After Jesus ascended He gave gifts unto men. (Eph.4:8) "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers."
1. Why the emphasis is on the apostle and prophet
The emphasis is on the apostle and prophetbecause most except there are evangelist and
pastors and teachers. However, they say there are no apostles and prophets anymore. They
say, God stopped that gift after the death of the last apostle, John.
a. It was the Church refused these gifts after the death of John. (100 A.D.) A review of Church history reveals that a spiritual decline began after the death of John and
the Church eventually forsook every truth the "Spirit of truth" had lead (John.16:13) them into.
(Review: Phase 2 "Why did the 1st. century Church stop?")
b. Jesus did not changed His mind! "Wherefore he saith, When He (Jesus - who is "the same yesterday, and today." Heb.13:8)
ascended up on high, he (Jesus) led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men,"
(Eph 4:8-9) Today, He (Jesus) is still giving gifts unto men.
Note:Think on this! The same verse that gives us spiritual authority to have evangelistsand pastors, is the same verse that speaks of apostle and prophets. ( You cannot take part of the verse and
leave the other part)
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Most accept that the antichrist can have his false prophet, yet they say that Christ cannot.
Why would the antichrist copy (Isa.14:11-14, 2Thes.2:4, 1Peter.5:8) the prophetic ministry
that God is not giving anymore?
2. What is an "apostle?"
a. A "wise master builder." (1Cor.3:10)
b. Responsible for the foundation (the direction) of the Church. (Eph.2:20-22, 1Cor.3:10-11) - For example: On the day of Pentecost, it was the apostle Peter that stood up with the Word of the prophet Joel and laid the foundation (i.e. gave direction Eph.2:20-22,
2Peter.3:1-2) to the 1st. century Church. (Acts.2:17, Joel.2:28-32) The Bible says. "they
continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine..." (Acts.2:42) The apostles direction /
foundation. (Eph.2:20-22, 1Cor.3:10-11) - Fifty years later direction / foundation needed to be set once again in the church, and once
again direction / foundation was set by the apostle James using the Word of the prophet Amos. (Acts.15:1-16, Amos.9:11-12)
c. Signs, wonders and might deeds follow the apostle. (2Cor.12:12)
d. An apostle is "one that was sent." (Grk. "apostle") Today we call them Missionaries.
e. Not all the apostles wrote scripture. Some think this is a sign of an apostle. There were others
that were apostles and did not write scripture.
f. Not all the apostles saw Jesus. (1Cor.9:1) Paul said, "Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? (1Cor.9:1-2)
However, Epaphroditus, Titus, Timothy and Silvanus had not seen the Lord and they were
apostles. Paul clearly presented "the signs of an apostle"in 2Cor.12:12. Seeing the Lord
is not one of them.
More notes to come
3. Is there "apostles" today? Yesthere are "apostles today." a. Yes there is because the Church has not "come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge
of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ" (Eph 4:13-14)
b. If there are only supposed to be 12 original apostles, why did Jesus continue to give the gift to
men after He ascended? More notes to come
4. There were many other apostles in the 1st. century Church.
a. Epaphroditus was a "messenger" (apostle) Phil.2:25.
b. Titus was a "messenger" (apostle) 2Cor.8:23.
c. Timothy and Silvanus were an "apostles." 1Thes.1:1; 2:1-6.
d. Others that were "sent," were apostles. John.13:16
More notes to come
5. The Greek word for "apostle" has been translated a. (54x) apostles.
b. (19x) apostle.
c. (5x) apostle
d. (1x) as"messengers"
e. (1x) as messenger.
f. (1x) he that is sent.
More notes to come
6. The antichrist will be a false apostle Simply because he "anti" everything that Christ is. This is why his "side-kick" is the false prophet
because he is copying the apostolic and prophetic ministries of the fully restored and
completed last day Church. (Eph.2:20-22) More notes to come
To Summarize
Therefore it is not a strange thing to believe there will be twelve prominent last day apostles as there was twelve prominent first century apostles, giving direction in the last day Church Jesus has not stopped giving that gift. (Heb.13:8) God has not changed His mind, however man did! By the end of the 1st. century the Church ignored the apostolic and prophetic ministry and the Church began a decline down into the "dark ages." (500 A.D.?) to believe there will be twelve prominent last day apostles as there was twelve prominent first century apostles, giving direction in the last day Church Jesus has not stopped giving that gift. (Heb.13:8) God has not changed His mind, however man did! By the end of the 1st. century the Church ignored the apostolic and prophetic ministry and the Church began a decline down into the "dark ages." (500 A.D.?) Review: Phase 2
Think on this! The SAME verse that gives us spiritual authority to have evangelists
and pastors, is the SAME verse that speaks of apostle and prophets. Most accept that
the antichrist can have his false prophet, yet they say that Christ cannot. Why would the antichrist
copy (Isa.14:11-14, 2Thes.2:4, 1Peter.5:8) the prophetic ministry that God is "supposedly" not
giving anymore?
