Are There Apostles Today?

It was the Savior who selected/called His 12 apostles--out of His many disciples who were also His devoted followers. These men did not self select but were chosen after the Savior entered the active period of His ministry (after His personal preparation of baptism and the requirements of the Law).

The original 12 had authorization (authority) to fill the vacancy caused by the traitor Judas. Then the scriptures are silent about the filling of future vacancies.

The evidence of complex, grass-roots organization in the early church is listed as bishops, pastors, teachers, evangelists (missionaries), etc., all overseen by apostles who were under the direction of Peter.

Sacred history records some of the acts of the apostles and then, ending with John's vision of things to come in Revelations, we no longer have first-hand accounts of the activities of the apostles.

With the warnings especially by Paul of apostasy and sin creeping into the doctrines and practices of the individual new Christian churches, Apostle Paul and his companions had to visit, write, revisit, and rewrite to try and bring these communities and local leaders back to the simple truths the Savior taught.

Men and women who "call" themselves are not necessarily "called" of God by prophesy or by revelation by those who have authority to act for God. For many it is the result of an education to prepare for Christian leadership, an earnest effort to serve God and man.

To claim to be a special witness or one who knows that the Savior IS the Savior is part of the heavy weight of being called as an apostle.

I worry that we will blaspheme about this sacred calling and claim it for ourselves without the authority of being set apart and being given actual authority to act as a special witness of the Savior. Meanwhile, we can all be disciples as He asks us all to "Come, follow me."

Drop by again~!