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This excellent article was obtained from Critical Issues Commentary and was written by Dr. Orrel Steinkamp. Please keep in mind I have absolutely nothing to gain or loose by sharing the biblical truth with you, I am sharing articles that give good solid biblical evidence showing the office of Apostle is closed. Those who call themselves apostles today are false, you know who they are without me mentioning any names, they proudly wear this badge that they have no biblical right to. Their agenda is to gain more power and authority over you, please head these warnings and remember that we should have nothing to do with such men. Get out your bibles and see if these things are so!
A Biblically based commentary on current issues that impact you
The New Apostolic Reformation
A Warning About Latter Day Apostles
by Dr. Orrel Steinkamp
In this paper we discuss New Testament Apostles today from the viewpoint that there is no biblical authority that supports the end time restoration of the office of apostle: therefore, there are no New Testament Apostles today.
Wayne Grudem, a sometimes promoter of current prophetic utterances is absolutely convinced that there are no NT apostles today. He states: “Since no one today can meet the qualifications of having seen the risen Jesus with his own eyes, there are no apostles today. In the place of living apostles present in the church to teach and govern it, we have instead the writings of the apostles in the books of the NT. Those NT scriptures fulfill, for the church today, the absolutely authoritative teaching and governing functions which were fulfilled by the apostles themselves during the early years of the church.” (Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in the NT today, p. 276).
Background
One of the central new teachings of the Latter Rain Movement of the 1940’s and 50’s was the so-called restoration of Apostles and Prophets to the overcoming Endtime Church. This restoration teaching percolated on the back burners of the Charismatic Renewal for years, but it was never promoted heavily and no one attempted to systematically implement it on a worldwide scale. Into this vacuum has stepped C. Peter Wagner as a central personality. Wagner has given organizational and promotional impetus to this so-called restoration and has taken bold steps to implement apostolic restoration to a wider Global Church–as a result he is positioned to have a greater influence than many other promoters of apostolic restoration.
Beginning with his association with John Wimber, Wagner moved quickly into charismatic Christianity. He has systematized certain charismatic spiritual warfare practices and developed his strategic warfare mentality etc. He also promoted what he called the “Third Wave.” In this “Third Wave” he saw generic evangelicals getting involved with signs and wonders without adopting traditional Pentecostal Theology. He has a broad Evangelical pedigree and has notoriety as a former missiologist at Fuller seminary. He is the recognized heir and successor to Donald McGavern, the founding father of all church growth teaching. In addition to being a co-founder of the World Prayer Center in Colorado Springs, he is the founding president of Global Harvest Ministries, which is responsible for the “United Prayer Track” of AD2000 and Beyond” as well as many other missions related activities outside the AD2000 organization. The Billy Graham Lausan conference adopted Wagner’s missions/evangelism agenda. And he is now in association with many holdovers from the Latter Rain of the 50’s who got a new lease on life in the Charismatic Renewal. Bishop (also prophet and apostle) Bill Hamon is a significant name in this regard.
In Bishop Hamon’s book “Apostles, Prophets and the Coming Moves of God: End Times Plan for His Church on Planet Earth,” Wagner states, in a forward, that Hamon was influential in nurturing him through what he calls a paradigm shift from traditional Christianity.” Hamon expressed this new paradigm in October 1999 when he announced to the “International Gathering of Apostles and Prophets” that “we are seeing prophets and apostles coming forth for a strategic reason…We are being positioned to lay new foundations for the dawning of a New Kingdom Age. We are in the throws of birthing a whole new order-dispensation…We are about to move from the dispensation of grace to the dispensation of dominion.”
Although Wagner and his apostolic friends are generally unknown to rank and file pastors and church leaders, they are, nevertheless, boldly proclaiming their authority in the church. They apparently feel that they are now “positioned” to make authoritative “apostolic declarations” to the wider church. Wagner recently posted on his Website an “Open Memorandum Addressing the Twin Towers War.” In the memorandum dated September 14th from C. Peter Wagner, presiding apostle of the International Coalition of Apostles, he made the following statement: “This is the time for apostolic declarations. The church is in a position now, characterized by active and accepted roles of Apostles and Prophets and Intercessors that it has not experienced in 1800 years.” Wagner then quoted Prophet Rick Joyner: “What seemed to so many to be an impossible task of restoring Apostolic Christianity to the earth is about to become a reality.” With such overreaching optimism , it is not surprising that Wagner and friends have planned to implement their dream.
Implementation:
The New Apostolic Roundtable:
Wagner is linked with Twenty-five other Apostles who have been invited to form an international leadership of Apostles. These roles are by invitation only.
The International Coalition of Apostles:
On a lower level they have formed a larger grouping of Apostles. Wagner sees this group growing to about 500. They plan to hold yearly convocations and summits around the world.
Apostles to the Cities:
In Wagner’s latest book, “Apostles of the City: How to mobilize Territorial Apostles for City Transformation,” he calls for each major city to elevate a cadre of Apostles to leadership.
Because Wagner has unlimited funds at his disposal, he is able to make quite an impact. Is all this money and effort called for, or is it an expensive game of “let’s pretend” in the church. The answer to that question is based on one fundamental question: Is there any biblical authority to teach an end-time restoration of the office of apostle?
Paul, the last Apostle:
Today, we occasionally speak of people as apostles–usually limited to pioneer missionaries. William Carey, for example, has been called the apostle to India. The only reason this term is used is that someone was sent to pioneer a new area with the Gospel. This, of course, is never confused with the foundational apostles of the NT era. In NT times, there was also a loose and broad way to use the word apostle, in the sense of someone sent on a mission of some kind. On these occasions, the word simply means “messenger” or “delegate.” In these instances, these delegates (sent ones) are never confused with the special and restricted meaning of a foundational apostle of the church.
NT Qualifications of Foundational Apostles:
NT apostles were required to be eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus. This is indicated in Acts 1:22 when Peter insisted that the replacement of Judas “must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
Paul (1 Cor. 9:1) defended his apostleship by saying, “Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen the Lord?”
In recounting those to whom Jesus appeared, Paul says: “After He was seen by James and then by all the apostles, then “last of all” he was seen by me also as one “born out of due time” (I Corinthians 15:8). Paul was “untimely born” in the sense that Jesus had appeared to the other apostles before his ascension. Paul, converted by a miraculous post-ascension appearance of the resurrected Jesus, also saw the risen Lord, albeit later in time than the other apostles. The phrase “last of all” seals the case that Paul was the last apostle. “Last of all” grammatically can only be an adverb describing something that is last in a series. This is even more certain when there is a group of adverbs (then…then…and last of all). In Paul’s mind he was the last of all the apostles. Surely he would be surprised to hear that he wasn’t really ‘last of all.’ Who were these foundational apostles? First there were the initial twelve with Matthias replacing Judas. Second, apparently there were a very few more who had seen Jesus and been commissioned by Him. Acts 14:14 calls both Barnabas and Paul apostles. James, the brother of Jesus, is called an apostle in Galatians 1:19. Andronicus and Judas were called apostles in Romans 16:7. Most commentators see them as apostles in a functional and broad meaning. I found no commentators who referred to them as foundational apostles. If, indeed they were foundational Apostles, they could have been among the 500 people who saw the risen Jesus on one occasion (I Corinthians 15).
The generation that followed the last biblical apostles never ever considered the continuation of the office of apostle. Apparently the word of Paul, the last apostle convinced them. The so-called end-time restoration of apostles has no biblical authority. The only possible authority is “further revelation” given to the prophets of the Latter Rain and those who have taken up further revelation: beyond the scriptures. The choice is simple, do we believe Paul was right when he said he was the last apostle or do we believe latter day prophets who have pronounced on their own authority, a restoration of apostles at the end of the age? For me, Paul settles the question once and for all.
About Dr. Orrel Steinkamp
Orrel and Gini Steinkamp served with the Christian Missionary Alliance as missionaries in Viet Nam for 13 years. After Viet Nam fell, they were re-assigned to Australia. Later they served for 13 years in Redwood Falls, Minnesota with the Assemblies of God. Orrel Publishes “The Plumbline” which critiques the current popular revival and prophetic movements.
To receive The Plumbline write to:
Dr. Orrel Steinkamp
74425 Co. Rd. 21
Renville, MN 56284
Issue 66 – September/October 2001
fom3 said:
It sounds like when the Mormon’s and the J.W’s. started their cult!
mamaharper said:
Unbelievable. Did you ever think you would be reading about this stuff and actually watching it happen?
lunice89 said:
No I sure didn’t, I thought these kinds of things went on other places but it seems they are happening in our own back door. I knew we had some bad stuff going on but I had no idea it was this bad, and this is bad. Makes me realize just how big of an agenda some people have and have been setting this into motion for years. Keep praying B, keep praying for people’s eyes to be opened to the truth, if only one would hear and heed the warnings. Oh man what a mess!
kittykit said:
Good grief. Yeah…what a mess.
Zoran Vaskic said:
KJV 1 Cor. 12:28 says: And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
I understand the reason why the perception exists that the office of apostle ceased after the twelve. However I don’t agree. In this scripture there is nothing to indicate it should be read as indicating and referring to the twelve apostles and nothing more. That would be reading into it. Neither can it be read into the following words in verse 29: Are all apostles? Some might suggest what it is saying in verse 29 is that since apostleship ended with the twelve, how can all, or rather, any more, be apostles? But that is not what it is saying. It says that only in an understanding which presets the idea that apostleship ended with the twelve. There is no place in the new testament which remotely suggests apostleship ended after the twelve. Rather, this view is derived from a perception of the twelve as being exclusive since only they were with Jesus (except Paul, and yet he is clearly an apostle as indicated by his own admission, which admission we willingly receive and understand as “scripture”.
I understand how an seemingly intuitive view of the record of the gospels leads to a belief that apostleship ended with the twelve. I mean, this was a group who uniquely were joined to Christ in physical time and experience. Eph.3:11 says, And he gave some apostles, and some prophets; and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.
If you want to argue that what God means here when he mentions apostles is the twelve and the twelve only, you had better also say then that also means that somewhere and somehow early on in the history of the church all the other offices mentioned here also ceased. That is the logical outcome of suggesting apostleship ended with the twelve since there is really no place in the new testament scripture that we are remotely led to believe apostleship ended with the twelve. Again, this view comes from a preset belief or view independent of scripture. However this does not stop anyone from not only holding it but also from “seeming” to find scriptural support for it. Something very akin to pointing to cessation of giftings such as healing.
I’ve talked to many people over the years, and heard the talk or point raised in some christian gathering, read it in books also, that God heals some and some he simply doesn’t (or won’t). This comes from the “fact” that some are prayed for and yet do not get healed. Good. Then let’s make our experience the basis of truth, rather anything else. When some don’t get saved-which they clearly don’t- does this mean that it is not God’s will to save them? Well unfortunately there is a belief and a camp which of course says that exactly. The difficulties with that position are colossal; however never mind about getting any substantive answers to answer those difficulties.
There is always an understandable point of origin for any belief; nothing arises out of a vacuum in existence, be it physical,or invisible (like a belief system). It is a known fact that we as people come into beliefs for all sorts of reasons not related to rationale or logical foundational reasons.
Here for example in this lead post on this topic on this site, we have Wayne Grudem’s foundational reason for believing apostles ceased with the twelve: “Since no one today can meet with the qualifications of having seen the risen Jesus with his own eyes, there are no apostles.”
Well, while no one will argue against the uniqueness of the experience of 11 along with Paul to make 12, there is really nothing anywhere in the new testament to support Wayne’s own rule, which while understandable as a perception, is erroneous. Where does the bible give substantial enough indication that this rule of thumb indicated by Wayne Grudem is actually valid? Well, it really doesn’t. The two scriptures I mentioned early in this post can be read as supporting Wayne’s, or anyone’s, assertion to this end. But a fair mind will acknowledge this type of conclusion demands a prior belief (however arrived at) that apostleship ceased with the twelve. This is not the way to arrive at substantiating a belief.
D. Baker said:
Hello Zoran, Thank you for visiting my blog and sharing your opinion with us. I don’t agree with you, I believe that the office of apostle and the office of Prophet are both closed today. I do want to point out that I am not willing to get into lengthy debates about this as I believe it doesn’t do any good, these things usually end in argument and everyone goes away still believing the same as they did before.
Acts 1:20-22 (New King James Version) (Notice here the qualifications that this new Apostle had to have)
20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms:
‘ Let his dwelling place be desolate,
And let no one live in it’; and,
‘ Let another take his office.
21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
1 Corinthians 9:1-2 (Notice Paul met the qualifications of an apostle, they were questioning Paul and he gave them the qualifications, no man can meet these today)
1 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
Acts 22:14 (New King James Version)
14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.
1 Corinthians 15:7-8 (New King James Version) (Then last of all Paul)
7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
Matthew 24:24 (New King James Version)
24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
1 Timothy 3 (New King James Version) (I don’t see any new qualifications here for apostle or prophet that we can go by today)
Qualifications of Overseers
1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop,[a] he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,[b] but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Qualifications of Deacons
8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. 11 Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The Great Mystery
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; 15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God[c] was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.
Footnotes:
1. 1 Timothy 3:1 Literally overseer
2. 1 Timothy 3:3 NU-Text omits not greedy for money.
3. 1 Timothy 3:16 NU-Text reads Who.
Titus 1 (New King James Version)
Greeting
1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, 3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ[a] our Savior.
Qualified Elders
5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— 6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. 7 For a bishop[b] must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
The Elders’ Task
10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
Footnotes:
1. Titus 1:4 NU-Text reads and Christ Jesus.
2. Titus 1:7 Literally overseer
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (New King James Version) (I have heard the argument that if there is a true there must also be a false, yes there were true apostles, and there is one true Christ and anyone claiming to be an apostle or a Christ after these is false)
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
D. Baker said:
I messed up the bold and italics in my last comment, I only meant for the comments I wrote out to the side of the scriptures to be bold and italics not the whole thing, oops sorry!