Called to be an apostle?

[ScholarOfLove]

Is it possible in 2008, that people are being called into the position of an apostle?

[FundamentalistJohn]

As I understand it the Apostles were to be eyewitnesses of the Risen Lord. Now I am not saying that the Lord cannot appear to someone today as He did to Paul on the road to Damascus, but I haven't heard of it happening.

FJ

[Hentenza]

Is it possible in 2008, that people are being called into the position of an apostle?

God can do anything. ;):thumbsup::wave:

[FundamentalistJohn]

What do you consider an Apostle?

[cubanito]

Simple answer: NO...

Human language is unable to accurately and precisely describe God. While in one sense God can do anything, in another sense, He can not.

Thus, acknowleging the limits of human comprehension, it is a True statement from James that "It is impossible for God to lie."

Paul stated he was the last Apostle. "as one untimely born."

Even if Christ were to appear to someone today, seeing the resurected Christ is a necessary but INSUFFICIENT requirement for being an Apostle. Over 500 people saw the ascension, yet there were not 500 Apostles.

Now, while there are no more Apostles (else Paul erred in his writing, which vitiates all Scripture), there may be "apostls." The term means messenger, and can be expanded to mean someone with official backing, either to deliver a message or especially, as a Church planter.

We are all called to be preachers of the Gospel. Yet we are not all Preachers in an official sense.

Thus be the vagueries of human language.

Praise be to God for those vagueries, which allow for the shade we weakly humans need to grow in the diffused Light of God that would scorch us ddead were we to now receive it without attenuation.

JR

[DeaconDean]

After much study, I have to give the Biblical answer of no.

According to Acts 1:21-22, to be an apostle, one absolutely must have been an eyewitness to the resurrected Lord:

"Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection." -Acts 1:21-22 (KJV)

This was the same justification that Paul used for his Apostleship:

"Am I am not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" -1 Cor. 9:1 (KJV)

Now I'm not saying the Lord can't visit somebody like He did Paul, but I'm 46 years old and I can't recall anybody relating any experience like that that Paul had on the Damascus Road.

I do believe that the only "gift," the gift of apostles, has been cut off.

Just my opinion.

God Bless

Till all are one.

[LivingWordUnity]

.

[NewGuy101]

God can do anything. ;):thumbsup::wave:
except lie, worship a being greater than himself, make a one ended stick...ect

oh wait God can do anything except violate his nature

[desmalia]

Simple answer: NO...

Human language is unable to accurately and precisely describe God. While in one sense God can do anything, in another sense, He can not.

Thus, acknowleging the limits of human comprehension, it is a True statement from James that "It is impossible for God to lie."

Paul stated he was the last Apostle. "as one untimely born."

Even if Christ were to appear to someone today, seeing the resurected Christ is a necessary but INSUFFICIENT requirement for being an Apostle. Over 500 people saw the ascension, yet there were not 500 Apostles.

Now, while there are no more Apostles (else Paul erred in his writing, which vitiates all Scripture), there may be "apostls." The term means messenger, and can be expanded to mean someone with official backing, either to deliver a message or especially, as a Church planter.

We are all called to be preachers of the Gospel. Yet we are not all Preachers in an official sense.

Thus be the vagueries of human language.

Praise be to God for those vagueries, which allow for the shade we weakly humans need to grow in the diffused Light of God that would scorch us ddead were we to now receive it without attenuation.

JR
Nicely, said! :thumbsup:

[ScholarOfLove]

So, how do you guys feel about ministers these days calling themselves apostles? Especially in the pentacostal circles?

[BigNorsk]

Since an apostle is one who is sent, the question always is when someone says they are an apostles is an apostle of who or what? For instance a missionary could be called an apostle of the group sending them. So someone could be called an apostle properly.

As for the third wave charismatics who call themselves apostles and mean it in the same sense as the Apostles given by Jesus, they should be ignored as any false prophet.

Many are claiming to have seen Jesus. We were warned that people would be claiming Jesus is here, and there and everywhere, but it won't be Jesus.

As already stated Paul tells how he is a most unusual cases, an apostle born out of time, some translations call it an abortion. Yet now people want us to believe that Paul's apostleship is actually the norm, not that unusual at all.

There is no reason to turn from the Bible to these self proclaimed apostles and prophets, better to stick with what is trustworthy and reject that which conflicts with it.

Marv

[cubanito]

Nothing to add to Marv's post, sign me up.

JR