Q&A - How many Apostles to the Body of Christ?

The following is a reply to a comment on a post called: How many Apostles to the Body of Christ?

Thank you for your comment. You pose a number of questions in it, so I have extracted your questions and reply to each based on my understanding of what God’s word tells us in this regard. I want to remind you that I interpret scripture according to our grace (mystery) dispensation today, recognizing that it is fundamentally different from the Kingdom and law (prophetic) dispensation of Israel. Thus, my replies ultimately distinguish and separate our doctrine from that of Israel. By maintaining this separation, we avoid confusion and contradiction of the two doctrines which, because of this very ignorance, is the cause of such false doctrine, division, and corruption in churches today.

Question 1:

So, by this article, you say that today no man can demonstrate “the signs of an apostle” (II Cor. 12:12), and that these things can only be done by apostles, and not by other believers? So, we can’t lay hands on sick and heal them, cast out demons, speak in tongues, prophecy…? 

Answer 1:

Based on your question above, you are combining two separate matters here. First, there is the biblical office of an apostle including the signs connected to that office. Second, there is the context of spiritual gifts within the members of the Body of Christ. Let me answer them separately since these are two different topics with their own answers.

Biblical apostleship:

The ‘signs of an apostle’ were the miracles they performed in their office to prove their calling and commission in the foundation of the Church and in the defining of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Act.5:12-13, Act.19:11-12; Rom.15:18-19; 2Cor.12:12; Heb.2:3-4). These miraculous signs were evident in the apostolic age and have ended after the death of the Apostles. The signs were not so much a service to the believers, as spiritual giftings were, but rather, its purpose was to prove the hand of God on that apostle so that his message could be received as approved by the presence and power of God. This was more for the Jews who required signs of proof, 1Cor.1:22, which would validate the message and ministry of the apostle, Act.2:22; Rom.15:19; 1Cor.2:4.

Today, there is no need to validate the office of a minister, or their message, because we have access to the written word of God, and we can prove their message for ourselves by confirming it with the proper study and validation of scripture. In addition, although there are believers who label themselves apostles today, because they have been sent by their church and established churches elsewhere, the biblical office of an apostle no longer exists due to the specific criteria, Act1.21-22, and divine calling, Act.9:15-16, required to fill this office. 

Spiritual gifts in the Body:

No believer in the Body of Christ today operates in the biblical office of apostle and no signs of miracles and wonders are performed today to validate that office according to the above conditions. This however does not disqualify the specific gifts of the Spirit that operate in, and edify, the Body of Christ in this dispensation. Gifts are distributed by the Holy Spirit as He wills, 1Cor.12:11, for the profit of the Body of Christ, 1Cor.12:7. In this grace dispensation, the primary giftings that are active in the Body of Christ are for the instruction and edification of the Body. It is God’s will that we be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, 1Tim.2:4. Our calling is spiritual and based on knowledge, not physical and based on signs and wonders. We are to walk by faith, not by sight, 2Cor.5:7. So, God is less attentive to our physical state and more attentive to our spiritual welfare and our growth in the doctrine given to us through Paul’s pen. 

The gifts that primarily operate in the Body of Christ are in the office of evangelist, pastor, and teacher, including supportive offices like deacons, bishops, elders, helps, mercy, exhortation, and giving, Rom.12:6-8. The biblical apostolic and prophetic offices have ended because we have the full revelation of God’s written word. There is no need to have any utterances of revelation or new word, involving prophecy, tongues, and interpretation of tongues, as we have the completed revelation of God’s will and word available through the Bible. See 1Cor.13:8.

I have no doubt that God can choose to show His power in the gifts of signs and power but this is not the norm. God operated in signs under the Kingdom program for Israel, but this is greatly diminished in the spiritual Body of Christ. Prayers for healing, providence, and protection is certainly answered still today, but this is nowhere near the frequency and dynamics of the 1st century Jewish church and before. Israel was under a covenant of signs and the signs were for proof of God’s covenants and ministers in that day. There is no binding reasons for God to perform miracles today. Any miracles that occur in the Body of Christ today are through God’s discretion and purpose. As mentioned before, His attention is primarily on our spiritual edification and welfare, not our physical needs. No member in the body of Christ can claim to operate in miracles and healings in the effectiveness of the 1st century ministers and on the occasion that something supernatural has occurred, it is by the express purpose of God for that occasion. Even Paul, who operated in this power of God in the beginning of his ministry was not effective in this gifting as the Word of God became more available to the church, leaving Timothy and Trophimus sick during his travels.

Question 2:

And where do you see in 1 Cor 8-10 that it is about the completion of the Bible and that the gifts ended? I strongly disagree with you in this because without this I could not believe in God. If we are Church and we are in the times of grace of the Gentiles there must be manifestation of the spirit in the gifts. 

Answer 2:

The scripture says the following,

1Co 13:8-11  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.  (9)  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  (10)  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.  (11)  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Until the canon of scripture was completed, prophecy, tongues, interpretation, and knowledge, was needed. God had to use these means to provide the church with revelation of His will and plans. But now that the mysteries (that are not found in the prophetic scriptures) have been revealed in Paul’s epistles, there is a full and complete revelation of God’s word to men. Paul says, he can put the childish things aside now because of the full revelation. Up until this full revelation, they prophesied and knew in part, but no longer with the mystery doctrine revealed.

It is interesting to note that Paul calls these things childish. Prophecy, tongues, interpretation, were all labelled as childish things which were for temporary use until the written word of God was complete. Now that we can look into the face of Christ we do not have to see dimly or know in part. There is no need to have prophecy and tongues, nor even sign gifts, to believe in God. We can believe in God because of His written word. Why put your faith I the things that partly revealed God when the completed word of God reveals the full face of Christ and God’s entire will and plan. We do not need to see God in operation with signs if we can look into His word for truth and hope.

Finally, there is no promise of covenant to us as grace believers that guarantees there must be a manifestation of the Spirit in gifts. The gifts of the Spirit are given as He wills, which means it is for God’s purpose, not for ours. Who gets saved by believing in signs and healings? Israel had these miracles in great power and over millennia, yet it did not make them believe in their Messiah. We cannot put our trust in signs today. We walk by faith in the written word of God and our foundation is based on its truth and power.

Question 3:

Logically, how do you think you could win in spiritual battle against the enemy like satanism if it manifested with evil force and you do not have the power to overcome it? Eph.6, where is written about armour of God is it only for protection or also for attack? Many Christians do not dress in the armour and try to fight against enemy but fail. If we don’t have the spirit in us and if he doesn’t manifest through us we are powerless!

Answer 3:

Exactly. As you say, our weapons are spiritual, and our enemy is spiritual. Why would prophecy and healings and signs be needed in a spiritual battle. Our armour is a combination of faith and knowledge, not signs and miracles. We don’t need God manifesting through us in signs. Our power comes through the knowledge of our doctrine and in faith of it and in prayer for each other. Even Jesus spoke, “It is written…” and defeated Satan in His knowledge of the scriptures. The sword is the Word of God, not the power to heal and the power to part the seas and walk on water.

Question 4:

Even in Corinthians are described gifts that we have to and can use! If there is no manifestation of the spirit and gifts, how do I then receive believers around me for Christ? I think based on scripture and acting by it I know and have experience not only physical but also spiritual by visions, dreams, prophecy that must go hand by hand with the scripture.

Answer 4:

The Corinthian letter was written when prophecy and tongues were still in use in the Body because the fullness of the written word was not yet complete. God used prophecy and tongues, etc, to accommodate for revelation and inform of His will by these means. But in the same letter Paul mentions that, when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away, 1Cor.13:10. Thus, when scripture was completed, those things which were in part was ended. You receive believers around you by the fellowship of the Word, by sound doctrine, by the edification of scripture. The scripture needs no help or assistance by combining it with dreams and visions and prophecy. None of these things holds a candle to scripture which is the pure words of revelation of God’s will and plan for us. Anything else that comes to us outside of the written word of God is either by our own imagination or it comes from other spirits if we open ourselves up to opportunities designed by those entities.

I hope I have provided you with some measure of answers from the scriptures. I cannot convince you and I cannot change your mind. You can choose to believe what you want, but I trust that the word of God will be the only authority in these matters and that your views and stance in these things are not subject to your will, but rather subject to the truth of our doctrine in the context of rightly dividing the Word.

Blessings and grace.