19. Apostle This is actually a transliteration of the Greek word APOSTOLOS, meaning, "one sent, a messenger, an agent, an apostle." But its use in the Word of God goes much deeper than its simple definition. "
Doctrine of Apostleship
(1) - The Greek word APOSTOLOS meaning "one sent" actually means much more than that. The word carries with it the significance that the sending implies a commission bound up with the person of the one sent. The word was used in the ancient Greek to express the impartation of full religious and ethical power. This word was used for divine authorization. The emphasis on this word rests on the fact of sending, with emphasis on the one who sends, not on the one who is sent.This word was also used with reference to military commanders sent on an expedition. It could refer to the general of the army or an admiral of the navy. This referred to the one who was sent to command. He was the one in charge. When the mission was over, his authority was taken away.
The one who was sent had no authority to appoint anyone to take his place. Only the one who did the sending had that authority.
This is where our New Testament word "apostle" came from. He was sent by God on a special mission. He had no authority to appoint others to take his place. He had total and complete authority over all churches. He only answered to God, the One who sent him.
(2) - Apostleship was the highest spiritual gift to ever exist in the Church. The apostles were sovereignly chosen by the Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 12:11, "All these (spiritual gifts) are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines."
I Corinthians 12:28, "And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of languages."
Ephesians 4:11, "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers."
There are no apostles of any kind today. The highest and greatest gift given to anyone in the Church Age today by the Holy Spirit is the gift of pastor-teacher.
It should noted here that no apostle ever earned the right to be an apostle. They were apostles simply because the Holy Spirit chose them not because of any human talent or ability.
The spiritual gift of apostleship had the authority over all the churches, while the gift of pastor-teacher has the authority over one church.
(3) - Apostleship was a temporary spiritual gift. It was designed to carry the church until the canon of Scripture was completed. Apostles had the authority of complete and absolute dictatorship in both written and verbal communication of the Word of God. Such an authority did not exist after the completion of the New Testament. Today the absolute dictator in all spiritual matters is the completed Word of God, the Bible.
Today apostolic authority is non-existent. There are no such persons as apostles. According to the Word of God, there is no such person as Pope, there is no such person as Bishop who rules an entire denomination, there is no such person as archbishop. There is no one who has the right to have control over more than one church.
In times of apostasy this may be a little different. For example: one pastor-teacher may have a congregration scattered all over the nation, or even the world. And through the medium of radio, television, audio and video tapes and publications he can communicate to his congregation. Many times because of extreme apostasy there is a shortage of doctrinal pastor-teachers.
(4) - Only the one with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher is authorized to exercise spiritual leadership over a local church. God must give a commission. God the Holy Spirit commissions certain men to be in authority, and He does this on the basis of grace, on the basis of His own judgment. He does not consider any human merit, ability, talent or personality.
When the Holy Spirit gives out the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher, He does not take into consideration a pleasing personality or an offensive personality because it doesn't matter to God. It is the communication of the Word of God that counts, not personality or talent or ability. Zechariah 4:6, "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord....."
(5) - The time of apostolic appointment was not until after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:8 & 11, "....WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, he led a host of captives and gave gifts to men............it was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers."
This was done to distinguish the apostles to the church from the apostles to Israel. Matthew 10:2-10, "These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew: James son of Zebedee, and his brother John: Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector: James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus: Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. GO RATHER TO THE LOST SHEEP OF ISRAEL. As you go, preach this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts. Take no bag for your journey, or extra tunic, or sandels or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep." Therefore, do not confuse the apostles to the church with the apostles to Israel. Some of them were the same men, but after our Lord's resurrection and ascension they received a new and different commission as apostles to the church.
(6) - There was one basic qualification that one had to possess before he could receive the gift of apostleship in the church. He had to have been an eye witness of the resurrected Christ. Acts 1:22, "....these must be a witness with us of his resurrection." This covers the eleven disciples. Paul, the twelfth apostle to the church saw the resurrected Christ on the Damascus Road. Acts 9:1-18. In I Corinthians 9:1 Pauls says, "Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?........." I Corinthians 15:7-8, "...he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also....." This means that Matthias, the one chosen to replace Judas in Acts chapter one was never an apostle, because he was never chosen by God.
The apostles to Israel saw and lived with the incarnate Christ as the chosen Messiah before the cross. But the apostles to the church had to have seen the resurrected Christ.
(7) - Authority of the apostles: The authority of the apostles was established by the possession of spiritual gifts such as: miracles, healing and tongues. These gifts were used to prove their authority. Acts 5:15, ".....people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by." Read Acts 16:16-31. Acts 28:8-9, "His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentary. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. When this had happened the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured."
Once the apostle's authority was established, these gifts were taken away. Paul used to heal people, as in Acts 19:11-12, "God did extradinary miracles through Paul. Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them." But Paul could not heal in Philippians 2:25-30 because his authority was already established. Therefore, the gift of healing was taken away from Paul. All he could do after that was to pray for the sick, but he could not heal them.
(8) - The roster of apostles: this includes the original eleven disciples, Peter, Andrew (Peter's brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James' brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddeus, and Simon (the Canaanite). The twelfth apostle was Paul. He was the replacement for Judas Iscariot. I Corinthians 15:7-10; I Timothy 1:12-16.
(9) - There were others who were not apostles, but who received delegated authority from the apostles, and therefore exercised some apostolic authority. Individuals like Barnabas (Acts 14:14 & Gal 2:9), James (Jesus' half-brother. I Cor 15:7 & Gal 1:9), Apollos (I Cor 4:6 & 9), Sylvanus (I Thess 1:1 & 2:6), and Timothy (II Thess 1:1 & 2:6).
(10) - The apostles were the recipients of direct revelation from God. When the apostle John finished the book of Revelation on the Isle of Patmos in 96 AD, direct revelation from God ended. There will be no more direct revelation from God until the Tribulation period, after the Church is gone.
20 - Walk - In the Bible the word "walk" is generally used to refer to a way of life. There are at least six different types of "walking" mentioned in the Bible. 21 - Spirit - The question is often asked, "What is the difference between the human soul and the human spirit?" The best way to answer that is present the basic doctrines of the "Soul" and the "Spirit." Doctrine of the Human Soul (2) - The essence of the human soul refers to that which the soul is composed of. After we are born and receive human life there are at least five parts which comprise our soul. (4) - The Bible distinguishes between the human soul and the human spirit. The original man, Adam, was trichotomous, meaning "that which is composed of three parts, body, soul and spirit." In Genesis 2:7 it says in the Hebrew , "and God breathed into man the breath of lives." Not "life" (singular), but "lives" (plural). This refers to the human soul and the human spirit. Breath is invisible, but real. Man has two nostrils. Into one nostril, God breathed a soul; into the other nostril He breathed a human spirit. Thus man was originally created as body, soul and spirit. The human spirit is designed for spiritual phenomenon. Before the fall of man Jesus Christ would come into the garden and talk with Adam, and because of his human spirit Adam understood what the Lord taught him. Now when Adam sinned he died spiritually. When he died spiritually he lost his human spirit, and at the same time he picked up a sinful nature. Since that time all human beings born, are born dichotomous, meaning, "consisting of two." Therefore, all human beings are born with only a body and soul, but no human spirit. Adam acquired his sinful nature through negative volition toward God's Word, but everyone else in the human race acquires their sinful nature through physical birth. In other words, we are born physically alive, but spiritually dead. Many times the Bible distinguishes between the believer and the unbeliever by saying that the believer possesses a human spirit, and unbeliever does not possess a human spirit. In Jude 19 for example, the unbeliever, not having a spirit, is called "natural" or "sensual." In I Corinthians 2:14 it says that "the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God." The believer is said to have a body, soul and human spirit in I Thessalonians 5:23, ".......and I pray God your whole SPIRIT and SOUL and BODY be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (5) - Only the soul not the body was made in the image of God, (Gen 1:26-27; 2:7). These verses tell us that man was made in the image of God. It is the invisible part of man that is in the image of God. God does not have a body. Human beings were given a physical body to house the human soul. (6) - Only the soul, not the body is saved at the point of salvation, regeneration or faith in Jesus Christ. (Psalm 19:7, 34:22, Mark 8:36-37, Hebrews 10:39, I Peter 1:9). (7) - The soul must be saved because of the presence of spiritual death in the soul. (8) - Since the soul contains knowledge (Prov 19:2), it is subject to Satanic attack (Matt 10:28; Eph 4:17-19). When a believer goes negative toward the Word of God scar tissue (hardness of heart) develops on the lungs of the soul which makes spiritual breathing very difficult. When scart tissue (hardness of heart) develops, it opens up a vacuum in the soul, and this vacuum sucks in human and Satanic viewpoint. (9) - The soul is the battle ground for phase II (the Christian life). (Psalm 140:3). (10) - The soul is the area of the worst type of sinning. In fact, there at least two categories of sins involved in the soul: (B) - Sins of the tongue, which manifest the mental attutude sins in an overt manner. (Job 21:25; Zechariah 11:8). (11) - Because of scar tissue (hardness of heart) accumulating, the soul bcomes the seat of misery (Psalm 6:3; 106:15; 119:25, 28 & 81). In other words, true misery is found inside of the soul. (12) - The soul is the area for capacity for life. It is also an area for great happiness (I Sam 18:1; I Pet 1:22). Since the soul is the area for capacity for life, that is why certain things are forbidden in the Bible. Drugs and alcohol can destroy the function and development of the soul chemically. Therefore, things like drugs and alcohol can destroy the capacity for life. Satanic policies, principles, concepts and doctrines can also destroy the development and function of the soul, and in turn destroy the capacity for life. The Bible teaches in Matt 10:28 to "fear not them who can destroy the body, but fear them who can destroy the soul." Who should we fear and who and what should we oppose? Religionism, communism, legalism, universalism, liberalism (political and religious), environmentalism, progressivism, appeasement, etc., etc. These things and more like them can and do destroy the normal function of the souls of individuals, and in so doing they destroy the capacity for life. But a soul that is saturated with the Word of God has protection from all that is evil and corrupt and has the potential for great happiness and great capacity for life. (1) - The human spirit is distinguished from the human soul in I Thess 5:23, ".....and I pray God your whole SPIRITand SOUL and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." In other words, the spirit and the soul are not the same. (2) - In the original creation of mankind the human spirit was received at the same time as the human soul (Gen 2:7). But when Adam sinned his human spirit died, and was replaced by the sinful nature. So today all human beings are born physically alive, yet spiritually dead. This is the legacy of the original sin of Adam in the Garden of Eden. (3) The impartation of the human spirit at the point of salvation is one of the seven ministries of the Holy Spirit. This is known as "regeneration." All unbelievers, referring to all human beings who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ, do not have human spirits ( I Cor 2:14; Jude 19). In these passages the unbeliever is called PSUCHIKOS, meaning, "soulish or natural." All unbelievers are dichotomous, meaning that they have bodies and souls but no human spirits. While the believer in Jesus Christ is said to be trichotomous, meaning that he has a body, a soul, and a human spirit. At the point of salvation, i.e., faith in Jesus Christ the human spirit is given to the one believing as a part of the salvation package so he can understand spiritual phenomenon. (5) - Since the unbeliever does not possess a human spirit, God the Holy Spirit must act as a human spirit at the presentation of the gospel message (John 16:8-11); Gen 6:3; I Cor 2:14-16). Therefore you can see the importance of relying on the Holy Spirit in soul winning. It can't be accomplished without Him. (6) - The believer in Jesus Christ is trichotomous, possessing a body, soul and human spirit (I Thess 5:23). At the point of salvation both the Holy Spirit and the human spirit are received by the believer. This means that a low human IQ (intelligence quotient) in an individual is not a handicap in learning spiritual truth. This is a part of the divine operating assets under the concept of grace. The grace system for learning sets aside all human ability by replacing it with the Holy Spirit and a human spirit (Rom 8:16; I Cor 2:10 & 13). (7) - The human spirit is both a target and storage area for doctrines, principles and concepts from the Word of God. The Greek word EPIGNOSIS, translated "knowledge" in most Bibles actually means "full knowledge." This refers to something that has been fully accepted and has been stored in the human spirit which in turn affects the human soul. (8) - The spiritual IQ of the believer is determined by the amount of Biblical information that is stored in the human spirit (Job 32:8; Rom 8:16). (9) - True spiritual learning is only accomplished when the believer is filled (controlled by) with the Holy Spirit (I Cor 2:13; I John 2:27). (10) - The Word of God which is learned resides in the human spirit and is the basis of spiritual IQ, as per Eph 3:16-19. The human spirit then becomes the area of refreshment in contrast to the soul, which is the area of happiness or unhappiness. II Cor 7:13, "By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been REFRESHED by all of you." (11) - Bible doctrine stored in the human spirit is the basis for grace orientation. Philemon 25, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit." (22) - Praying in the Holy Spirit - This phrase actually refers to "praying by means of the filling or controlling ministry of the Holy Spirit." That is one of the requirements our Lord emphasizes for us in the Church Age in order to have effective prayer." Nine Reasons Why Prayer is not Answered. (2) - Prayer is not answered because of mental attitude sins: Psalm 66:18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." (3) - Prayer is not answered because of selfishness: James 4:2-3, "You want something but you don't get it. you kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your own pleasures." (4) - Prayer is not answered because of the lack of grace orientation, or the lack of compassion: Proverbs 21:13, "If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered." (5) - Prayer is not answered because of the lack of domestic tranquility: I Pet 3:7, "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers." This refers to the home, and the problems between a husband and wife that are not being resolved. (6) - Prayer is not answered because of self-righteousness and pride: Job 35:12-13, "He does not answer when men cry out because of the arrogance of the wicked. Indeed, God does not listen to their empty pleas; the Almighty pays no attention to it." (7) - Prayer is not answered because of a lack of obedience to the Word of God: I John 3:22, "......we receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him." "...study to show yourselve approved to God." And II Pet 3:18 says, "...but grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ......" (8) - Prayer is not answered because of failure to comply with the will of God: I John 5:14, "This is the assurance we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." (9) - Prayer is not answered because of the failure to be filled with the Holy Spirit at the point of prayer: Eph 6:18, "....pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests....." Also our passage in Jude 20. THE END <><>Topical Index (alphabetical list of categorical doctrines), and selected Scriptures: <><>
(1) - "Walk in the Spirit." (Galatians 5:16). This refers "living your life in the Spirit."
(2) - "Walk by faith, not by sight." (II Corinthians 5:7). This refers to "living your life by faith, not by sight."
(3) - "Walk in love." (Ephesians 5:2). This refers to "living your life in love," referring to virtue-love, the love that is produced by God the Holy Spirit as He controls you.
(4) - "Walk in wisdom." (Colossians 4:5). Wisdom refers to the application of the Word of God to the circumstances in your life. Therefore, "living your life in wisdom" refers to a constant application of Bible doctrine as you live your life.
(5) - "Walk in the light." (I John 1:7). The light refers to the doctrines from the Word of God. Therefore, we are to "live our lives in the light of the doctrines from the Word of God."
(6) - "Walk worthy of the vocation." The vocation refers to the area of the spiritual gift we were given at the point of salvation. Therefore we are to "live our lives worthy of the spiritual gift we received." (1) - In every human being the real person, the real you is located in the soul. (Gen 2:7; in the Hebrew). The physical body that the human possesses is only a temporary dwelling place for the human soul (II Cor 5:1-4). Everyone can see the body, but no one can see the soul that dwells inside the body. The soul is located in the cranium, or the skull, of everyone. It is invisible but real, and it is actually the essence of the individual.
(A) - Self-consciousness: this means that we are aware of our own existence.
(3) - The soul breathes and this is analagous to our physical body breathing. Therefore, the soul has something similar to lungs as the physical body. All normal souls must breath. But soul breathing refers to learning and growing in knowledge and various types of information. The type of things the soul takes in determines the status of the soul, i.e. sensitive or insensitive, possessing weak or strong norms and standards or no standards at all, etc., etc.
(B) - Mentality: this includes the mind and the heart of the soul. (Luke 12:19 & Acts 15:24). Your ability to think increases in direct proportion to the increase of your vocabulary. In the mentality of the soul there are at least four areas: (a) - Frame of reference: this refers to the categorical library that is located in the mentality of the soul.
(b) - Vocabulary: this refers to the meaning of words, concepts and ideas.
(c) - Norms and standards: this refers to our conscience. Our conscience is simply the accumulation of all the standards and policies and ideas that we have learned throughout our life.
(d) - Viewpoint: this refers to the sum total of the knowledge in our frame of reference plus our norms and standards. In other words, knowledge plus conscience equals a viewpoint in life.
(C) - Volition: this refers to our free will. Volition includes the positive and the negative. Volition is the one thing we have in common with the angels. This is the area where decisions are made in our lives (Acts 3:23).
(D) - Emotion: this is basically an empty vessel designed to respond and is designed to respond to what is in the mentality of the soul. The emotion has no capabilities of thought and only responds. When the emotions run the soul there is confusion in the soul and that individual is moving into degeneracy and apostasy.
(E) - Conscience: the conscience is where the norms and standards is located (Acts 24:16; Rom 2:15; Rom 9:1-2). (A) - Mental attitude sins such as pride, jealousy, bitterness, vindictiveness, hatred, etc., etc.
Doctrine of the Human Spirit
(1) - Prayer is not answered because of a lack of faith: Matt 21:22, "If you believe, (have faith) you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Rom 10:17, "Faith comes by the means of listening, listening to the Word of God being taught."
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