Some believe the office of apostle is still viable today. Others have reduced the original meaning of the term “apostle” to a weaker version making it easier for those desiring that office to qualify. But the biblical office of apostle isn’t the only concept that’s been minimized by modernists. The meaning of “miracle”, “prophet” and other terms have been minimized to a weaker unbiblical versions, for example, a modern day miracle looks like this: let’s say you catch a cold and get over it in several days, that’s considered a “miracle” to some people. Here’s a helpful article from Cripplegate that might shed some much needed light on the topic, especially on the apostolic office
Just ask your average fan of TBN, many of whom consider popular televangelists like Benny Hinn, Rod Parsley, and Joel Osteen to be apostles. (Here’s one such example [see page 22].)
Or, you could ask folks like Ron, Dennis, Gerald, Arsenio, Oscar, or Joanne. They not only believe in modern-day apostleship, they assert themselves to be apostles.
A quick Google search reveals that self-proclaimed apostles abound online. Armed with a charismatic pneumatology and often an air of spiritual ambition, they put themselves on par with the earliest leaders of the church.
So what are Bible-believing Christians to think about all of this?
Well, that brings us back to the title of our post:
Are there still apostles in the church today?
At the outset, we should note that by “apostles” we do not simply mean “sent ones” in the general sense. Rather, we are speaking of those select individuals directly appointed and authorized by Jesus Christ to be His immediate representatives on earth. In this sense, we are speaking of “capital A” apostles – such as the Twelve and the apostle Paul.
It is these type of “apostles” that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 2:20Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 3:5Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 4:11Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) and in 1 Corinthians 12:29–30Open in Logos Bible Software (if available). This is important because, especially in Ephesians 4 and in 1 Corinthians 12–14, Paul references apostleship within the context of the charismatic gifts. If “apostleship” has ceased, it gives us grounds to consider the possibility that other offices/gifts have ceased as well. If the apostles were unique, and the period in which they ministered was unique, then it follows that the gifts that characterized the apostolic age were also unique.
The question then is an important one, underscoring the basic principle of the cessationist paradigm – namely, the uniqueness of the apostolic age and the subsequent cessation of certain aspects of that age.
There are at least five reasons why we believe there are no longer any apostles in the church today (and in fact have not been since the death of the apostle John).
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1. The Qualifications Necessary for Apostleship
First, and perhaps most basically, the qualifications necessary for apostleship preclude contemporary Christians from filling the apostolic office.
In order to be an apostle, one had to meet at least three necessary qualifications: (1) an apostle had to be an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:22Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 10:39–41Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 1 Cor. 9:1Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 15:7–8Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)); (2) an apostle had to be directly appointed by Jesus Christ (Mark 3:14Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); Luke 6:13Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); Acts 1:2Open in Logos Bible Software (if available), 24Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 10:41Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); Gal. 1:1Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)); and (3) an apostle had to be able to confirm his mission and message with miraculous signs (Matt. 10:1–2Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); Acts 1:5–8Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 2:43Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 4:33Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 5:12Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 8:14Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 2 Cor. 12:12Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); Heb. 2:3–4Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)). We might also note that, in choosing Matthias as a replacement for Judas, the eleven also looked for someone who had accompanied Jesus throughout His entire earthly ministry (Acts 1:21–22Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 10:39–41Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)).
Based on these qualifications alone, many continuationists agree that there are no apostles in the church today. Thus, Wayne Grudem (a continuationist) notes in his Systematic Theology, “It seems that no apostles were appointed after Paul, and certainly, since no one today can meet the qualification of having seen the risen Christ with his own eyes, there are no apostles today” (p. 911).
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2. The Uniqueness of Paul’s Apostleship
But what about the apostle Paul?
Some have contended that, in the same way that Paul was an apostle, there might still be apostles in the church today. But this ignores the uniqueness with which Paul viewed his own apostleship. Paul’s situation was not the norm, as he himself explains in 1 Corinthians 15:8-9Open in Logos Bible Software (if available). He saw himself as a one-of-a-kind anomaly, openly calling himself “the last” and “the least” of the apostles. To cite from Grudem again:
It seems quite certain that there were none appointed after Paul. When Paul lists the resurrection appearances of Christ, he emphasizes the unusual way in which Christ appeared to him, and connects that with the statement that this was the “last” appearance of all, and that he himself is indeed “the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle” (Grudem, Systematic Theology, 910).
He later adds:
Someone may object that Christ could appear to someone today and appoint that person as an apostle. But the foundational nature of the office of apostle (Eph. 2:20Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); Rev. 21:14Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)) and the fact that Paul views himself as the last one whom Christ appeared to and appointed as an apostle (“last of all, as to one untimely born,” 1 Cor. 15:8Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)), indicate that this will not happen (Systematic Theology, 911, n. 9)
Because Paul’s apostleship was unique, it is not a pattern that we should expect to see replicated in the church today.
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3. Apostolic Authority and the Closing of the Canon
It is our belief that, if we hold to a closed canon, we must also hold to the cessation of the apostolic office.
We turn again to Dr. Grudem for an explanation of the close connection between the apostles and the writing of Scripture:
The New Testament apostles had a unique kind of authority in the early church: authority to speak and write words which were “words of God” in an absolute sense. To disbelieve or disobey them was to disbelieve or disobey God. The apostles, therefore, had the authority to write words which became words of Scripture. This fact in itself should suggest to us that there was something unique about the office of apostle, and that we would not expect it to continue today, for no one today can add words to the Bible and have them be counted as God’s very words or as part of Scripture. (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 905–906)
Hebrews 1:1–2Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) indicates that what God first revealed through the Old Testament, He later and more fully revealed through His Son. The New Testament, then, is Christ’s revelation to His church. It begins with His earthly ministry (in the four gospels), and continues through the epistles – letters that were written by His authorized representatives.
Thus, in John 14:26Open in Logos Bible Software (if available), Christ authorized His apostles to lead the church, promising them that the Helper would come and bring to their remembrance all that Jesus had taught them. The instruction they gave the church, then, was really an extension of Jesus’ ministry, as enabled by the Holy Spirit (cf. Eph. 3:5–6Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 2 Pet. 1:20–21Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)). Those in the early church generally understood apostolic instruction as authoritative and as being on par with the OT Scriptures (cf. 1 Thess. 2:13Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 1 Cor. 14:37Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); Gal. 1:9Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 2 Pet. 3:16Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)).
To cite from Grudem again, “In place of living apostles present in the church to teach and govern it, we have instead the writings of the apostles in the books of the New Testament. Those New Testament Scriptures fulfill for the church today the absolutely authoritative teaching and governing functions which were fulfilled by the apostles themselves during the early years of the church” (Ibid., 911).
The doctrine of a closed canon is, therefore, largely predicated on the fact that the apostles were unique and are no longer here. After all, if there were still apostles in the church today, with the same authority as the New Testament apostles, how could we definitively claim that the canon is closed?
But since there are no longer apostles in the church today, and since new inscripurated revelation must be accompanied by apostolic authority and approval, it is not possible to have new inscripturated revelation today.
The closing of the canon and the non-continuation of apostles are two concepts that necessarily go hand-in-hand.
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4. The Foundational Role of the Apostles
Closely related to the above is the fact that the apostles were part of the foundation period of the church (Eph. 2:20Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)). Since (following the construction metaphor) the foundation stage precedes the superstructure, it is appropriate to infer that the apostles were given to the church for its beginning stages. As Grudem writes, “God’s purpose in the history of redemption seems to have been to give apostles only at the beginning of the church age (see Eph. 2:20Open in Logos Bible Software (if available))” (Ibid., 911, n. 9).
Our interpretation of “foundation” (as a reference to past period within the church’s history) is strengthened by the evidence from the earliest church fathers. The foundation stage was something the fathers referred to in the past tense, indicating that they understood it as past.
Thus, Ignatius (c. 35–115) in his Epistle to the Magnesians, wrote (speaking in the past tense):
“The people shall be called by a new name, which the Lord shall name them, and shall be a holy people.” This was first fulfilled in Syria; for “the disciples were called Christians at Antioch,” when Paul and Peter were laying the foundations of the Church.
Irenaeus (c. 130–202) in Against Heresies, echoes the past tense understanding that Peter and Paul laid the foundations of the Church (in 3.1.1) and later refers to the twelve apostles as “the twelve-pillared foundation of the church” (in 4.21.3).
Tertullian (c. 155–230), in The Five Books Against Marcion (chapter 21), notes the importance of holding to apostolic doctrine, even in a post-apostolic age:
No doubt, after the time of the apostles, the truth respecting the belief of God suffered corruption, but it is equally certain that during the life of the apostles their teaching on this great article did not suffer at all; so that no other teaching will have the right of being received as apostolic than that which is at the present day proclaimed in the churches of apostolic foundation.
Lactantius (c. 240–320), also, in The Divine Institutes (4.21) refers to a past time in which the foundations of the church were laid:
But the disciples, being dispersed through the provinces, everywhere laid the foundations of the Church, themselves also in the name of their divine Master doing many and almost incredible miracles; for at His departure He had endowed them with power and strength, by which the system of their new announcement might be founded and confirmed.
Other examples could also be added from the later Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers. Chrysostom, for instance, would be another such source (from his Homilies on Ephesians).
The earliest church fathers, from just after the apostolic era, understood the work of the apostles to constitute a unique, “foundational” stage of the church. The fact that they reference this in the past tense, as something distinct from their own ministries, indicates that they understood that the apostolic age had passed, and thus the foundation stage was over.
While the cessation of the apostolic gift/office does not ultimately prove the cessationist case, it does strengthen the overall position – especially in passages like 1 Corinthians 12:28–30Open in Logos Bible Software (if available), Ephesians 2:20Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) and 4:11Open in Logos Bible Software (if available), where apostleship is listed in direct connection with the other charismatic gifts and offices.
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5. The Historical Testimony of Those Following the Apostles
In our previous point, we contended that the apostles were given for the foundation stage of the church (Eph. 2:20Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)), and that the early church recognized this foundation stage as a specific time-period that did not continue past the first century.
But it is important to go one step further, and note that the earliest church fathers saw the apostles as a unique group of men, distinct from all who would follow after them.
(A) Those who came after the apostles did not view themselves or their contemporaries as apostles.
According to their own self-testimony, the Christian leaders who followed the apostles were not apostles themselves, but were the “disciples of the apostles” (The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus, 11; Fragments of Papias, 5; cf. The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians, 6; Ignatius, Against Heresies, 1.10), the elders and deacons of the churches.
Thus, Clement (late first century) in his First Epistle to the Corinthians, 42, notes that:
The apostles have preached the Gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ [has done so] from God. Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ. Both these appointments, then, were made in an orderly way, according to the will of God. Having therefore received their orders, and being fully assured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and established in the word of God, with full assurance of the Holy Ghost, they went forth proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand. And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed the first-fruits [of their labors], having first proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe.
Ignatius, for instance, purposely avoided equating himself with the apostles. Thus, he wrote, “I do not issue commands on these points as if I were an apostle; but, as your fellow-servant, I put you in mind of them” (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Antiochians, 11).
(B) Those who followed the apostles viewed apostolic writings as both unique and authoritative.
Moreover, in keeping with our third point (above), it was “the doctrine of the apostles” (cf. The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians, 13; The Epistle of Ignatius to the Antiochians, 1) that was to be guarded, taught, and heeded. Thus, the “memoirs of the apostles” were held as canonical and authoritative within the early church (cf. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 2.2.5; Victorinus, Commentary on the Apocalypse, 10.9).
Along these lines, Justin writes:
And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things (The First Apology of Justin, 67).
The doctrine and writing of the apostles was unique, having been written by the authoritative representatives of Christ Himself.
(C) Those who followed the apostles saw the apostolic age as a unique and unrepeated period of church history.
The fathers saw the “times of the apostles” as a distinct, non-repeateable period of church history (cf. Augustine, On Christian Doctrine, 3.36.54; Reply to Faustus, 32.13; On Baptism, 14.16; et al). Thus, Chrysostom wrote on the uniqueness of fellowship during the apostolic age:
I wish to give you an example of friendship. Friends, that is, friends according to Christ, surpass fathers and sons. For tell me not of friends of the present day, since this good thing also has past away with others. But consider, in the time of the Apostles, I speak not of the chief men, but of the believers themselves generally; “all,” he says, “were of one heart and soul. and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own… and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need.” (Acts 4:32Open in Logos Bible Software (if available), 35Open in Logos Bible Software (if available).) There were then no such words as “mine” and “thine.” This is friendship, that a man should not consider his goods his own, but his neighbor’s, that his possessions belong to another; that he should be as careful of his friend’s soul, as of his own; and the friend likewise. (Homily on 1 Thess. 1:8-10Open in Logos Bible Software (if available))
Chrysostom looked back to the deep affection that characterized the apostolic era to provide a contrast to the relative lovelessness of the church in his day. In so doing, he underscores the fact that he understood the apostolic age to be long past. One additional passage might be cited in this regard:
I know that ye open wide your mouths and are amazed, at being to hear that it is in your power to have a greater gift than raising the dead, and giving eyes to the blind, doing the same things which were done in the time of the Apostles. And it seems to you past belief. What then is this gift? charity. (Homily on Heb. 1:6-8Open in Logos Bible Software (if available))
Many more examples from church history could be given. Eusebius’s whole history is based on the progression of church history from the “times of the apostles” (Ecclesiastical History, Book 8, introduction). Basil, in his work On the Spirit, points to previous leaders from church history (specifically Irenaeus) as those “who lived near the times of the Apostles” (29.72). Tertullian spoke of events that occurred “after the times of the apostles” (The Five Books Against Marcion, 21).
Historical Conclusions
Consistently, the fathers (from the earliest times) mark the apostolic age (and the apostles themselves) as unique. Their writings were regarded as unique and authoritative. Those that followed them were not considered to be apostles. Nor were the times that followed seen as equivalent to the times of the apostles.
Thus we conclude, once again, with Grudem:
It is noteworthy that no major leader in the history of the church – not Athanasius or Augustine, not Luther or Calvin, not Wesley or Whitefield – has taken to himself the title of “apostle” or let himself be called an apostle. If any in modern times want to take the title “apostle” to themselves, the immediately raise the suspicion that they may be motivated by inappropriate pride and desires for self-exaltation, along with excessive ambition and a desire for much more authority in the church than any one person should rightfully have. (Systematic Theology, 911)
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A Final Note
Throughout today’s post we have leaned heavily on the work of Wayne Grudem (specifically, his Systematic Theology). This has been intentional for two reasons: (1) he makes excellent, biblically-sound arguments (and we appreciate everything he writes, even if we don’t always agree with his conclusions); and (2) he is a well-known and respected continuationist.
It is significant, in our opinion, that (as a continuationist) he argues so convincingly for the cessation of the apostolic office and the uniqueness of the apostolic age – since this is the very premise upon which the cessationist paradigm is built.
While the cessation of the apostolic gift/office does not ultimately prove the cessationist case, it does strengthen the overall position – especially in passages like 1 Corinthians 12:28–30Open in Logos Bible Software (if available), Ephesians 2:20Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) and 4:11Open in Logos Bible Software (if available), where apostleship is listed in direct connection with the other charismatic gifts and offices
Actually TeddyHugger claims that he is even greater than an Apostle since he claims that he can love Jesus just as much as He loved us and that he is perfect just as his heavenly Father is perfect???
Richard the false accuser and LIAR states - "Actually TeddyHugger claims that he is even greater than an Apostle since he claims that he can love Jesus just as much as He loved us and that he is perfect just as his heavenly Father is perfect???"
I never claimed to be "greater than an Apostle" so why are you posting on this thread RICHARD??? Your a LIAR!
I claim the promise of Scripture that we are commanded (not suggested) to love as Yah'usha the Messiah said to LOVE one another and be perfect just as Scripture states! You show no love here! You are weak in FAITH Richard and think others are also! You do not claim TRUE righteousness by FAITH!
Mt 5:48 NASB "Therefore >>you are to be perfect<<, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
2 Corth 13:11 DRB "For the rest, brethren, rejoice, >>be perfect,<< take exhortation, be of one mind, have peace; and the God of peace and of love shall be with you."
Luke 6:40 AKJV "The student is not above his master teacher: >>but every one that is perfect<< shall be as his master."
1 John 3:6 NLT ">>Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin.<< But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is."
sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity: of God's way Psalm 18:31 = 2 Samuel 22:31; work Deuteronomy 32:4; law Psalm 19:8;
Also
as neuter adjective = substantive what is complete, entirely in accord with truth and fact:
Mt 5:48
‘Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect’.
So verse 48 sums up all teaching on this subject and clearly resonates with the Levitical command to be holy as ‘the Lord your God is holy’ (Leviticus 19.2).
Leviticus 19 King James Version (KJV)
19 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.
3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.
4 Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God.
5 And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord, ye shall offer it at your own will.
We are called to mirror the character of God, not merely to do or say the right things. (I wrote on my bathroom mirror before I moved, "Lord , let me always be a reflection of you")
The Greek word here is teleios and it can mean ‘perfect’ but is more usually used to refer to maturity or wholeness
Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom (1 Corinthians 2.6)
1 Corinthians 2:6 King James Version (KJV)
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind (Philippians 3.15)
Philippians 3:15 King James Version (KJV)
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete (James 1.4)
James 1:4 King James Version (KJV)
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
There are very few Apostles called by God today ! I do think there are still few. People give themselves titles such as pastor, Bishop, Deacon, Minister these all exist but everyone with a title is not following Jesus teachings.
Sometimes Churches gives people these titles for whatever reason and some people give themselves a title.
Means nothing if you don't know who Jesus is. He's the son of God and Saviour of mankind. He's the way, truth and the life.
I John 1:6: Whoever claims to live in Him **MUST** LIVE AS JESUS DID**!! {Teddyhugger and KJVonly are the first humans to live exactly as Jesus lived}
John 15:12: Jesus says, "**MY COMMAND** is this: Love each other **AS I HAVE LOVED YOU**!!" {Teddyhugger and KJV only are the only humans to love others exactly as Jesus loved us!!}
Matthew 5:48: Jesus says, "Be perfect **AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT**!!" { Teddyhugger and KJV onlyare the first humans to be perfect just as our heavenly Father is perfect and rightly believe in the FLAT EARTH fairy tale!!}
Every born from above saint will try to obey the above four New Covenant commands with all their heart. However, it is obvious that God's saints will fall short of completely obeying the above 3 commands of God!!!
Isaiah 55:8,9: God says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts!!" {Except for Teddyhugger and KJVonly}
Mark 10:18: Jesus says, "No one is good--except God alone!!" {And Teddy Hugger and KJVonly}
He who is born again does not **CONTINUALLY** sin, and is not a **HABITUAL** sinner as he was before he came to know Jesus. The born again believer has no urge to sin as he once did, because he was driven only by his fallen nature. He who is born again will not continue in, or like their sin. If anyone continually and habitually sins, and does not feel ill about it, it may prove that he has **NEVER** been spiritually renewed.
The closer we grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ, the more we will see our sinfulness. To claim that we are no longer a sinner in any fashion, and no longer sin, shows how far away we are from the Lord and His word. God's saints are not good all the time like God and are not **SINLESS** but they **SIN FAR LESS**. The man who claims any perfection except that perfection which we have in Christ, is a hypocrite. He is not sinless in the flesh, and simply lies if he says that he is. He is exactly like the Pharisees of old, who thought that they were sinless in the flesh also. Only when we are delivered from "this body of death," will we be delivered from sin completely.
The alleged "sinless perfection" that results from "sanctification" is a monstrous doctrine that plays right into the hands of Satan. Believing this doctrine, one man claimed, “Since I have been sanctified, every impulse or desire to sin has been completely erased from my heart!” This statement indicates a totally false sense of spiritual security and immunity to sin. Such a position makes repentance, confession, and the need of forgiveness of sins logically inapplicable, if not impossible.
I John 1:3-10: We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us... We write this to make **OUR JOY COMPLETE**. This is the message we have heard **FROM HIM** and declare to you: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. **IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS**, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned {Like Teddyhugger and KJVonly} we make Him out to be a liar and **HIS WORD IS NOT IN US**!
And so all those who believe in **SINLESS PERFECTION** make **GOD A LIAR** and the **TRUTH IS NOT IN THEM**!!
James 5:16: **CONFESS YOUR SINS** to each other and pray for each other!!
Luke 11:1-4: The **DISCIPLES** asked Jesus, "Lord teach **US** to pray." Jesus replied **TO HIS DISCIPLES**, "When you pray, say: '**FATHER**, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our **DAILY** bread. **FORGIVE US OUR SINS**, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us!'" {TeddyHugger and KJVonly are excuded from this command of Jesus since they never sin}
Revelation 3:19: Jesus says, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline, so be earnest and **REPENT**!!" {**OF YOUR SINS**!!}
Hebrews 12:5-11: Do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He chastens **EVERYONE** HE ACCEPTS AS A SON**!!! Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their father {FOR THEIR SINS**}? If you are not disciplined--and everyone undergoes discipline--**THEN YOU ARE NOT LEGITIMATE**, not true sons and daughters at all {Like Teddyhugger and KJVonly}. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us{FOR OUR SINS!} and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it!
Teddy Hugger and KJVonly also believe and teach the Satanic lie that the earth is **FLAT**?? They would therfore believe that 100 percent of the Christians who are not **BRAIN DEAD**and believe the earth is round are guilty of sin and can never get to heaven. Teddy Hugger and KJVonly may be the only **SINLESSLY PERFECT* Christians to make it to heaven but then they would be **VERY LONELY**!!
TeddyHugger and KJVonly both believe in the ridiculous **SINLESS PERFECTION** and **FLAT EARTH** fairy Tales??
Isaiah Says that the Earth is **CIRCULAR**
Isaiah was inspired by God to say in:
Isaiah 40:21-22: "Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the **CIRCLE OF THE EARTH**, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy!!
So Isaiah clearly calls the Earth a “circle.” This clearly shows that he had a round idea of the Earth. This is interesting for a couple of reasons:
1.First of all, he says God sits above the **CIRCLE OF THE EARTH**. Circle can mean “spherical, round, etc.” So he is clearly calling it something **ROUND**.
2.Secondly, this blows away the arguments by the skeptics that the Prophets thought the Earth has “corners.” Hint: A circle doesn’t have a corner. Therefore, why would a man well versed in the scriptures of God call the Earth a circle if he believed it to be a flat cornered piece of land? He wouldn’t! So obviously he believed the **EARTH WAS CIRCULAR** in nature.
Isaiah oddly uses the term **CIRCLE**, and it is odd that anyone would describe the earth that way unless they actually supposed it was **CIRCULAR** in nature.
There have been thousands of pictures of the earth from outer space and every picture shows a **CIRCULAR ROUND EARTH**!!
Every intelligent person knows that you travel **WEST** by plane from New York City to New Delhi India with a stop over in Tokyo and you can **ALSO** travel **EAST** by plane from New York City to New Delhi India with a stop over in Tel Aviv Israel.! This of course would be impossible if the earth was flat and only possible if the **EARTH WAS CIRCULAR**!!
These were originally twelve apostles. Judas was replaced. There aren't any today that I am aware of. There are people who say they are apostles, but so far I haven't seen any indication that they're actual apostles. As far as my understanding goes, an apostle is someone Jesus directly spoke too and were called to establish the church. So during his ministry, and up until he called Paul to replace Judas.
I think the difficultly comes with Matthias. Since they decided to cast lots and used that to name him an apostle. I think it's widely accepted that he was given that designation, as the indication was that God determined how the lot fell.
An apostle in the rawest sense is an emissary sent by Jesus to deliver a message If they do exist today, I would think they would going to remote places to establish the church.
TOTH, I think your post pretty much summarized the article. Sorry the article was so long but I figured those interested would read, those not interested wouldn’t, and that’s fine but i put it out there because it answers some questions.
Sadly some people willingly undergo denominationalization, that’s means they will not challenge or question the teachings held by their homeboy denomination. So whatever the denomination leader teaches—that’s what goes!! But Paul said to test everything before believing—but denomination devotees say the demonization rules!!! Paul’s inspired letter (the word of God) is bent to fit whatever denomination you choose
