Biblically Speaking: What's a NT Prophet?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13)

There are volumes of books written on the subject of prophets and prophecy, and there is far too much information to do the topic justice in this space. Rather, this will serve mainly as an overview, and will look specifically at the issue of prophecy in the New Testament church.

This, like apostleship, remains one of the more controversial topics in New Testament Christianity. Many believe that the gift is no longer for today, while others believe that it is one of the most important gifts that the Church could possibly have.

Just as with the title of “apostle”, much confusion occurs over the title of “prophet”. When a “prophet” gets a prediction wrong, it degrades the role within the church. It seems wise to avoid the seeking of such a title. Choosing a path of humility is a better way of avoiding controversy and becoming a stumbling block for others. One can function in a gifting, and be a blessing to others, without demanding or requiring a title to go with it. 

If we believe that the Bible is the full revelation of what we need to know about God and His Kingdom, (and we do believe this!), then we must also conclude that it has the answers we are looking for.

So, to begin: What is New Testament prophecy?

It is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, whereby He speaks a message to a person that is to be communicated to the Church or to an individual (1Co 12:10; 1Co 14). We see it in action throughout the Gospels and the book of Acts, and instructions are given for its role and function in 1Corinthians. A simple definition for the prophetic gift might be, “Communicating the heart and the will of the Father, as revealed by the Holy Spirit.”

As in all things, Jesus is our key example. He referred to Himself as a Prophet (Mt 13:57), and was acknowledged as such by the people who witnessed Him (Mt 14:5; 21:11; Lk 7:16; 24:20; Jn 4:19; 6:14; 9:17).

Jesus walked with a constant connection to the Father, telling His disciples, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (Jn 5:19). Likewise, when describing the coming Holy Spirit, who would be poured out on the earth after Jesus’ departure, Jesus said that “He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears,” (Jn 16:13) – ie, what He hears from the Father and Son. So when Jesus walked the earth, He communicated what the Father was doing and saying to the people; after Jesus left, the Spirit would come and continue the same ministry, communicating to the people what the Father is saying.

Another key question regarding the prophetic: Is the gift of prophecy for today, or was it only for the early church?

Those who would say that the gift is no longer functioning (also known as “cessassionists”) often point to 1Corinthians 13:8-10: “But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.”

Cessassionists believe that this Scripture passage makes it clear: prophecies will “cease”. They hold that the “perfection” of the last verse refers to the perfect revelation of Scripture, and that since the canon of perfect Scripture has been completed, that there is no room or need for any more revelation to come through prophecy.

The problem with this view is found in the context of this particular passage in 1Corinthians. For one thing, it mentions that prophecy, tongues, and knowledge will all end when “perfection” comes. Regardless of how one feels about the gifts of prophecy and tongues, we would all have to agree that the principle of knowledge still exists, and in fact we are encouraged to grow in knowledge by Scripture (Ph 1:9; Col 1:9-10; 2:3; 3:10; 1Ti 2:4; 2Pe 1:5). Since knowledge did not pass away with the completion of canonical Scripture, it stands to reason that the “perfection” has not yet come, and that therefore the other two gifts mentioned have not passed away either.

Also, it is worth looking at the next verse in that same passage of 1Corinthians: “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1Co 13:12). So, the most obvious reading of this verse would indicate that “face to face” is referring to literally standing before Jesus, face to face, and that to “know fully” is a reference to knowing Jesus in His Presence, and not just “in part” while here on earth. When we stand before the throne, there will be no need for prophecy, tongues, growing in knowledge, or any other spiritual gifts, because we will be face to face with our Saviour and will know Him freely. The spiritual gifts are given to help us to see Him and experience Him while we wait for Him here on earth; once we are in heaven, however, we will then be “face to face” (v.12) and see His “perfection” (v.10) and all of the “imperfect” tools on earth that point to Him will cease, as they will no longer be needed at all.

Besides this Scriptural argument, there is also a common-sense argument as well. If we serve the “Living” God (2Co 6:16; 1Th 1:9; Heb 9:14), and if He is a Father who loves us (2Th 2:16; 1Jn 3:1), then why would He stop speaking to us, giving us guidance and direction and a revelation of His specific will for us? And if Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come and speak to us (Jn 16:13), and if we believe that the Holy Spirit is still here on earth, then why would the Holy Spirit stop speaking to us? If would seem to be an awful waste of His time and abilities, not to mention unscriptural, if the Spirit of God dwelled inside of us and never communicated anything at all!

Another key issue to discuss is the matter of the difference, if any, between Old Testament prophecy and New Testament prophecy.

This is a tricky problem, with many holding that the gift must be the same throughout Scripture, while others believe that there was a shift at the cross that changed how it functioned.

Many have maligned prophecy in the New Testament era by pointing to the unfulfilled prophecies of modern-day ministers, and then quoting Deuteronomy 18:20-22:

“But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.” You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.”

This is the Law, and it was faithfully obeyed at the time. If one reads the book of Jeremiah, we see him fighting with false prophets throughout. It was a very real problem in the OT, and carried a very heavy penalty (death). This was for a very important reason, one which is crucial to understand.

The reason is this: the Holy Spirit had not been poured out on everyone yet. This would not happen until Acts chapter 2, in fulfillment of Joel 2. Today, every believer has the Holy Spirit living inside them (Rom 8:11; 2Ti 1:14), but this was not the case in the OT. The Spirit would come upon specific people for a specific purpose, so that they could prophesy or fulfill some other God-appointed task (Jg 3:10; 6:34; 1Sam 16:13; 2Ch 20:14; Eze 11:5), but He did not come upon everyone.

Because only some had access to the Holy Spirit, it was very important they be listened to, and that their words be accurate. If people simply presumed to speak for the LORD, they could do much damage, since individuals did not have access to the Spirit so that they could discern things for themselves. OT Prophets needed to be trustworthy, and so God laid down a very strict standard for them.

This is not, however, the way that God wanted things to stay! And this is why the prophet Joel spoke of a new day, when God would pour out His Spirit on ALL people (Joel 2:28), which Peter proclaimed had begun in Acts 2, as the fullness of the New Covenant came into effect.

Jeremiah foretold what this New Covenant would look like, saying:

“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jer 31:33-34)

We have to always remember that the cross changed everything. It changed the way that every single one of us could relate to God. In the past, all of humanity was at a distance from Him because of our sin. In the OT, priests and prophets stood between us and God, with priests speaking to Him and interceding for us, and with prophets speaking to us for Him (and interceding as well). Because of this, the rules placed upon priests were rigorous (see Leviticus), and the standard for prophets was unbelievably high, because the entire nation was at the mercy of these ministers, as the nation depended fully on these offices for their spiritual well-being.

This is completely different now! Now, we are each filled with the Spirit, and each can connect with God on our own, and so while we do still need the help of others to grow together, we are no longer fully dependant on others to interact with God on our behalf. The priestly role was dramatically and forever changed after the cross. Does it not stand to reason that the prophetic role might have shifted as well?

In the NT, Scripture tells us that within the church, “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.” (1Co 14:29) If the prophetic gift is supposed to be infallible in the NT, as it was in the OT, then why does Scripture tell us to weigh what the prophets say? Shouldn’t their words be automatically accepted, if their revelations were perfect all the time, as in the OT? 1Th 5:20-21 repeats the sentiment, saying that we should “not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” Again, why would it be important to test prophetic words, and hold onto the good, putting aside the wrong, if all of it is supposed to be 100% accurate, all the time?

Some have suggested that these passages refer to false prophets who had infiltrated the church, but they are not called false prophets in these verses, and the Bible has no problem referring to the false as “false” elsewhere in the NT. The clearest understanding of these verses, in light of the New Covenant, is that prophetic voices will speak, they might not be 100% accurate, and because of that, it is up to each individual believer to make up their own mind concerning the words spoken.

In the OT, the words of a prophet were to be considered words from God Himself. The very fact that we are commanded to weigh things on this side of the cross means that the role of “prophet” in the NT does not match the power or authority of the OT prophets, where a moment’s hesitation to obeying a prophet’s words could lead to dire consequences (1Ki 20:36; 2Ki 13:19-19)

In the Old Testament, the burden was on the prophet to establish that he was from God by his words being fulfilled. In the New Testament, the burden is upon each individual believer to decide whether a prophet’s words are from God or not. And the fact that we are told to weigh a prophet’s words must mean that there is the possibility of error, even from a prophet’s mouth.

Even just in practical thinking, the idea of a 100% accurate prophetic gifting is hard to grasp. Every Christian prays for direction, wisdom, and understanding from God. And every Christian has made a mistake or two along the way, mishearing or misunderstanding the will of God. Pastors and teachers and evangelists make mistakes in their walk with God. Even the original apostles made errors in the Gospels and in Acts. Must the prophetic gift alone be considered infallible, especially in the era of grace? Based on all of the evidence, it seems reasonable to conclude that, as the cross changed every other manner in which we interact with God, so too the prophetic gift has undergone a change, as we all now have the ability to hear from God ourselves by His Spirit. The prophetic gifting is given to the Church so that those who are sensitive to the Spirit can communicate His will. We are not, however, dependant on the gift as they were in the OT, since all of us can hear from the Lord ourselves.

Let’s move on, and look deeper at the gift itself within the New Testament. There are not a large number of actual descriptions of the gift of prophesy in the NT, but the ones that we do have are very telling indeed.

First, just as in the Old Testament, NT prophecy can be predictive. The Holy Spirit knows what the Father is doing, and at times will communicate to God’s people concerning events before they happen. Jesus said specifically that one of the Spirit’s roles would be to “tell you what is yet to come,” (Jn 16:13). We see this practically in Agabus, who is given the title of prophet in the book of Acts, and who by the Holy Spirit predicted a famine in the Roman world (Ac 11:28), as well as Paul’s imprisonment by the Romans (Ac 21:11). Peter accurately discerned Ananais and Sapphira’s sin (Ac 5:1-11), as well as heard from the Holy Spirit that Cornelius’ men were coming to look for him and that he was to go with them (Ac 10:19). Paul was shown by the Spirit that suffering awaited him in the various places that he visited (Ac 20:23). So we see that one of the functions of this spiritual gift is to give insight to God’s people on events before they happen so that the Church may be prepared.

Much focus is put on this aspect of the prophetic gift, but it is by no means the ONLY way that the gift can function.

Prophecy is also given for “strengthening, encouragement and comfort” (1Co 14:3). 1Corinthians makes it clear that the primary function of NT prophesy is to edify the church (14:4). Nowhere in the New Testament does it speak of using prophecy in judgment or in the tearing down of others. That is something that occurred in the OT, but the NT focus of the gift seems to be more for the building up of the church. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the “Paraclete” (Jn 15:26), which can be translated as “Counselor, Helper, Comforter”. It therefore stands to reason that, if the role of the Holy Spirit in the church is to be a Helper and Comforter, that He would more focused on building up and encouraging His people.

This is not to say that prophecy cannot include warning, as that too is a biblical idea. But many prophetic voices have looked at the OT prophets, and somehow missed 1Co 14:3-4, and have functioned in an attitude of judgement, criticism, and negativity. NT prophecy is primarily given to help the church.

As well, prophecy can show God’s power to unbelievers. Scripture says “if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” (1Co 14:24-25) The Holy Spirit is not only concerned with building the church, as we know that God is desiring that all people should come to salvation (2Pe 3:9). The Spirit of God can move through a prophetic person with supernatural knowledge and insight that can cut to the heart of an unsaved person, showing them that there is a God in heaven and convicting them of their sins, drawing them to Christ.

Prophecy can be used to release spiritual giftings. Paul acknowledges that this is what happened with Timothy, telling him “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.” (1Ti 4:14) This is not the only way the spiritual gifts are released, but the Holy Spirit can show someone what He is doing in another believer’s life, and use that person to pray and proclaim it into being.

Finally, it is worth noting that Paul referred to prophecy as the spiritual gift that should be the most desired (1Co 14:1), because it is a gift that greatly blesses other people. He tells the Church that we should “be eager to prophesy” (14:39). It is a gift whereby the Holy Spirit speaks to His Church, encouraging and building it up, and because of that, it is a gift that we desperately need. He has already spoken clearly through His written Word, and prophecy must always be consistent with Scripture, but He has words that are meant to encourage us where we are at and help us grow in our understanding of Jesus. If Jesus promised that the Spirit would speak, then, as Paul commanded, we should eagerly seek the gift so that we can know what He is saying to the Church. The prophetic gift is key to understanding the will and purpose of Heaven, and it will keep us on track, so that we can fully walk in the call of God for our lives.

Biblically Speaking: What's an Apostle?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13)

One does not need to go far to find the term “apostle” thrown around within the Church. A quick Google search reveals a wide range of ideas on the subject, from those who would personally claim the title, to those who believe that the role has passed away, to those who are unsure of what the word even means.

Most of us understand what the role of the apostles was in the early church, and we see throughout the New Testament what the original apostles did.

Where it gets a little tougher is in figuring out what that role looks like for today.

There are many who believe that there are no apostles anymore. They hold that the role was only intended to lay down the foundation for the early church, and thus is no longer required.

However, particularly in the context of the passage above from Ephesians 4, it would seem that the most logical interpretation is that the role is for today. Even for those who dispute the existence of apostles and prophets, we absolutely have evangelists, pastors, and teachers today, all to build up the church and prepare God’s people. If we, as the Church, still need to be prepared and built up, then why would apostles no longer exist? Given that there is no indication in the NT that this function would end, it is reasonable to conclude that the role is still meant to function in the church right now. We will see why this is so important shortly.

The term “apostle” is certainly one that has been abused, and many have claimed it for themselves as a title of honour and prestige, using to claim higher authority within the church. Since, in the Bible, the apostles were the overseers of the entire church, some have used the word to place themselves above submission or accountability. And Scripture clearly warns us about those who would “masquerade as apostles of Christ.” (2Co 11:13)

Because of this, many have avoided the word and role altogether, wishing to distance themselves from the abuse of power. Then, there are also many ministers running around out there calling themselves “Apostle Jones” or whatever their name might be, and it is a word that gets tossed around a lot in charismatic circles. So, given all of this, it is important to delve into what the role of an “apostle” really means, how an apostle is defined biblically, and what the office actually looks like.

The word “apostle” comes from the Greek “apostolos”, which means “sent one, messenger, ambassador.” Jesus is called an apostle (Heb 3:1), an acknowledgement of His role as the One sent from the Father to perform His will. And of course, the title was given to the twelve disciples who had walked intimately with Jesus (with new apostle Matthias replacing the deceased Judas – Acts 1:26).

However, there are several others who were added to the list of apostles in the NT. Most notable, of course, was Paul, who was not one of the original Twelve but who was called by Jesus to be an apostle (Rom 1:1). His partner in ministry, Barnabas, is also called an apostle in Scripture (Acts 14:14). At the end of his letter to the Romans, Paul acknowledges a married couple, Andronicus and Junias, who he declares “are outstanding among the apostles,” (Rom 16:7). This is particularly interesting, as Scripture appears to show that there was at least one female apostle in Junias (but that is a whole other topic!)

As well, some commentators believe that Silas and Timothy can be classified as biblical apostles, due both to the roles that they filled in the NT church, as well as Paul’s inclusion of them as possible co-authors of 1Thessalonians (1Th 1:1), since only apostles claimed authority to write to the churches and instruct them. This, however, is conjecture, as they are not expressly called “apostles” in Scripture. Likewise, some feel that Apollos’ inclusion in 1Co 4 implies that he, too, was apostolic in the early church. Again, this is certainly a possibility, but not clearly stated.

So, the role is obviously bigger than just Jesus and the Twelve. The original apostles had a unique role, in that they were laying down a one-time foundation for a brand-new belief system. Since the canon of Scripture is closed, it is safe to assume that this part of the apostolic role was a one-time event, where those who had seen Jesus face-to-face established a new Scripture and a new doctrine based on what Jesus had taught them personally, and what was revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. To that end, no modern-day apostle should claim a level of revelation or authority equal to the original apostles who wrote the inspired Scripture.

But, again, if we are not cessassionists, and if we believe that the spiritual gifts of Scripture are for us today, then we need to accept all of them and not just pick and choose the ones that we are comfortable with. We must wrestle through the text of God’s Word and discover the answers we are looking for.

So let us look specifically at what the role of apostle entails. What makes someone an apostle, from a biblical standpoint?

First of all, and most importantly, apostles are called by God. At the beginning of most of his letters, Paul acknowledged that he was an apostle because God had willed it (Rom 1:1; 1&2Co 1:1; Gal 1:1; Eph 1:1; Col 1:1; 1&2Ti 1:1). It is a divine calling, and not a title that can be created or given by man, either given by others or by someone claiming it for themselves. It is an office created by God, and should be acknowledged by the Body only when evidence is given of the other Scriptural characteristics listed below.

Apostles are overseers of the church. While pastors and elders and deacons oversee the local church, apostles have authority that moves beyond just one church. They minister to the Body as a whole. We obviously see this through most of the epistles of the NT, where apostles wrote to local churches to teach, correct, and encourage them, with an acknowledged and respected authority. This is also evidenced in Scripture by passages such as Acts 15, where the apostles gathered in Jerusalem to discuss the doctrinal issue of whether circumcision should be required of believers (a big deal for Jewish Christians!). After arriving at a consensus, the apostles’ decision became the official policy for all of the churches.

It is interesting, however, that at the Council at Jerusalem, after the apostles had weighed in, it was local Jerusalem pastor James who stood up and had the final word (15:13-21). So we see that, while the apostles were honoured as overseers of the church, they also worked in partnership with local pastors, in an attitude of mutual submission and respect. Apostles were not lording it over local leaders, but serving and helping them as they all grew together in their understanding of the Lord.

Partnering with the “overseeing” portion of the apostolic function, apostles are also mentors. They are spiritual fathers and mothers. They do not need to do everything themselves, but seek to raise up others in their own giftings and purpose. This is clearly demonstrated in Paul’s letters to Timothy, where he instructed and advised the younger man in his Christ-centred destiny. Paul and Barnabas planted many churches, but then they mentored and released leaders within them before moving on (Acts 14:23). Paul also wrote to the Corinthians, saying “in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.” (1Co 4:15). The original apostles moved from church to church, training up leaders and releasing them, keeping in touch through the epistles and continuing in their care through the letters of instruction.

Apostles are foundation-layers and builders of the church (Eph 2:20; 1Co 3:10; 2Co 13:10). Building upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, apostles seek to see the church grow, numerically and especially spiritually. As already mentioned, none today will be functioning in quite the same manner of the original apostles, but apostles still serve the Body by pioneering new directions and breaking new ground. Scripturally, this often showed up as church-planting, which Paul and Barnabas did throughout Acts. Apostles establish new things, forge into new territory, build up churches and ministries, and give their lives to these tasks.

Apostles walk in the revelation of the Spirit (Eph3:5). All revelation must obviously be consistent with written Scripture, but apostles walk with God in such a way that they hear clearly what the Spirit is saying to the church. The authors of the epistles were remarkably gifted at bringing fresh revelation from established Old Testament Scripture, which was the only Scripture at the time. The written Word came alive through them, bringing new ideas and fresh understanding, as God gave them insight into what His Word meant for the church. As well, there was much that was revealed to them directly from the Holy Spirit, as He spoke His truths to the Church through them. Apostles have new ideas and fresh revelation, all of which will be in line with written Scripture.

Apostles show evidence of the other aspects of the five-fold ministry. This is not expressly stated in Scripture, but there is strong evidence for it nonetheless. It makes sense, really; if apostles are to serve as overseers of the church at large, then it makes sense that they should have some understanding of these other key roles within the church so that they can build them up.

Certainly we can see that the apostles of whom we have the most information were prophetic; Paul, Peter, and John all wrote letters containing predictive revelation concerning the end-times (1Th 4-5; 2Th 2; 2Pe 3; Rev), and throughout Acts gave evidence of clearly hearing and acting on instructions from the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-9; 10:9-20; 13:2-4; 16:6-10; 20:23).

As well, the apostles acted as evangelists. They were firmly committed to preaching the Gospel. Scripture says that “With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:33) Whatever other aspects an apostle’s ministry may have, a biblical apostle will have a heart for souls and for preaching the Good News.

Continuing the five-fold theme, apostles have a pastoral heart. They do not serve a local congregation, but really act as shepherds nonetheless, overseeing and helping many places, and pastoring local church leaders. Paul spoke with compassion to the Thessalonians, saying “As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.” (1Th 2:7). We see throughout all the apostolic epistles a very real concern for the people of God, a love for them, and a strong desire to see them grow in their relationship with God. This is a shepherd’s heart.

Rounding out the five-fold ministries, apostles are teachers. This is obvious and really needs no unpacking, as it marked the early church (Acts 2:42), was a major part of the apostles’ ministry (4:2; 5:42; 18:11), and much of the evidence of this is preserved for us through the epistles. Apostles are communicators and expositors of God’s Word, and use it for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2Ti 3:16).

Moving on, the ministry of an apostle is proven by signs and wonders (Acts 5:12). Scripture specifically calls these, “the things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles,” (2Co 12:12). This is likely one area where the term “apostle” gets misused and misunderstood, where someone claims the title because of the fact that God works miracles through their ministry. This alone is not the only thing that marks an apostle. It appears, however, to be a biblical requirement for apostleship.

Finally, and one of the most important things to note, is that the life of an apostle will be marked by suffering. This was certainly true of the greatest apostle, Jesus. And church history tells us that all of the original apostles were terribly persecuted and martyred except John, who was terribly persecuted but managed to avoid martyrdom. In a passage of Scripture that the NIV subtitles as, “Apostles of Christ”, Paul wrote:

“For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.” (1Co 4:9-13)

Knowing this information might change the desire to seek this title! Apostles pay a price for the authority and revelation that they are given. The term is not one to be bestowed on someone just because they teach well or lead well or because God performs miracles through them. To walk the path of an apostle is to walk a very difficult life and ministry.

Biblically, the seat of an apostle was not a place of “honour” in the traditional sense. They were certainly honoured at times within the Church, but they lived lives of unbelievable hardship, heartache, and brokenness (2Co 11:23-29). They were often outcasts and were mocked, even within Christian circles (2Co 10:1). Paul had to fiercely defend his ministry, even to a church that he had personally founded (2Co 11). And he teaches us an important principle through his “thorn in the flesh”: when there is great revelation and great authority and great gifting, God WILL send trials to keep his leaders humble (2Co 12:7-9). Paul embraced these things, saying, “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (v.9)

Some have claimed the title of “apostle” who have not paid the price of suffering for it. Some have taken it as a title of honour, given by man. Some are claiming it who may have a few of the above-mentioned attributes, but not the rest. And then there are some servants of the Lord who are actually properly walking in the biblical authority of an apostle, fulfilling their roles with power, with revelation, and with grace.

We need apostles in the Church today, as they will be the ones to build the Body up and take us to new places. By understanding what a scriptural apostle looks like, hopefully we can begin to encourage and recognize those who walk in this gifting, and then all of us can receive the blessing that comes when God uses apostles properly to guide and grow His Church.

 

The Crusader Culture

During the Crusades, various European Christian armies marched across the continent to battle against the Muslims. Along the way, they encountered many Jewish and Muslim communities. Wanting everyone to come to Jesus, the Christian soldiers gave everyone they met the opportunity to convert to Christianity. Beautiful, noble, and even an absolutely Scriptural idea; Jesus Himself had said that God loved the world so much that He had sent His Son for everyone in it. He too wants people to come to know Jesus. So the basic idea wasn’t crazy at all. Not even a little bit.

It was a simple process, really. When the Christians came upon a non-Christian city, they demanded surrender; if none was given, they would attack.  Upon conquering the city, Christian soldiers would take the survivors who hadn’t been killed in battle and give them a simple choice: Convert to Christianity…or die on the spot. Many devout Jews and Muslims chose death. For those who did choose to convert, it’s probably safe to say that it likely didn’t feel like a warm-fuzzy altar-call moment. It wasn’t so much about the conviction of sin or the power of the Gospel or the love of the Saviour or the softening of the heart by the Holy Spirit…it was probably a little more about the blade being held to their throat. 

Thankfully, we have moved past the days of “convert or else.” No longer does the Church maintain that “us verses them” mentality, where the noble Christians stand against a wicked pagan world, tirelessly defending the Gospel against the advances of demonic men. We no longer attempt to force people into our camp, requiring them to obey our Scriptures, even if they don’t mean it. We don’t make threats or push agendas upon an unbelieving world. We have come a long way, baby!

And everyone in agreement said, “Amen.”

Except, hold on, wait a minute, there’s something about that last part that doesn’t sound quite right…

Because while we have certainly abandoned the violent and deadly tactics of the Crusaders, there is still something that sounds alarmingly familiar when we look at how the followers of Jesus sometimes connect with the world around us today…

A knife to the throat of a pagan has been replaced by threats of economic boycotts against national retailers who say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” The days of violently marching on Jerusalem are over, but there is still an angry Christian outcry every time someone tries to take the Ten Commandments down from a courthouse. We don’t try to force change by the edge of a blade, but we do try to force the world to obey our morals by trying to get laws passed that will make the world follow Christian values. Although, thankfully, much less violent, the Crusader mentality – “us verses them” - persists.

Isn’t this just crazy backwards? Isn’t our focus on the wrong thing? Why are we getting angry at an non-Christian world…for acting like a non-Christian world? That’s not to say that we need to embrace or accept all that happens in silence, but I can’t get frustrated with non-Christians when they act in ways that are inconsistent with God’s Word…because they don’t believe in God’s Word yet! Why would they want to follow it? I sure didn’t before I got saved. I’ll bet all the money in my pockets that you didn’t, either.

Trying to force the world to jump through our hoops and do things our way when they aren’t yet in relationship with Jesus is like trying to teach a 3-year old to drive a car. You can’t get mad at the kid - he’s just not there yet. Too often, what we’re really doing is raging at the world for being the world, and this is something that Jesus never did.

While living in purity and staying separate from the world’s corruption, Jesus managed to find a way to both fully and lovingly engage the culture, while challenging it at the same time. He had no problem calling people on their sin, and had no problem pushing people to be better, but we see in the heart of Christ an underlying motivation behind all of it:

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Mt 9:36)

It was that same compassion that cried out from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Lk 23:34) We can hate what people sometimes do, and dispute what they value, but we must always remember that there is a truth that they have not yet embraced. I lived a different way before I embraced it, and so did you. It would be pretty hypocritical of me to condemn others for something that I also did, pre-Jesus.

Jesus came to save the world, not to condemn it (Jn 3:17). All judgments about the world’s actions, and any consequences to be given to the world belong in His hands alone, not the Church’s (Rev 20:13). We can stand for righteousness and certainly make our opinions known, but to think of people without Jesus as our enemies who can be bullied into our belief system is an incredible departure from the heart of Jesus, as well as a usurping of His God-given authority.

We are clearly called to live differently from any ungodly values that surround us (2Co 6:16-17), but there is nothing in the life of Jesus that teaches us that the crowds were an enemy to be fought. My job is not to force people to obey God’s righteous standard; my job is represent the life and character of Jesus everywhere, and to always tell my story of what the Good News did for me. If I do this well, anointed by the Spirit, then it won’t be a matter of having to force people to be obedient to something that they don’t believe in. If I do this well, they are going to see the Jesus that I know and want to live His way.

We are interested in genuine life conversion, not just insincere and forced righteous actions at the point of a knife, or a boycott, or a political rally. We need to focus on the root, and not the symptoms. All of us lived differently at one point or another; we found our way to Jesus, and everything else changed from there.

Being Likeable

“Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets” (Lk 6:26)



Two immortal passages listed above – one from the Holy Word of God, one from the genius of Michael Scott. I find Michael’s perspective easier to receive than Scripture’s. I too “like being liked.”

Jesus told us that the highest calling was to love God and love others (Mt 27:37-40). In fact, we are to love others to such an extent that it looks like we are actually laying down our lives for their sake (1Jn 3:16). This is our job; it is our most important task.

As always, Jesus shows personally demonstrates for us how this works. The Gospels are full of stories of Him reaching out to the marginalized, comforting the hurting, and blessing and healing those who were in need. And yet, although He loved the people of the world to such an extent that He even went to the cross for them, nonetheless, the ones that He loved did not always return the sentiment. Jesus constantly provoked anger, resentment, and eventually, violence.

Why? An easy answer: Jesus said that the world “hates me because I testify that its works are evil.” (Jn 7:7)

Fair enough! That will definitely get people ticked. No one likes being told that they are out of line. For Jesus, part of His role was to teach on God’s Word, and to call people away from sin. To call people away from sin, you have to call them out on their sin.

And most people don’t like it when that happens.

And as we follow after Jesus, the fact of the matter is that there will be times when people don’t like us either (Jn 15:18-25). If we follow after Jesus, we’ll follow after Him in everything, even the hard stuff.

Some have taken this as license to throw out principles of basic decency towards our fellow human beings. They rail against sin, shouting from pulpits and airwaves, condemning people to hell and bluntly declaring their beliefs. “Sometimes, the truth hurts,” they say. “To love someone is to tell it like it is, and that’s the most loving thing you can do.”

Yes, sometimes the truth hurts. But that doesn’t relieve us of our call to be loving, gentle, and kind (Gal 5:22-23). It doesn’t allow us to dismiss the biblical mandate to always be respectful (1Pe 3:15). The fact that people will sometimes hate us doesn’t give us carte blanche to stop loving them – it means that we must we ensure that, even if they don’t like what we’re saying, that we ourselves are not giving them any other reason to dismiss what we are saying (1Pe 2:12).

We must always ensure that, although people may reject our message, that when they do so, it is not because they don’t like the messenger.

We can also be encouraged that, for those times when we are not popular with those around us, that we are walking in Christ’s footsteps as we do so. We love people the best we can, and if they still don’t like us, we take that hit as followers of Christ, knowing that they didn’t like Him, either. And, as always, we trust that He will work it all out, as only He can. The pressure’s off.

Willing Doormats

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” (Mt 5:38-40)

This verse can easily spark debate in Christian circles.  Jesus would go on to talk about giving people more than they ask for, sharing all that you have with them, all while never asking for anything in return.  Whenever these verses come up, (as a quick Google search will confirm), there is an almost immediate cry of, “But don’t be a doormat!  Christians don’t have to let people walk all over them!”

My thoughts are this:  Should we let people do this?  No. 

But should we willingly choose to take abuse, give when we are asked, and go above and beyond for others?

I think the answer for the Christian can only be “yes.” 

Jesus was certainly no doormat.  He had no issue with speaking His mind, throwing money-changers out of the Temple, calling out religious hypocrisy, or declaring unpopular truths.  He was strong and confidant, to say the least. 

And yet, Jesus took abuse that He didn’t deserve without retaliation, He gave to all who asked of Him, He served continually without complaint, and then, of course, He literally laid down His life for others.  As He was being arrested, His disciples attempted to defend Him, coming to His aid with violent intent.  Jesus had this to say:

“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.  Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?  But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Mt 26:52-54)

Is Christ acting as a classic “doormat” here, letting others take what they wanted without standing up for Himself or defending Himself? 

Well, yes.  Of course.  It is the essence of the Cross.

But He was no doormat.  The title of this entry is therefore a bit misleading.  A “doormat” is someone who lets people walk all over them and take from them because they lack the backbone to do otherwise.  A Christ-follower is one who, secure in themselves and their God, knows how to take a punch without retaliation, who serves others even when they get nothing back, who can lay their own preferences aside in order to bless others, and who does all of this peacefully, without expectation and without grumbling, because they follow a Saviour who laid down His life for others. 

A doormat lets others have their way, in the name of fear or insecurity.  A Christ-follower chooses to give others their way, in the name of love. 

There is something so Christ-like in taking a hit (physical, verbal, or otherwise) and simply taking it (see 1Pe 2:19-21).  There is something so Christ-like in giving far more than is asked of you, not because you can’t say no, but because you know you can be a blessing.  There is something so Christ-like in letting others have their way, all in the name of loving them, because you are strong enough and secure enough to know who you are. 

The difference is in the intention.  We should not let people take from us – but only because we are too busy giving freely!  

Something in My Eye

"Christians get very angry toward other Christians who sin differently than they do." ~ Philip Yancey

 

The person in my office was very annoyed with something that I had said in a recent Sunday morning sermon.  It was a very minor theological difference, but they were very frustrated that I had said it, and were getting a little nasty about it.  Rather than “agreeing to disagree,” they wanted me to retract the statement and issue a public apology.  When I said that I didn’t feel the statement warranted such a reaction, they told me that I was too young, too inexperienced, and too “worldly” to be a pastor. 

 

Years later, I still stand by my original statement, and although the words hurt at the time, I have long since let them go.  I do, however, revisit the conversation from time to time, often when I’m wrestling with how Christians should speak to one another, and the questions of when is it OK to criticize/raise a concern, and what is the manner in which we do it?

 

Jesus had this to say:

 

^“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?   How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?   You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Mt 7:3-5)

 

So, a few things to point out here:

 

1. This is not a passage about ranking sin (“Clearly planks are bigger than specks!”)  The point is that, whatever sin we may see in another is miniscule compared to the responsibility we have of working on our own garbage. 

 

2. Our own sin blinds our vision.  Very rarely, I get a migraine headache, which is always preceded by about 30 minutes of my eyesight starting to “shimmer,” (called an “aura”), where the best way to describe it is that everything kind of goes wavy. 

The point is, when my vision is thus altered, it’s hard to do anything – I can’t read, I can’t drive, I can’t watch TV...everything is too blurry.  I just can’t see clearly.

 

So it is with a “plank” in my eye.  I never feel like I have blind spots, but of course this isn’t the case.  My vision is skewed by my own sin, making my judgment of others never fully accurate.  Jesus warns us about jumping to conclusions about others, because doing so can only be presumptuous for those of us who can’t see clearly.

 

 

3. Clearly, these verses teach us about hypocrisy of focusing on others without focusing on our own faults. (I can say that confidently, on account of Jesus using the words, “You hypocrite!” in there!)  However, as much as it is about “taking the plank out” of one’s own eye, what it’s really about is working on yourself so that you can be a help to others.  Get rid of what’s blinding you, so that you can see clearly to help your friend. 

 

One of the main reasons that programs like AA are so successful is that the people leading are recovering alcoholics themselves.  They have been there, so they have a real perspective on the struggle, and they know how to help.  The person who has practiced self-plank-removal is well-suited to help another clear their eye out. 

 

This also shows us that the only reason I can ever point out a fault in another is if I’m willing to commit myself to helping them get rid of it.  There is absolutely no place in the Kingdom for criticism without commitment to fixing the problem.  In other words: if we want to raise a concern, but aren’t prepared to dedicate ourselves to the solution, we had best keep our mouths shut!

 

As well, the eye is supremely delicate and sensitive.  You can’t just jam your finger into someone’s eye socket and try and dig that speck out.  It takes gentleness, care, planning, and finesse.  In the name of “telling the truth,” some have done incredible damage by the WAY that they have shared it.  We should always speak the truth, but we can’t ever do it in a way that isn’t loving, gentle, and kind. (Gal 5:22-23)

 

We should probably also invest in some kind of safety-goggles....seems like a lot stuff getting stuck in eyeballs is happening around here...

The Other John 3:16

“Feeling spiritually 'off'?  Love someone sacrificially. Give your life to serve another. Your spirit will realign with

God's Spirit in you.”

~ Bruxy Cavey

John 3:16 is perhaps the best-known verse in all of Scripture – it’s been called “the Gospel in a nutshell.”  No, I won’t quote it here for you.  What’s the matter, your arms are broken?  Go look it up yourself!

Alright, here: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

The Gospel in a nutshell, indeed – the plan of God (Jesus bringing us eternal life), the motivation for that plan (His great love for us), and the faith required to receive it – it the essence of the Gospel, made beautiful and simple and clear. 

However, John wrote more than just the one book – we actually have several of his writings recorded in the New Testament.  In a later letter, known as the first letter of John, there is another key verse – interestingly, also recorded as chapter 3, verse 16:

 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1st Jn 3:16)

 

If John 3:16 is the Gospel in a nutshell, then 1^st John 3:16 is our response to the Gospel in a nutshell.  In two short sentences, both our reaction to the Gospel, and the reasoning for it, are laid out with great clarity.  Jesus willingly laid down his life for us; we should willingly lay down our lives for others.

 Why?

Because that’s what love does.

For all of the poets, philosophers, storytellers and songwriters of history, who have written and sung of love’s immeasurable quality, love’s indefinable attributes, and love’s incomprehensible vastness, here we have a very simple explanation of what real love looks like.

How do you know if you truly love someone?

When you lay down your own life for their sake.

Jesus did it for us, and calls us to do it for others.  What does it mean to lay down our lives for another?  While there are a variety of answers, the nature of it is this: whatever it practically looks like, it calls for a selflessness and a devotion to others’ well-being that is so radical that it can be likened to metaphorically dying for them.  It means, in every sense, that you come first over me – and that I am happy to do so – because I love you.   

Jesus’ love meant dying for us.  When we are willing to lay down our own agendas, desires, plans, and needs for the sake of others, then we are walking just like He did (1Jn 2:6).