Just as building foundations are not removed when construction of a building is completed, Christ's apostles and prophets were not meant to be removed when the church was established, but were meant to remain, as were the other offices mentioned in Ephesians 4:11. There are at least 15 and passibly as many as 22 apostles named in the New Testament, and no fewer than three prophets are named in the book of Acts. Consider the following references:
Apostles
1-12 Original 12 apostles - Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16
13 Mathias - Acts 1:26
14 Paul - Acts 13:2; 14:14; Rom 1:1
15 Barnabas - Acts 13:2; 14:14
16 Andronicus - Rom 16:7
17 Junia - Rom 16:7
18 Apollos - 1 Cor 4:6-9
19 James (brother of Jesus) - Gal 1:19
20 Silvanus - 1 Thes 1:1; 2:4-6
21 Timotheus - 1 Thes 1:1; 2:4-6
22 Jesus - Heb 3:1
Prophets
1 Agabus - Actions 11:27-28; 21:10
2 Judas - Acts 15:22, 32
3 Silas - Acts 15:22, 32
-- Others Acts 11:27; 13:1; 21:9; Rev 11:3-10
We should ask why Mathias was chosen to replace Judas if that foundation were not meant to remain? Why also were Paul and Barnabas first mentioned as apostles follwing the death of James the brother of John as the imprisonment of Peter [Acts 12:2-3; 13:1-3; 14:14]? Why did the early church accept and refer to so many post resurrection prophets by name?
If prophets existed throughout the Bible, why do we not need them now? Amos 3:7 indicates that God will do nothing save he reveal his will to his prophets. Also, 1 Corinthians 12:27-29, 14:29-33 and 37-39 indicate that prophets and the gift of prophecy were part of the original church. Their principle duty was to prevent error and confusion amoung the saints. Where does the Bible indicate that they were not meant to continue? A careful reading of Ephesians 4:11-14 indicates not only that prophets and apostles were meant to remain to maintain a "unity of the faith" and a "knowledge of the Son of God," but also that without them men would be "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine" [verse 14]. This is exactly the condition of "mainstream Christianity today!
In Ephesians 3:3-5, Paul makes it clear that in that day, knowledge was "revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit" [see also Acts 1:2; 2:18]. It should also be noted that a careful reading of Luke chapter 11 reveals that Christ taught that slaying the apostles and prophets woudl cause the "key of knowledge" to be "taken away" [verses 49 - 52]. Based on these verses, it seems safe to assume that any church not claiming to have these officers also cannot claim any unique understanding of God's truth or be his Church.
Hegesippus, a historian of the period immediately following apostolic times is quoted by Eusebius in his Ecceesastical History as saying:
The Church continued until then as a pure and uncorrupt virgin; which if there were any at all taht attempted to pervert the sound doctrine of the saving gospel, they were yet stullking in the dark retreats; but when the sacred choir of apostels became extinct, and generations of those that had been priveledged to hear their inspired wisdom had passed away, then also the combination of impios error arose by fraud and delusions of false teachers. These also, as there were none of the apostles left, henceforth attempted without shame to preach their false doctrine against the gospel of truth. Such is the statement of Hegesippus [Eusebius, Ecclsiastical History, Book III, chapter 32]Palsms 11:3 asks: "If the foundation be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" The answer to this question is found in Acts 3:19-21: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord: And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heven must recieve until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" [see also Acts 1:6-7]
The time refreshing has come and the restitution of all things has begun in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. That restoration included the preisthood power and authority held by ancient apostles and prophets and making it possible the calling of modern apostles and prophets in these latter days. [D & C 1:30]
6 comments:
In keeping with your analogy of house construction.
Once the foundation has been laid the concrete workers are no longer needed. It is time for the carpenters, electricians, and others to build the rest of the house.
For the church the apostles laid that foundation directed by the power of the Holy Spirit to spread the teachings of Jesus. Once the foundation was established, there was no longer a need for apostles to build another foundation.
It was time for others like Timothy to continue the work; Warnings of false teachers abound in the Letters written by Paul, but God is able to keep a remnant of faithful believers.
God always keeps a remnant of the faithful regardless of the floundering of the culture or church around them. Evidence found in the Bible. When Elijah felt alone after challenging the priests of Baal and thought he was last believer in all of Israel. God told Elijah that he has keep seven thousand who were still faithful and trusting of God. [1 Kings 19:18]
If God could keep seven thousand then why not now? Why not during any time period, regardless of the circumstances around them?
Jonathan,
You say that the foundation was not suppose to remain? Christ's church is built on the foundationn of apostles and prophets. You do not remove a foundation unless you want to destroy the structure.
Christ's apostles and prophets were not meant to be removed when the church was established, but were meant to remain, as were the other offices mentioned in Ephesians 4:11. There are at least 15 and passibly as many as 22 apostles named in the New Testament, and no fewer than three prophets are named in the book of Acts. Consider the following references:
Apostles
1-12 Original 12 apostles - Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16
13 Mathias - Acts 1:26
14 Paul - Acts 13:2; 14:14; Rom 1:1
15 Barnabas - Acts 13:2; 14:14
16 Andronicus - Rom 16:7
17 Junia - Rom 16:7
18 Apollos - 1 Cor 4:6-9
19 James (brother of Jesus) - Gal 1:19
20 Silvanus - 1 Thes 1:1; 2:4-6
21 Timotheus - 1 Thes 1:1; 2:4-6
22 Jesus - Heb 3:1
Prophets
1 Agabus - Actions 11:27-28; 21:10
2 Judas - Acts 15:22, 32
3 Silas - Acts 15:22, 32
-- Others Acts 11:27; 13:1; 21:9; Rev 11:3-10
We should ask why Mathias was chosen to replace Judas if that foundation were not meant to remain? For it is a foolish man that builds his house upon the sand. Jesus Christ is no fool. And I say unto thee, thou are Peter and upon this rock I build my church.
Indeed Christ's Church is to be built on the foundation of Apostles and Prophets.
Wer62
Ed,
I am just saying that apostles are foundation layers. Once that foundation has been laid, they are no longer need. An apostle is a special witness and church builder like Paul. He laid the foundation for the "church" for both the Jew and the Gentile-everyone. Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against the Heavenly Kingdom that was upon the earth.
The foundation of the church is not found in Apostles or Prophets. Jesus is the foundation. The rock of the Church is Jesus, not Peter. In the verse before, Peter declared "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God" That is the rock the church is built upon. It is constructed by the Lord not men. The apostles thought they need to replace Judas to keep the number 12, but in their haste they elected Matthias-although an honorable man God later chose Paul and others. But once the churches were established and started then as I stated before men like Timothy became the sheppards. Was Timothy an apostle? He was the second generation church leader, but not an apostle.
Correction.
Ed, You are correct Timothy is an apostle. He was indeed a church planter.
I hold that an apostle is someone who is a kingdom builder or church planter and I do consider the modern Christian churches to still have apostles in the sense that many work to plant new Christian churches in areas of the world that do not have any.
An apostle is not a leader of an established church, as some may believe. They do lay foundations for new churches and sheppard them until they are able to stand on there own and then overseers (bishops, ministers, pastors) and deacons continue the build up the all ready established church.
I guess in that sense new foundations are always being laid as the kingdom of God expands to new areas. But the foundation is always in Jesus; Our eternal High Priest; Our sacrifice; Our Way; Our Truth; Our Mediator.
My human error demonstrates another point I would like to make about foundations.
The foundation-that Jesus is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world-of any "church" that is laid by an apostle (church planter) needs to be rooted in God's Truth not the visions and dreams of men. I erred and stated that Timothy was not an apostle. But this error can be correct by turning to God's Living Revealed word-the Bible. And I did go back and checked and with further, careful study revealed that indeed Timothy was an apostle and does fit with the definition of church planting and church growing. This revelation came by careful consideration of and from God's word-the Bible and did not come to me through modern revelation whispered in my ear by still small voices or by a living prophet, but by study of the written, verified word of God found in the Bible. The bible is the blueprint to laying a Foundation according to God's will and not the will of men-in our fallen nature.
Eph 2:20, The church is built "on" a foundation of Apostles and Prophets. Not the Church was built "by" Apostles and Prophets. Just as we do not remove Jesus Christ as the "Chief Cornerstone" we do not remove the Apostles from the foundation.
Wer62
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