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gpgarwood -> Restored "apostles?" I think not. (8/15/2008 12:29:36 PM)
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I have a point of fact concerninging C. Peter Wagner operating under "Apostolic authority."
There are several definitions of the word apostle. The one that is applicable today is “sent one” meaning it can be applied to a person who is sent into a new mission field for example. As a “sent one” the apostle, if he is serving in the Holy Spirit, is to be subservient as Jesus was. They are to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ the Messiah and that’s it. They are foot washers, nothing more. They hold a position of subservience, not authority. They have no real authority because the ones with the real authority have sent them, they are simply serving in obedience to the orders they were given, as any “sent one” should.
There is another definition of the word “Apostle” which is impossible to be applied today. (Note the capitol A which I use to distinguish the difference between the original, foundational Apostles chosen by Jesus Christ, and the false "restored" apostles of today who are attempting to usurp the authority of the foundational Apostles.) This Apostle is defined as one of the 12 foundational (original) disciples, called, anointed and inspired by Jesus Christ to preach the gospel and write the majority of the New Testament, they were: Simon Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot. The true foundational Apostles had specific, unique criteria which had to be met in order to qualify them as the true, genuine, foundational Apostles of Jesus Christ. First, any foundational Apostle had to be chosen by Jesus Christ Himself, physically, not by some self serving dream, vision or hallucination. The foundational Apostle also had to have walked with Jesus, physically, in His earthly human body. They witnessed His physical life with His miracles, teachings, and admonitions. They actually touched Him, ate with Him, and laughed with Him. They knew Him and He knew them intimately. One of the most important prerequisites of the true foundational Apostles of Jesus Christ is that they had to witness, with their eyes, Jesus Christ resurrected and His ascension as the Son of God to the right hand of the Father.
The criteria to qualify as a foundational Apostle is found in Acts 1:20 – 22; 20 "For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms," 'May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,' and," 'May another take his place of leadership.' 21Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection." This is the Word of God as it applies to just what a foundational authentic Apostle is. Now, I want you to think about something; if the number of foundational Apostles was not to be fixed at 12, why did the Apostles so diligently scrutinize the candidates when they replaced Judas Iscariot? Why didn’t they just keep the number of foundational Apostles at 11? I mean. . . life happens right? And again, if the number of Apostles was insignificant, why didn’t the original Apostles select both Barsabbas AND Mathias? After all, an extra Apostle might just come in handy for all of the work that had to be done as the gospels were first preached at the beginning of the New Covenant. They didn’t select both because they couldn’t! There were to be only 12 original foundational Apostles to establish the New Covenant church and write the majority of the New Testament. The number 12 is always significant with God as it most certainly was when Jesus chose the 12 original, foundational Apostles. The foundational Apostles were the ones chosen to witness and testify that Jesus Christ was and is the one and only Messiah, the promised Savior, sent to reconcile man to God. The genuine, foundational Apostles were also given divine wisdom, guidance and inspiration to write the majority of the New Testament. They truly were unique, anointed and inspired in a special way just as every other author of the Bible had been. As you see, not just anybody qualifies as an author of the inspired Word of God, so, not just anybody qualifies as a foundational Apostle, there were only ever 12 foundational Apostles in the history of mankind and there will never be another human with the authority of the foundational Apostles. Any man who attempts to claim foundational apostolic authority is false as we read in 2 Corinthians 11. If the authenticity of foundational Apostleship is relative and insignificant, as the “restored apostles” of today would like you to believe, and the foundational Apostles wrote the New Testament, than the whole New Testament is just as relative and insignificant and can be changed or added to any time any self proclaimed “restored apostle” sees fit. That would mean that the inerrant Word of God would also be relative and Null! That would mean that C. Peter Wagner, Lester Zimmerman, Curt Malizzi, Bill Yount, Dutch Sheets and any one of the International Coalition of apostles would have the authority to rewrite the New Testament or change it in any way they see fit in defiance of the Word of God. Now THAT is dangerous! For these men to even attempt to claim such power and authority is arrogance in the worst possible degree. Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians 11: 12 – 15 12; And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 for such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. Now that we know the prerequisite to be a foundational Apostle, show me just one of the “restored” apostles of today who have ever seen the physical Jesus Christ before and after the crucifixion? Which of them actually ate real food with Him? Which of them actually talked with Him? Which of them ever witnessed one of His miracles? Which of them witnessed, with their eyes, the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ? None of them! True God given authority isn’t usurped by wild dreams, unsubstantiated visions, trances or hallucinations as people like Rick Joyner would have you believe. The foundational Apostles were given one time, divine authority, inspiration and power to establish the new covenant church, the foundation on which the present day church has been built and will remain until the return of Jesus Christ at the end of this age.
Gregory P. Garwood
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