30 Jan Defining the Real Apostle
There is a clear, biblical way to understand and teach what an apostle is.
Prior to appointing the 12 apostles of the Lamb (and afterwards various others referred to in Ephesians 4:11), there first was established another apostle. This prior apostle, Christ himself, defines the role. Remember, if “apostles and prophets” are the “foundation” of the Church, Christ himself is the “chief cornerstone.” (Ephesians 2:20)
Therefore, all apostolic and prophetic leadership is not just modelled upon Christ, but is joined to him. To be an apostle or prophet, we serve and build with the heart and mind of Jesus, or the claim is “straw.” (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)
What does it mean to be a foundation? For Christ to become the “chief cornerstone” of this living “holy temple” (Ephesians 2:21), he first had to face the “hour… for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Like “a grain of wheat” that “falls into the earth and dies,” he said he must lay down his own life in suffering and death, for “if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:23-24)
The principle will apply to all those whose lives the Lord makes foundational to the Church. For apostles and prophets to be spoken of as foundations, it must be understood in terms of them sowing their lives in suffering and death for Christ and the Church. This is clarified by Paul’s assertion: “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me…” (Colossians 1: 24-25 NIV)
Lest someone create error out of this verse, may I clarify, Paul is not talking about his suffering as an offering for sin. Christ’s work for our redemption is a finished work. Paul is commenting on something else entirely: the suffering, privation, sacrifice and labour that is needed to bring the Church to maturity. Notice his qualification, “for the sake of his body, which is the church.” He is speaking about serving a redeemed people.
(The above passage is reprinted from Chapter 3 (Peculiar Scriptures That Define the Apostle) of John Alley’s new book, The Testing of Apostles, pp.44-45)
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