Eph 2:19-22 NLT So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. (20) Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself. (21) We are carefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. (22) Through Him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by His Spirit.
I am beginning a series
on foundational apostles and prophets and what their function is in the kingdom
of God. There is a debate that rages within the ranks of evangelical Christianity
about the spiritual gifts and the five-fold ministry. Of course, when I refer
to the five-fold ministry I am speaking of Ephesians 4:11-13. So then, this
post will be dedicated to examining the legitimacy of modern day apostles and
prophets.
First, let me say that
there is an awful lot of questionable activity that takes place in the name of
the five-fold ministry and modern day, present truth apostles and prophets.
There are many self-proclaimed apostles and prophets that act much more like
they are a part of the Old Covenant economy than the New Covenant economy. I mention apostles and prophets because no one
in evangelical Christianity seems to have any problem with evangelists, pastors
and teachers. So then, somehow, evangelists, pastors and teachers are still
necessary gifts but not apostles and prophets. This seems unlikely to me; especially
in view of the passages in Ephesians where Paul speaks of them. Let’s look at
this in the NLT which presents very plain language.
(Eph 4:11-14 NLT) Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. (12) Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ. (13) This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. (14) Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.
Interesting, Paul says
that the five gifting’s will continue until ALL come to such unity in our faith
and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord. OK, really? In
an age with 30,000 plus denominations and all the division can anyone believe
that there is no longer a need for foundational apostles and prophets? Let me say this… if evangelists, pastors and
teachers are necessary, how much more are apostles and prophets needed?
Add to this, the
beginning of Ephesians chapter four… one Lord, one faith, one baptism… and it
should be painfully obvious that foundational apostles and prophets are
extremely necessary. So then, what should they do? What is the function and
mission of modern day foundational apostles and prophets… Tune into this series
and I will try to give my answer on this important issue.
I thought you might like to know. Where it is written I will send them Apostles and Prophets some the shall slay and persecute. Slay and persecute are very interesting greek studie down to the root one actually means separate from the whole. So much at the very least for allowing a 1st cor service. You have a valid point if God gave 5 Ministry gifts to the body for the equipping and maturing the saints until we all come to fullness yes they must be valid today.in hoe does God do things, lets look in scripture in greek apostle used 85 times prophet over a 100 teacher over a 100 evangelist pastor less than 5 times. So what happened well Gods still sending them but Israel was rebuked for priests bearing rule by their own means and every house out for it's own gain so what do we see today instead of every joint supplyin a need they refuse instead of discerning the body and submitting to one another as unto the Lord many say no. The nicolation doctorine means control laity so it resembles the rebellion of korah by the levitical priesthood against moses and aaron God numbered the offices man didn't
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