Are there apostles and prophets today? - COLLEEN TINKER

Found here. Our comments in bold.

--------------------

The author can't seem to make up her mind. She wants to be cessationist but concedes that people do hear from God. Except they don't. But... the gifts of the Spirit are real. But people shouldn't seek to hear from God.

Actually, she just doesn't know. And, she never actually quotes a Scripture in defense of her position.

----------------

As often happens, we received a significant question in a recent email—and this one addressed the troublesome subject of apostles and prophets. It came from a woman who had just listened to our podcast in which Nikki Stevenson and I interviewed Justin Peters at the Truth Matters Conference last October. Her email was short but direct:

I’m a big fan of your new podcast! However, this latest one I couldn’t finish. I heard Justin say that EGW couldn’t be legit because she was a WOMAN, and then I heard him say that no one hears from God nowadays—it’s their imagination or the devil!! And the only apostles were the original disciples?

I’m no expert for sure, but this feels very much like Adventism’s penchant for “throwing out the baby with the bath water.” Why would Paul go to the trouble of teaching the new Christians all about the gifts of the spirit and the gifts to the church (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher) if he knew it was all just a temporary thing that would die with the disciples? It doesn’t make sense.

Thanks for all the work you do to produce the new podcast.

This writer is not asking a unique question. In fact, in recent years a plethora of apostles and prophets—many of them women—has flooded charismatic and health-and-wealth communities, and their words from the Lord direct the lives and decisions of their followers.

How are we to understand the biblical roles of apostles and prophets? I will share my response to this letter writer below.

What is an apostle?

Thank you for writing! And thank you for explaining your reaction to Justin Peters’ comment.

(...)

Acts 1:15–26 describes the choosing of Matthias to replace Judas, and the requirements for his replacement are listed in v. 21-22: he had to have accompanied the rest of the apostles all the time the Lord Jesus was on earth doing His ministry, beginning with John the Baptist’s ministry and continuing until the day Jesus was taken to heaven. (Let's quote the verses: 

Ac. 1:21-22 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.

The author accurately summarizes the single requirement put forth by the 11 apostles. They wanted someone who had been with them through the whole time, one of their company, someone they trusted and knew well.

We thoroughly discuss the issues surrounding the selection of a replacement apostle.)

(...)

So we learn in this passage of Acts that an apostle (Specifically, the replacement apostle.)

had to have been an eyewitness to Jesus’ earthly ministry. (Correct.)

He had to be an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ, (Incorrect.)

and he had to be chosen by Christ (Incorrect.

The author, without explanation, has added two criteria to the selection of a replacement apostle. 

The author falsely interprets this phrase: For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection. She thinks it means that the replacement apostle must have witnessed the resurrected Christ. It does not say this, however. The phrase tells us that the person they choose must BECOME a witness. The replacement apostle, once chosen, is to join with us in ministry to testify of the resurrection!)

(in the case of Matthias, by Christ’s will through the prayers and casting of lots by Jesus’ already-appointed apostles). 

We learn, however, that people other than the 12 were called apostles: for example, Paul was an apostle, and Barnabas was also called an apostle. In 1 Corinthians 15:3–9 we read Paul’s account of those to whom Jesus appeared post-resurrection. Interestingly, He did not appear to everyone in general. He very specifically revealed Himself to a few hundred eye-witnesses. In verse 7 we see that after He appeared to Peter, to the twelve, and then to 500 brethren at one time, He next appeared to James (His brother who became the leader of the church in Jerusalem and who wrote the epistle of James—the first New Testament book) and then “to all the apostles”.

These apostles are not named, but they were specific people to whom Christ appeared after His resurrection, so they were eyewitnesses of His defeat of death. (Nowhere does the Bible describe such a thing as a requirement of apostleship.)

Quite likely these apostles had seen Jesus’ ministry as He travelled through Israel fulfilling prophecy and preaching the kingdom of God.

Lastly, the resurrected Jesus appeared to Paul “as to one untimely born”. (1 Co. 15:8. Persisting in her misunderstanding, our author thinks Paul is listing his apostolic qualifications.)

Paul, an unbeliever in Jesus during His ministry (as Jesus’ brothers also were [Jn. 7:5]) was likely in Jerusalem during Jesus’ ministry. He must have been aware of Jesus before the Damascus Road experience, and the fact that he held the coats for the Jews who stoned Stephen and then immediately launched a terrorizing persecution against the church (Acts 8:1) after Stephen’s death makes it clear that Paul knew who Jesus was and intensely hated Him. But the Lord Himself met Paul on that road to Damascus and called him to be His apostle to the gentiles.

This 1 Corinthians passage, in other words, confirms that apostles had to be eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ, and they had to be called by Jesus to be an apostle. (Both conclusions are incorrect. Let's quote the passage:

1Co. 15:3-7 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

Hmm. Perhaps this is why the author doesn't quote the Scripture. As we read this we find there is no indication at all this has to do with Paul's qualification for apostleship. In fact, we learn just a few verses later what Paul actually was talking about:

1Co. 15:13-17 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.

Paul's purpose for talking about Jesus' post-resurrection appearances was to make a specific point: Jesus' resurrection proved He was the Risen King, and this fact is crucial to the faith. Without the resurrection, there is no Christianity. The author completely misses the lesson Paul is teaching.)

One time I asked our pastor Gary Inrig if there might ever be a time when God called another person to go and deliver the gospel to an unreached area in an apostolic manner, establishing the church in an isolated region. His response was clear. He said it wasn’t likely because the church has been established, but IF He did call an apostle, given the biblical description of apostles, such a call would have to be approved by the collective church as a whole. (Where is the biblical support for this astonishing idea? In actual fact, Paul's apostleship was vigorously disputed [1 Co. 3:4, 1Co. 9:12, Co. 11:5] And remember, Paul confronted Peter [Ga. 2:11]. 

There is no biblical example of Paul or any apostle being universally acclaimed.) 

That answer has helped me a great deal. The biblical apostles were clearly known and acknowledged by the entire church from the beginning, (Unsupported assertion.)

and the clear personal call of Jesus on the apostles’ lives was recognized throughout the church. (Unsupported assertion.)

A prophet’s job

Very few prophets are named in the New Testament, yet their function is clearly identified (emphasis added) in two passages, in 1 Corinthians 14:3 and in Ephesians 2:20. The verse in Ephesians tells us that the church, the household of God, has “been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone.” This verse identifies the New Testament jobs of the apostles and prophets, (But this is not the gift of prophecy.)

and these offices were granted by God to do a one-time, un-repeatable job: establish the church. (Unsupported assertion.)

During the time the church was being established (the account being recorded in the book of Acts), the apostles took the gospel to all the people-groups on earth in exactly the same order as Jesus commissioned them in Matthew 28:18–20: to Jerusalem (recorded in Acts 2), Judea (recorded in Acts 3–6), in Samaria (Acts 8), and then to the uttermost parts of the earth (beginning in Acts 10 when Cornelius and his household were the first gentiles to receive the Holy Spirit and then expanding throughout the gentile world as Paul did his missionary journeys).

The church was only built ONCE, and Jesus Himself said the gates of hell would not prevail against it. The book of Acts describes this one-time, unrepeatable event. In Ephesians 2 Paul explains HOW the church was built, and it was built on the one foundation the church would ever have: the apostles and prophets. Those foundational apostles had been eyewitnesses of Jesus both before and after His death and resurrection—plus they had been personally called by the living Christ! No person today can meet these requirements, and no person today can build the foundation of the church. That has been built, and nothing can prevail against it. (This is why it is important for the author to misrepresent the qualifying factors regarding the choosing of the replacement apostle: The author wants to prove there are no more apostles.)

Furthermore, the New Testament prophets provided guidance for the fledgling church. (Unsupported assertion.)

The New Testament Scriptures were not yet written (the apostles were writing Scripture as they planted the church) and the prophets were providing correction and insight and speaking for God to these people who had no Scriptures. (Unsupported assertion.)

Now that we have the full Scriptures and we know that they are inerrant, infallible, and sufficient, we can count on the Holy Spirit to teach us and to inform our lives through God’s own word. Hebrews 1:1–3 says that in the past God spoke through prophets, but in these last days He has spoken through His Son. In other words, there is no new light. (This is woefully incorrect. The verse does not say there is no new light. The very next verse contradicts the author:

He. 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

So in His radiance He still speaks today to sustain everything. 

Indeed, we are still in these last days, are we not? Isn't that why Peter quoted the prophet Joel? 

Ac. 2:17 In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy...

Clearly He. 1:1-3 does not say what the author wants it to say.)

Everything we need to know for salvation and about God has been revealed to us for this age. When Jesus comes back, He will speak again, but until then, we have His written word and the Holy Spirit. We can know there will be no new light! This fact is one of our safeguards against the people who perpetually rise up and proclaim themselves prophets. NO! God has spoken, and He has planted His church once and for all.

Now, could God raise up a prophet today or in ten years? Absolutely. (The author has just conceded the argument.)

God can do anything He wishes to do in any way he desires. However, we can know that no prophet will ever say anything contrary to or in addition to Scripture. If God needs someone to speak His truth to someone who has no access to His word, however, He can definitely appoint someone to do that. Furthermore, He can appoint people to speak His revealed word to people who need to be guided by it. Nevertheless, we can know for sure that anyone claiming to speak for God (such as Ellen White) but delivering new information not included in Scripture does not have the biblical gift of prophecy. (The author does not document her assertion. Where does the Bible say anything about delivering new information? Where is this odd definition of the gift of prophecy found?

And what does the author do with Rev. 11:3 and the two witnesses who prophesy?)

Christians and the Holy Spirit

The normal life of born again Christians is that the Holy Spirit works in us to comfort us, teach us, guide us, and even to give us words to say at appropriate times—often without our even knowing it’s happening. (Um, that's prophecy.)

But God is not sending people as “prophets” or “apostles” today to speak for Him and to foretell the future and to tell people God’s will. (Unsupported assertion.)

We don’t need prophets telling us God’s will (emphasis added) because He speaks directly to us Himself through His Spirit in applying His own word to our lives. (He speaks directly to us? Isn't that prophecy? Or is it that God only speaks to the individual about themselves and not others? Where is this found in the Bible?

The author appears to be confused.)

Does God send people to talk to us and help us to become grounded in truth? Absolutely! In fact, 1 Corinthians 14:3 tells us that “one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.” The gifts of the Spirit are real, but many false teachers and false prophets (about whom the Lord Jesus warned us Himself) come and claim to speak for God. (Waaait. The author just told us that We don’t need prophets telling us God’s will... Now she says the gifts of the Spirit are real!)

They lead people and develop reputations as mouth pieces for God. People honor them and trust them, but Scripture never gives us that “prophet model” in the New Testament. (At the beginning of this section she states the opposite: ...their function is clearly identified...)

In fact, we are to test any message that claims to be prophetic. (Why? If there are no prophets, there is no need to test. It automatically is a false prophecy and simply needs to be rejected.)

There is only one way to test any prophetic message: Scripture itself. (False. Scripture, the testimony of the Holy Spirit, the counsel of the brethren, and the fruit.)

Anyone who actually speaks forth for God will not draw attention to Himself but will honor the Lord Jesus and exalt Him above all. They will speak and encourage with God’s words as He has given them to us in Scripture. We should not fear people who give us personal advice and claim divine revelations. If we are born again, the Holy Spirit guides and teaches us personally, and a “prophetic revelation” does not need to “bind” our consciences. (If this doesn't make sense to you, dear reader, join the club.)

Now that we have Scripture, we can know that if we are not immersing ourselves in it, we can’t expect God to circumvent His own revelation to us and to send prophets and apostles to speak to us. (But... I thought the gifts were real? And didn't she just tell us to test prophetic messages? 

Further, what circumvented revelation in the Bible is she referring? She has yet to tell us!)

He has already spoken, and anyone speaking for God will be properly exegeting His word and calling us to submit our hearts and minds to Him and to His truth. (Unsupported assertion.)

(...)

Clearly the Lord prepares each of us and gives us His work—and He gifts us for the work He gives us. Nevertheless, He won’t lead us in ways that contradict the clear teaching passages of Scripture.

We have already heard from God, and His Spirit continues to teach us and to apply His truth and reality to our lives. If we are not willing to immerse ourselves in His living word, allowing His Spirit to shape and teach us with His truth, we are presumptuous to think God will speak to us and supernaturally reveal information we need. He will draw us to Jesus and convict us of sin; He will teach us, but if someone comes with a message from God, we must submit it to the scrutiny of Scripture. Scripture is God’s revelation to us, and it is our final word. †

(What a muddled mess.)