Apostles, Prophets Today?

THE QUESTION:

“I have questions brother, who is Apostle? I found someone teaching apostle is only one who who saw Jesus like Paul. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some Apostles………”

ANSWER:

Here are some verses in the bible that will explain Jesus’ position on this.  He is not looking for superstars with titles, he is looking for humble servants, but, some of the offices are still needed and commanded like (teacher/pastor – deacon, elder – always male, never female). Praise Him.

Mat_25:21  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful SERVANT: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Mat_25:23  His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful SERVANT; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Luk_19:17  And he said unto him, Well, thou good SERVANT: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

An Apostle, if there ever was one today brother, I have not found. Too many people today, not only here in America but all over the world call themselves “Apostles” or “Prophets” and are absolutely not. So, I would never take those titles (or any title for that matter) as I just am a humble servant.

The only prophecy we need as New Testament believers is what is written in the bible, the Living Word that shall never die. Giving oneself a title can be detrimental in many ways as we always teach against it. It leads to people treating you a different way if you are a “Pastor”, for example. They immediately put up a guard and in many instances, will not open up to you as they would a simple servant of God with no title. Many will also put Pastors on a pedestal and idolize them just because they have that title before their name, this is sin. We see this all the time on TV, in churches, etc. It’s not a sin to use the title “Pastor” or “Deacon” etc, but, I shall not.

So, to conclude this short message, I have never seen an Apostle or a Prophet in NT times using titles like “Pastor” as it may cause a stumbling block in these wicked times we live in(not a sin to use it however).  The entire body of Christ are servants, and yes, we need teachers (pastors/bishops) & we need deacons and elders in our local fellowships to have order and accountability and to concentrate on serving the poor, but, we should all strive to be the ones who wash each others feet and not have a title that is, well, just that, a title.

We are always discipling others to go OUT and start their own fellowships, if that is their calling, or if the current fellowship they attend is far away. If not, they are to grow in the local fellowship and witness at every opportunity and serve. The local fellowship needs to be free from sinners and should be a close family helping each other as equals in Christ.

You see millions of people getting the title of “Pastors”, “Apostles”, “Prophets”, etc for fees like $99 online, it’s ridiculous and has distorted the original meaning of these offices. With that said, we are to never let the world dictate our walk with the Lord, but when we can err on the side of caution and NOT do something that may be allowed, it’s most wise to do so. You can make it known to your local fellowship who are the (teachers/pastors), who are the deacons, etc but I would not publically proclaim that.

The humbleness of Christ:

Mat 20:26-28 However, it shall not be so among you. But whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Gal_5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Luk_9:58  And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Luk_19:10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Jesus:

Mat_18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Mat_23:12  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Mat_11:11  Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

If there were ever to be a TRUE Apostle today, there would be few. Only God knows : ) God bless.

I wanted add some commentary from whom I believe are the top 2 commentators:

[ALBERT BARNES] Commentary

Called to be an apostle – This word called means here not merely to be invited, but has the sense of appointed. It indicates that he had not assumed the office himself, but that he was set apart to it by the authority of Christ himself. It was important for Paul to state this,
(1)    Because the other apostles had been called or chosen to this work Joh_15:16, Joh_15:19; Mat_10:1; Luk_6:13; and,
(2)    Because Paul was not one of those originally appointed.

It was of consequence for him therefore, to affirm that he had not taken this high office to himself, but that he had been called to it by the authority of Jesus Christ. His appointment to this office he not infrequently takes occasion to vindicate; 1Co_9:1, etc.: Gal_1:12-24; 2Co_12:12; 1Ti_2:7; 2Ti_1:11; Rom_11:13.

An apostle – One sent to execute a commission. It is applied because the apostles were sent out by Jesus Christ to preach his gospel, and to establish his church; Mat_10:2 note; Luk_6:13 note.

Separated – The word translated “separated unto,” ἀφορίζω aphorizō, means to designate, to mark out by fixed limits, to bound as a field, etc. It denotes those who are “separated,” or called out from the common mass; Act_19:9; 2Co_6:17. The meaning here does not materially differ from the expression, “called to be an apostle,” except that perhaps this includes the notion of the purpose or designation of God to this work. Thus, Paul uses the same word respecting himself; Gal_1:15, “God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,” that is, God designated me; marked me out; or designed that I should be an apostle from my infancy. In the same way Jeremiah was designated to be a prophet; Jer_1:5.

[Adam Clarke] Commentary

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ – The word δουλος, which we translate servant, properly means a slave, one who is the entire property of his master; and is used here by the apostle with great propriety. He felt he was not his own, and that his life and powers belonged to his heavenly owner, and that he had no right to dispose of or employ them but in the strictest subserviency to the will of his Lord. In this sense, and in this spirit, he is the willing slave of Jesus Christ; and this is, perhaps, the highest character which any soul of man can attain on this side eternity. “I am wholly the Lord’s; and wholly devoted in the spirit of sacrificial obedience, to the constant, complete, and energetic performance of the Divine will.” A friend of God is high; a son of God is higher; but the servant, or, in the above sense, the slave of God, is higher than all; – in a word, he is a person who feels he has no property in himself, and that God is all and in all.

Called to be an apostle – The word αποστολος, apostle, from αποστελλειν, to send, signifies simply a messenger or envoy; one sent on a confidential errand: but here it means an extraordinary messenger; one sent by God himself to deliver the most important message on behalf of his Maker; – in a word, one sent by the Divine authority to preach the Gospel to the nations. The word κλητος, called, signifies here the same as constituted, and should be joined with αποστολος, as it is in the Greek, and translated thus: Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, constituted an apostle, etc. This sense the word called has in many places of the sacred writings; e. g. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called, κληθωμεν, Constituted, or made the sons of God. As it is likely that no apostle had been employed in founding the Church of Rome, and there was need of much authority to settle the matters that were there in dispute, it was necessary he should show them that he derived his authority from God, and was immediately delegated by him to preach and write as he was now doing.

Separated unto the Gospel – Set apart and appointed to this work, and to this only; as the Israelites were separate from all the people of the earth, to be the servants of God: see Lev_20:26. St. Paul may here refer to his former state as a Pharisee, which literally signifies a separatist, or one separated. Before he was separated unto the service of his own sect; now he is separated unto the Gospel of God. On the word Gospel, and its meaning, see the preface to the notes on St. Matthew; and for the meaning of the word Pharisee, see the same Gospel, Mat_3:7.