Jesus called them "apostles"

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

For the first time, we see the word "apostle" used by Jesus in the following scripture.

Luke 6:13   And when it was day, HE called unto Him His disciples: and of them HE chose twelve, whom also HE named apostles;

Jesus was crucified, resurrected, walking on this earth again for a few days which bore physical witness of the resurrection to the disciples.  Then Jesus was lifted into heaven in the sight of the apostles.

Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus and hanged himself.

Then Peter said:

Acts 1:20-26    For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his (Judas') habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,  Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that HE was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of HIS resurrection.

And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 

And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

So they have twelve apostles again ... so where does the apostle Paul fit in?

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After Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, we read of "gifts" Jesus gave to the church in the form of ministries, and one of these "gifts" was that of "apostle", for the work of the ministry.

Ephesians 4:11-15    And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till 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:

That 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;

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 


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One of the things apostles do in the NT church is to deal with church doctrine.

Questions arise concerning such things as divorce/remarriage, functions of elders/bishops (the same office), homosexuals/lesbians ... The apostle has a strong anointing by God concerning church doctrine and will deal with these issues, setting them into scriptural doctrine in the churches.

Never before this time in church history is the work of apostle more needed, with all the twisting we see of doctrines in today's church as antichrist takes over inside the church itself and false doctrines are set up replacing doctrines of Christ in the Bible.


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But it is ordained by God that the anarchy in the church would take place before Jesus returns for the church.

II Thessalonians 2:3-4   Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Who 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.

In KJV this is called "the falling away" ... church groups would fall away from scripture.

In the NASB this is called "the apostasy."

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At the end of the years of his ministry when Paul knew he would see a certain church group no more, he warned this church group.

Acts 20:25-30     And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.

For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Take 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.

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

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And Paul warned the church there would be perilous times inside the church before Jesus returned and men would get worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

II Timothy 3:1-4    This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

⁵ Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

(We see the church would have "a form of godliness" but they would deny the scripture, the power of God) 

⁶ For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,  

⁷ Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

 ... 13   evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

And Paul told us what to do as we see this.

14-17    But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

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It is not a matter of holding to the tradition of the church group as many do today.

It is holding to scripture by the Spirit of God.

Often we have to leave the church group to be able to hold onto scripture.  For in the end times, church groups set up churches by their own thinking, departing from portions of scripture.

And we have to consider the end times began with Jesus' ascent into heaven.

Peter, John, and Paul often spoke of it being the end times.

John said:   I John 2:18-19   Little 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.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 

They left the early church and the doctrines of Christ as delivered them by the apostles, and they set up churches by their own thinking.  That is what we see today in all these denominations.

And Paul said it would get worse and worse in the churches as the time neared the return of Jesus.

While the apostles were recognized in the church, they did the work of apostle, keeping the perversions out of the church.

Paul said he knew after his departing perversions in doctrine would enter the church through men who were just waiting to take over in the church.  Acts 20

Then after Paul, many church groups set up a doctrine saying there are no apostles after Paul.

The Bible does not teach this.

Cling to this truth:

After Jesus arose, HE gave gifts to the church.  

Ephesians 4:11-12  And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Paul was not the last apostle but one of the first of the NT apostles after Jesus arose.

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