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Old 08-27-2008, 08:10 AM   #10
OBW
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First, to Roger’s question, the study of what is an apostle is quite appropriate if we are to deal with Lee’s teachings. He has effectively taught that an apostle is something quite high. He also taught that there are “little a” apostles produced by the “big A” apostles. Then Paul himself is seen using the term as if there is not some completely exclusive and identifiable group. If there are only 12 plus Paul, then why bother with words about the character and teachings as a way to identify false apostles. We have to know what it is that Lee claimed to be “of the age” concerning.

I would agree with YP that much of modern Christianity does not consider the title. But they might still have a proper appreciation for those who are doing the work that the first century would have called apostles (assuming we discover some reason to say that apostles still exist). And he has further found that apostles were set in the assembly according to Paul in 1 Cor 12.

Ohio: A agree that in the overall context, further study into all the terms that have been misused by many organizations in their hierarchies might be warranted. While I have heard some suggest that the term “bishops” is somewhat a mistranslation, we should look at why that was done. Is there something besides an elder, deacon, or apostle being described? If so, is this so much a hierarchy as a description of differences of function? And how do these function together in an assembly? Should there be some hierarchy, or is it more about differing functions in service to the assembly?

And then we come to the notion of traveling preachers of any type. Paul was such a person. He clearly had a ministry to many churches. He also had some severe words to some of them when he wrote. But there is no record that after leaving a church with its elders in place he wielded any authority over them besides what they allowed or accepted. Where is the evidence of replacing elders in a church that were not following his lead with absolute abandon. Instead, he had to lament that all of Asia had deserted him.

I think that when we clarify the functions that are apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers, elders, deacons, etc., we will have little problem fully debunking that any of these are at an “of the age” level or stand-ins for God.

YP’s last post is quite a lot to read. So how do all these gifts work together in the church, the assembly of the called-out ones? And where does that leave some itinerant preacher who claims to be the Oracle of God?
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