not a good deal for him, since he lost his eyesight for a few days, and at the time he was not really looking to become a disciple. So much for free-will, eh? There are other apostles mentioned beside him and the Twelve, but they too were of the stock of Israel. I don't believe God has made an allowance for a "spiritual" facsimile among the Gentiles, but I can't blame people for trying. It's always nice to throw around a title if you ain't got the power(healing, casting out demons, raising the dead and such like phenomenon).
I suggest you filter all your Christian beliefs through the viewpoint of Paul. God directly commissioned him for that purpose, and unless you're Jewish, which may be, it is best to imitate him as he did Christ. The Circumcision teachings are kind of a works deal, and there is not much of a reward for works in this era of faith and grace.
fivesense
