Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Eph. 4 ... 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
To understand one of the main areas of work of an apostle, read Acts 15 which shows apostles at work. (This is the chapter God took me to when HE began teaching me what a NT apostle does in the church today.)
There was a problem that arose over doctrine. In Acts 15 the question was should we require the Gentiles to be circumcised ... There was much disagreement over this issue. Therefore the apostles and elders came together to discuss the matter. We read in Acts 15 ...1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
3And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. 4And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
5But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
6And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 7And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them,
We see some of those who believed said the Gentiles must be circumcised. Some who believed even said the Gentiles could not be saved unless they were circumcised ...
There was much "dissension and disputation" over the subject among those who believed.
A doctrinal ruling had to be issued on this subject. That was going to be done by the apostles.
Peter spoke to all about it declaring the following: Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Acts 15
Then Paul and Barnabas spoke.
Then James said ... Men and brethren, hearken unto me: 14Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: 17That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. 18Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. 19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 21For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. Acts 15
James stated the case and presented a ruling for the church. The Gentiles did not have to be circumcised to be saved. Salvation was through faith in Jesus Christ. This was the New Covenant. The new replaced the old.
God showed me that one of the primary works of an apostle in the NT church has to do with rulings on doctrine and scriptures. An apostle is a bit like a judge in the supreme court. Matters are considered and rulings are stated. In the case of an apostle, the rule book is the Bible and the Holy Spirit leads in making the decision presented.
Many things have been eliminated from today's churches and many false doctrines have been set up today in the Christian churches. Those of us who are apostles appointed by God will attempt to reestablish doctrine in the churches. Two of the things I have spoken about are remarriage after divorce and the Lord's supper having to do with eating and drinking the word of God rather than partaking of crackers/grape juice which has no power at all. (See the listing of permanent writings on right hand side of blog to view some of these subjects.)
Antichrist works in the churches today to pervert doctrine and to take the church in ways opposite to that which God set up in the early church.
Paul even addressed this subject in Acts 20 when he said: 25And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 26Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Apostles have an anointing by God to deal with scripture and church doctrine. Eph. 4 ... 14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Even in the early church in the days of Peter, Paul and John, antichrist was at work to change doctrines and to establish perverse things ... John speaks of this as follows ... I Jn. 2 ... 18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Paul tells us to expect a "falling away" at the end time ... and Paul says that must take place before Jesus returns. II Thess. 2 ...
That falling away was not men leaving the church groups but rather was church groups falling away from established doctrine, such as the doctrine on divorce and remarriage. In today's church we see opposite doctrines on this subject. (Read: Divorce & remarriage: What the Bible teaches)
Though antichrist will work greatly in the end time churches as Paul said in II Thess. 2, apostles will still present correct scriptural doctrine so the elect can have an opportunity to depart from the doctrines set up by antichrist in the church groups.
Antichrist is a spirit working in the church groups today. Here is what that spirit does ...
II Thess. 2 ... (antichrist) 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
That spirit of antichrist opposes correct doctrine in the church groups. He sets up another doctrine which approves people in sin rather than turning church people away from their sin. And antichrist sees himself "as God", failing to bow down to correct doctrine, sitting in the temple of God and showing himself to be God by leading people a perverse way.
And Paul said: 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: II Thess. 2 It was already happening in the early church but it will grow much worse, especially as apostles and prophets were removed from church groups for those appointed by God would not approve doctrines that oppose scripture.
II Thess 2 ... 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
After Jesus arose (after HE was raised from the dead), HE gave to the NT church some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Eph. 4:11
Paul was not the last apostle as some churches teach. Rather Paul was the first of those New Testament apostles which Jesus gave to the church after HIS resurrection.
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Prophets are defined by the following explanation:
Hosea 12:11 ... 13And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.
All who belong to God in the NT church have been given the Holy Spirit to lead them and guide them and correct them. But sometimes God will use a prophet to try to show a problem and a solution to that problem.
Several years ago, I was having coffee with 2 Baptist women. One woman began to speak about the new building they were constructing at their church group. She said one woman in their group spoke often against the building and the pastor and she asked me what I thought might be wrong. Instantly out of my mouth came the word: "Maybe she's a prophet." Everyone was shocked. The woman seemed wrong for she was against what they were doing. But maybe she was a prophet for if they were going wrong way a prophet would be greatly troubled.
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Apostles and prophets work mostly with the church itself while evangelist go out to the unsaved. (I have had several people saved as I have spoken but basically I am speaking to the church itself with the messages God gives me.)
Pastors/teachers probably work more with the church than with the unsaved.
Many who are ministers today do not know what they are. I've seen some call themselves pastors when they were more likely evangelists. Their message was the message of an evangelist. They were identifying themselves as pastor because they were stationary at one church group. But the message identifies the office. When a person is continually speaking a message of basic salvation, he is likely an evangelist even when he calls himself pastor.
I've seen one man who called himself pastor when he was probably a prophet.
God very clearly defined to me the work of apostle/prophet in the church because that was the calling on my life and the work I would be doing in the church.
Some just copy other ministers and they have no idea what they are. Many are not even born again though they try to preach and lead the church. You can tell they do not have the Spirit of God. Some even rise to great fame in the ministry without having the Spirit of God. All types of things are going on today in churches.