[aron]

There is a reason I brought up the subject of signs. Jesus' resurrection from the dead was the sign from God that his ministry was fully validated and now he is in glory. If one believes into the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, one tacitly accepts his position as "firstborn of creation". Case closed.

With the apostles, they were picked by Jesus and thus validated. Paul received the right hand of fellowship. The NAR and any other Apostolic-wanna-be lacks all of this. They have their delusion and their ability to convince others that it is real. But guess what - there are plenty of dupes out there, unfortunately. I was one. A mass of followers doesn't validate an apostle. Neither do signs.

Jesus alone has the validated sign - resurrection. The NT apostles were chosen by Jesus. Any other "apostle", whether RCC or post-Protestant has none of these. They get reflecting pools and mausoleums when they die. None of them has been resurrected. Only Jesus has. So claims of greatness not only ring hollow, but should be automatically viewed with suspiction.

Another thing that Jo S mentioned, is the connection between hyper-excited "charismatic" states and the susceptibility to suggestion. This is a danger. They get you to be subjective, and then they impose their subjectivity (which is self-oriented, natch). At some point they may even be telling you scripture is "fallen" and "natural concepts" (!!!) while you hang on their every word as if it came from God.

All of us who believe have some ability to channel God. All of us who believe have some residue which might block God, and interpose self-will of fallen man. Peter is used in the NT as an example of this. Revelation is seen, as well as error.

The New Apostle side-steps this with a special Untouchable status. And then everyone else is measured how they relate to the NA. This kind of referent point is only reserved for Jesus Christ. This last point may or may not apply to the NAR folk, but it certainly applies to Witness Lee and Watchman Nee. Ruth Lee apparently became an atheist when she realized Watchman Nee was a fallen human being like any other, with human frailty and foibles.