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.

People today DO receive the Holy Spirit just as it was in the day of Pentecost.

People today DO receive the Holy Spirit just as it was in the day of Pentecost.

COMMENT:

People today DO receive the Holy Spirit just as it was in the day of Pentecost. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. People Do get baptized by the Spirit and fire today, speaking in tongues and receiving spiritual gifts. This promise was then, and this promise is still active today until the day of the coming of our Lord. If you have not received the baptism of Holy Spirit, then seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened to you!

ANSWER:

For about 30-years of my faith walk, I was in the Pentecostal and Charismatic denominational circles. I claimed to be 'baptized in the Spirit' and I participated in many intercessory prayer meetings, functioning in 'tongues', 'prophecy' and teaching. After I moved out from those denominational circles, through circumstances, I committed to really study the Word, looking first at prophecy and the gospels. When I continued into Paul’s epistles, I started to see a VERY different pattern. Paul said some really strange, but interesting things, like,

DM#3: Established by a Spiritual Gift

Doctrine of the Mysteries #3

Rom 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;

Established by a Spiritual Gift

The ‘spiritual gift’ that Paul was to impart upon the church at Rome was not the kind of miraculous powers that operated in the early church under the apostleship of the 12. Miracles had a specific purpose in the Jewish church at that time. Like the miracles that Jesus did, God’s power through the 12-apostles was to confirm to Jews that they operated under the ministry and blessing of God. Remember, Jews required signs for this very purpose, Joh 4:48; 1Cor 1:22.

My understanding of the gift of tongues based on what the bible says about it.

My understanding of the gift of tongues based on what the bible says about it.

Tongues is a very contentious issue in the modern church today. Some reject it, others defend it, and most simply do not understand this gift and its purpose. I am certainly not a scholar in this regard, but having studied the scriptural references of this topic, and with my understanding of dispensational truth, considering the transitional changes that occur between dispensations, the following is my unbiased and plain interpretation of the scriptural references, letting scripture dictate my understanding, instead of trying to twist it to fit a current denominational narrative.

What the Bible says about Prophecy and Tongues according to 1Cor.13 and 14

What the Bible says about Prophecy and Tongues according to 1Cor.13 and 14

In 1 Cor.13, Paul says the following,

1Co 13:8-10 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.

With this in mind, questions can arise from reading 1 Cor.14 where Paul encourages the desire and practice of spiritual gifts. In addition to this, what exactly is tongues? Is it the ability to supernaturally speak in foreign human languages that one has not learned, or is it an unintelligible language that is practiced in many church denominations today? Let’s see what the Bible has to say about all this.

Question #1