The apostles: Their work in today’s NT church

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ... 

 

"What do apostles do?"  I asked my Bible teacher years ago.  He didn't know, yet at that church group they professed to believe there are apostles in the church today according to Ephesiahs 4.  So I asked God what apostles do in the church.  And God began teaching me about apostles in the NT church today.

 

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Ministries in the NT church according to the NT Bible:

 

Ephesians 4:8;11-14   When HE (Jesus) ascended up on high, HE led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men ...

 

And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 

 

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 

 

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 

 

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

 

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Peter calls a meeting to replace Judas and to be the 12th apostle:

 

Acts 1:21-26     Peter says:  Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

 

Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that HE (Jesus) was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of HIS resurrection.

 

23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

 

24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,   That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

 

26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

 

Matthias was the  12th apostle.

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Paul was not the last apostle, the 12th apostle ... Paul was one of the first of those apostles appointed by Jesus after Jesus arose as cited in Ephesians 4:8;11-14.

 

There were some in Paul's day who did not think Paul could be an apostle:

 

I Corinthians 9:2  Paul says:  If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

 

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What do apostles do?  God showed me by the following scripture. 

 

*A problem arose in the early church.  Did the Gentiles who believed have to be circumcised after they believed? 

 

Acts 15:1-2   And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 

 

2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

 

6-7   And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 

 

7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and spoke.

 

Peter spoke, sharing words from OT prophets concerning the time the Gentiles would be accepted.  And Peter told of his own experiences with the Holy Spirit coming on those Gentiles to whom he spoke.

 

Then Barnabas and Paul shared their experiences with the believing Gentiles.

 

James listened to all then and then spoke of OT scripture.

 

Then James rendered the "sentence" on the matter at hand.

 

Acts 15:19-29   James says:  Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.   For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. 

 

Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas (NT prophets), chief men among the brethren: 

 

And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. 

 

Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: 

 

It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,  Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

We have sent therefore Judas and Silas (prophets), who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.

 

For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;   That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

 

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Today apostles in the NT church have an anointing by God to share decrees issues in the New Testament Bible with the churches, for many of these rules of the NT Bible have been removed by men and churches have been set up by doctrines other than that in the Bible.

 

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The apostles in the NT church today, compare scripture with scriptures and establish doctrines according to the New Testament Bible, because many churches teach a doctrine which is not in the Holy Bible.

 

Matthew 5:32  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

 

I Corinthians 7:10-11 Paul says:  And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

 

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This is a work the NT apostles do today in the churches:

 

Acts 16:4-5   And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. 

 

5 And so were the churches established in the faith.

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II Timothy 3:16-17   All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

 

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II Corinthians 5:9-11   Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of HIM (of Jesus, The Word). 

 

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

 

11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.

 

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(Not recorded on this Podcast, but showing the calling and appointment of the apostle Paul by Jesus.)

Acts 26:16-19   Jesus speaks to Paul and says:  For I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

 

19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

 

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