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These are only very brief notes. For full context, please listen to the full sermon audio, or wait for the full sermon transcript online.
Audio available at https://this-gospel-of-the-kingdom.mixlr.com/
Full transcript available soon within the next few days at https://www.isawthelightministries.com/transcripts/sermon-transcripts.html
It’s extremely often that I am attacked for using the title of apostle.
Many people have been taught that it’s impossible for there to be any apostles or prophets after Paul and John. No such bible verse exists.
Ephesians 4:11-16
1 Corinthians 12:4-14, 28 Various gifts (spiritual powers) and offices of administration. Never declares an end to these at the death of Paul or John, or of the entire 1st century church.
One website claims that the apostles work was to build the foundation of the church, but after that foundation was laid/accomplished, then there’s no more a need for apostles. But they can’t support that with scripture. No verse was given/shared saying or hinting that apostles would not be needed after the foundation was laid.
The same website claims that prophets also don’t exist in the end time because scripture was completed, and there will never again be new scripture after John. Yet they can’t provide any real biblical proof of these claims.
The website could not support their claims with scriptures that actually teach what they are teaching.
Another website claims these 3 requirements:
The candidate was required to be someone who followed Jesus during his entire earthly ministry, beginning from Jesus’ baptism by John to Jesus’ ascension into Heaven (Acts 1:21–22a). (Of which supposed requirement Apostle Paul doesn’t meet! Paul didn’t follow Jesus during his ministry and were not among the original 12 or 70 disciples or followers. See also John 20:29.)
The candidate was required to have seen Jesus after his resurrection (Acts 1:22b). (We have no evidence that Paul actually saw Jesus during the 40 days after the resurrection or any time before then.)
The candidate needed to have been appointed by the Lord Jesus himself (1:24–25). (Duh! Of course!)
Yet these verses never declare or require that the first 2 requirements would be eternal requirements. It was just simply the requirements at that specific time and situation. It never says that there can’t be any new apostles or prophets after the death of the first century church.
It’s very silly to think that Jesus would want his church to continue into the 2nd century and the 3rd century and forever more without proper structure and leadership.
Ephesians 4 said: “until we all...become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” It doesn’t say “until the foundation of the church is finished” or “until both Paul and John die”, or “until the end of the first century” or any such similar teaching.
Revelation 11:10 The main 2 prophets in the Great Tribulation, in modern times.
Very clearly, Revelation 11 shows end time prophets.
If there were first century prophets and apostles, and there will be end time prophets, then surely there was also prophets and apostles throughout all of church history.
The offices of pastors and deacons and evangelists are very clearly not “done away with”.
Why would only two offices be deleted, but not the other 3 offices? It wouldn’t make any sense!
Hearing from God? I don’t understand why people, who profess to be good Christians, deny that someone can actually hear from God! As if they think that God is now mute!
It’s not about pride. It’s about obeying God and fulfilling our callings and responsibilities.
The teaching that there absolutely can’t be any true apostles or prophets in modern times, is a direct attack against the true church, against its structure and leadership.
The enemy always wants to attack the leadership in order to destroy the entire army.
In the enemy’s eyes, it would be great to have the children of God without shepherds to guard the flock.
And it’s an effort to extinguish the voice of God. God has always used appointed messengers. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He changes not! He speaks to many Christians directly via The Holy Ghost, but He hasn’t changed the fact that He especially speaks to and through appointed messengers.
Even in the letters to the church in Revelation chapters 2-3, there is a top leading messenger for each church era including the last 2 eras and all eras. It’s not just 7 ancient cities/congregations, but also 7 church eras, time eras, as the entire book of Revelation was written to all eras of the church, not just only to ancient congregations.
The status of the end time Laodicea church shows that the modern day church needs apostles and prophets more now than at any other time in church history!
The Alpha & Omega Bible has potential to help the different branches/congregations of the true church (I Saw The Light Ministries, United Church of God International Association, Church of God International, Church of God 7th Day, “True Jesus Church”, etc.) to grow in the truth and become more mature and united in the faith/doctrine. This is the greatest potential for church unity since the time of Apostle Paul.
https://most-accurate-bible.com