Matthew 16:18-19
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." NIV
The Lord first announced the building of His church back in Mat 16. This was a clear declaration revealing God’s intents to actually build a people He called church. God actually took personal responsibility for this when He said, “I will build my church”. Jesus is therefore directly involved in the building process.
The birthing of the Church
Acts 2:1-4
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. NIV
Acts 2:15-17
15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
We can say that the church was “officially” launched by the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The 120 disciples led by Peter and other apostles were in the upper room when they were filled by the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other tongues.
There are several things we can note in the birthing of Church:
1) The birthing of the church was preceded by a discussion between Jesus and the disciples concerning the kingdom of God. The word says “He (Jesus) appeared over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).
2) The birthing of the church manifested itself in the release of the Holy Spirit. Without the embracing of the full ministry of the Spirit in our lives and in the life of the church, there can be no proper and effective functioning of church in the earth. We have to understand that the Spirit of God gives us both fruit and gifts. Jesus defines the functions of the Holy Spirit in the scriptures:
a) He is described as “another Counsellor” (John 14:16). The word “another” is very important. In the Greek it means “another of the same kind”. There is a different word translated as “another” which means “another of a different kind”. So the Holy Spirit is not different in nature to the Father and the Son. He is the Spirit of the Father and He is the Spirit of Christ. The Spirit of God has the same character as that of Jesus as seen in the gospels.
b) He teaches us all things (John 14:26).
c) He reminds us of everything (John 14:26), i.e. He keeps the commands of the Lord alive in our hearts.
d) He convicts of us (John 16:8).
e) He will reveal truth in us (John 16:13).
f) He will reveal to us the future (unfolding of God’s purpose) and God’s prophetic imperatives (John 16:13).
g) He produces the fruit of mature character in us (Gal 5:22-25).
h) He will empower us with spiritual gifts or divine abilities from God (1 Cor 12:4-11).
3) The birthing of the church manifested itself in the fulfilment of a Prophetic Promise: this therefore means that correct church existence and operations should constantly bring prophetic promises to pass. In the context of Acts 2, the prophetic promise was Joel 2:28-32. The church must exist to fulfil the intents of God for human life.
4) The birthing of the church manifested itself in the release of new spiritual abilities and competences. The word says, “they began speaking in other tongues”. Those who heard them speak said, “are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?” (Acts 2:7-8). The word continues to say, “your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams” (Acts 2:17). The proper operation of the church should see a full activation and release of people in the divine abilities of God.
The Dark Ages: In about AD 300 to AD 500, the church fell in terms of it’s doctrine and representation of Christ. This led to the period that is known as the Dark Ages. It was during this period that the Roman Catholic Church was birthed in the earth.
During this period, the church lost most revelation-truths and fell deep into empty religious practices.
Martin Luther’s Protestant Movement (the Reformation)
In 1500s, one of the German priests inside the Roman Catholic system began seeing the light concerning some of the truths of the Gospel. He began proclaiming the “justification by faith” and thus brought truth that moved people away from the religion of “works” (Rom 1:17, Eph 2:5-9). Martin Luther also proclaimed “the priesthood of all believers” and thus empowered many peasants or “low class citizens” who were disempowered under the authority of Roman Catholic priests. Martin Luther’s reformation literally brought equalisation back into the church and society in general. Here is what God says, “from the least to the greatest, they will all know me” (Heb 8:11). God also speaks about issues of equality in the following scriptures (Eph 2:14-19, 2 Cor 8:13-15).
We enjoy the basic truths of salvation today because of Martin Luther’s efforts and sacrifices.
The Progressive Restoration of the Church
Martin Luther’s reformation triggered a restoration process inside the church that has brought us to where we are today. Subsequent to Martin Luther’s move, there has been many other moves that have brought light, truth and adjustment to the church’s doctrine, perspective, existence and operations.
Acts 3:19-20
19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you-even Jesus. NIV
Acts 3:21
21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. NIV
The Importance of the Church’s Restoration Process: the word of God says in Acts 3:21 that Jesus is not coming back until church is fully restored according to the prophetic declarations of the Prophets. There are things that the prophets declared concerning the church age that must be fulfilled. The word says that when they prophesied, these (mostly Hebrew) prophets were not serving themselves but future church generations (1 Pet 1:10-12). Prophets like Isaiah spoke of a church that would transform nations (Isa 2:1-4). Prophets like Jeremiah spoke of the church that would confront and conquer the entire world civilisation (Babylon), Jer 50 & 51. If this church generation chooses not to build and engage in these prophetic promises (just as the early church engaged in their prophetic promises), then God will wait for a “Joshua-kind” of generation that will have the necessary faith, determination and obedience to walk into the “Promised Land”. Jesus must remain in heaven until church is fully restored according to the declarations of the Prophets.
The Nature of the Restoration Process
Isa 28:13 But the word of the LORD was to them, "Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little…
God has been restoring the church progressively, laying precept upon precept. He keeps on laying a stone (new truth) in Zion.
1 Peter 2:4-6
4 As you come to him, the living Stone-rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him- 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:
"See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame." NIV
Paul clearly indicates that God reveals things that have not been revealed to the past generations.
Ephesians 3:1-6
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. NIV
Jesus also mentions this:
Matthew 13:16-17
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
NIV
“Seeing” and “hearing” are not only dependent upon our prophetic gifts but also and primarily upon the Lord’s willingness to reveal something. If the Lord does not reveal it, we will not see it and we will not hear it.
So, different church generations have had new sight or revelation truth from God. However, that which the Lord has revealed in the past is not thrown away; it becomes a foundation upon which we build new revelational platforms.
Hebrews 6:1
1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, NIV
So even though this current church generation is seeing new things in God and yet we still believe in salvation, water baptism, Holy Spirit baptism, praying in tongues, holiness etc. As Heb 6:1 says, the old becomes the foundation upon which we build the new. It is important however to state that the new does not simply become an “add-on” to the old, consider the following verses:
Mark 2:21
21 "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. NIV
Mark 2:22
22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins." NIV
Hebrews 8:13
13 By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. NIV
Moving into new revelational positions (as an individual believer, a church community or the Body of Christ) always requires a very mature spiritual administration where we both (a) establish the old truths as a foundation as we move into the new and (b) allow the new not to be simply an “add-on” but our new spiritual framework. That is, the new will always allow us to see the old in a new light. In fact, the new fulfils the old, in the same way that Jesus was the fulfilment of the law (Matt 5:17).
Revelation of New Truth does not mean that God changes. The word is clear in that God does not change in His nature and Character but we change in our understanding of God.
1 Corinthians 13:9-12
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. NIV
Proverbs 4:18
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day. NIV
The word talks about the fact that we grow in the knowledge of God (Col 1:10).
So therefore movement into new positions is really about:
· The maturity of our sight of God (new revelational understanding).
· The maturity of our lives in God (transformation).
The Importance of Knowing the Historical and Current Restorational Processes of Church
Acts 19:1-7
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"
They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
3 So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
"John's baptism," they replied.
4 Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. NIV
We are told about the disciples of John in Ephesus who had lost track of the Lord’s doings. These were good believers who had no intention of disobeying the Lord. The issue is that they were not informed about the birthing of church that took place in the upper room in Jerusalem.
How many good believers today who love the Lord but who are simply not updated or knowledgeable about the recent Restorational processes that are currently significantly changing church’s existence and operations. These disciples in Acts 19 had not even heard that there was a Holy Spirit. Their last encounter with God was at the River Jordan with John the Baptist. What can we see in this?
· Even though these disciples emerged from John the Baptist’s Movement, they clearly did not fully understand that movement because everything John said pointed to the ultimate emergence of Christ. This points to issues of studying and understanding clearly, the role a particular move is here to play.
· These disciples obviously disconnected themselves from the rest of the other disciples of John the Baptist. There were some disciples of John who left John to be with Jesus. John himself spoke repeatedly about Jesus to his own disciples. Relational disconnection leads to a situation where we are not updated about the Lord. When we study the Bible carefully, we realise that there are things that the Lord will say to us directly but there are things that He will send to us via other people (see example in 2 Tim 2:2 “…the things you have heard from me…”). The problem today is that everybody wants to hear directly from the Lord. There are things that only certain people have been called to administer and discharge in the earth. Paul spoke about “his gospel”. He said that “I became a servant of this gospel” (Eph 3:7). He talks about “the mystery made known to me by revelation” (Eph 3:3). And he continues to say here that “this grace or insight” was given to him for the church (Eph 3:1&2). So therefore if God has entrusted certain truths with somebody then it means that we have to connect relationally with that person in order to partake of that truth.
So these Ephesian disciples were robbed in their spiritual development simply because “they had not heard about” the new thing God was doing. Reading about history of church and talking to other trustworthy believers and leaders are all important measures that will help us keep updated of the Lord’s doings. Sometimes the idea of “local church” keeps us confined within our own four walls with the risk of being left behind. A question can be asked here as to “why didn’t the Lord reveal himself directly” to these disciples? An answer to this reveals clearly that God will not talk to everybody about everything.
The same thing happened to Cornelius in Acts 10. God did not speak directly to Cornelius concerning the gospel but rather He sent Peter. If Cornelius had chosen not to listen to Peter, he was going to stay ignorant regarding new developments in the kingdom of God.
Here is Jesus’ prayer:
John 17:20
20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, NIV
The advance of the kingdom of God is really through relational connections.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." NIV
What we must realise here is that there are those sent out to make disciples. Again the issue of relational joining is important here. Those being made into disciples need to listen to those who are making them.
The Restoration of Prophets and Apostles
Apostles and Prophets were fully functional in the Early Church. We see this in various scriptures:
Acts 15:6
6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. NIV
Acts 15:32
32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. NIV
Other gifts were also fully functional in the early church:
Acts 21:8-9
8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
NIV
Acts 13:1
1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. NIV
1 Peter 5:1-4
1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. NIV
So we have what we call the five building gifts in the church. These are gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher:
Ephesians 4:8-13
8 This is why it says:
"When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men."
9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. NIV
The full functioning of these five building gifts was lost in the church during the Dark Ages. The church came to believe that there were no longer apostles and prophets in the church; that the 12 Apostles of the Lamb were the last apostles to function in the church.
The word of God does not teach this. Here is what the verse says:
Ephesians 4:11-13
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. NIV
So the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are to function in the church until the church is fully restored, matured and perfected in Christ. Until then, these five building gifts must continue to function in the church.
The Restoration of Prophets and Apostles (cont…)
The Lord began restoring the five building gifts from around the 1950s. Before this the Reformation Movement initiated by Martin Luther had been running largely in the European countries for sometime, with many other leaders contributing to it. God shifted to America with the Pentecostal Movement in the 1900s. The Charismatic Movement came into the church in the 1950s.
In the 1980s we had the Prophetic Movement which restored the full functionality of the office; ministry and dimension of Christ called the “prophet” back into the church.
In the 1990s we had the Apostolic Movement which restored the full functionality of the office; ministry and dimension of Christ called the “apostle” back into the church.
These were the two significant Moves (in the 80s and 90s) that began to accelerate the building process of church.
Matthew 23:34
34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. NIV
Ephesians 3:1-5
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. NIV
Ephesians 2:19-22
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. NIV
Luke 11:49
49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.' NIV
1 Corinthians 12:28
28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. NIV
There has been a tendency to carnally compare gifts in the church. Some people prefer the “gift of an evangelist” than “the gift of a teacher”. Some people prefer “the gift of an apostle” than “the gift of a prophet”. All this is nothing but lack of understanding and carnality in the church. These gifts are the very manifestation of the building dimensions of Christ. You therefore cannot compare Christ with Christ.
These gifts are working in collaboration and partnership to produce a perfect church in the earth. They are all needed and are all equally important in the equipping of the saints for the ministry. Some who have compared the gifts were confusing the “gift” with “personality”. For example, the evangelist is not always a person with a loud voice and dramatic personality. The job of an evangelist is announce the gospel and this has nothing to do with one’s personality. People do not get saved because of dramatic presentation but because of the Holy Spirit’s conviction in their hearts.
We can clearly see in the scriptures that “apostles and prophets” have a special partnership dimension and a special function in the building of church:
· They are deeply revelational in their function (Eph 3:5).
· They are foundational in their function (Eph 2:20).
· They are pioneers and reformers sent by God to bring adjustment and correction in the church (Luke 11:49).
Defining Apostolic Ministry
1 Corinthians 12:28
28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. NIV
Out of the 5 building gifts, apostolic ministry is one of the most misunderstood ministries in the church. To a large extent, this is due to the fact that it is a new ministry to all of us. Some people have gone ahead to try to put definitions to apostolic ministry and have in the process, confused many. For that reason, this section will be dedicated at putting some definitions of apostolic ministry.
The five gifts are building dimensions of Christ: Firstly, it is important to state that these five gifts must be seen as and they are in fact building dimensions of Christ. Like we said, you cannot compare Christ with Christ. In defining these, our emphasis is therefore not on individuals, titles or personalities but we are really looking at the structure and relationship of Christ’s building dimensions.
It becomes important to understand apostolic ministry because as 1 Cor 12:28, this is the first building dimension of the Lord. That is, you cannot start to build without this dimension. It is for this reason that the restoration of apostolic grace in the 1990s, led to a lot of emphasis on issues of building.
Defining the “Apostle”:
Jesus is the one who invented the ministry of an apostle in the church.
(a) Jesus is THE APOSTLE:
Hebrews 3:1
1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. NIV
Interestingly, the word talks about the need to “fix our thoughts” (to observe fully, to contemplate, to perceive) and “confess” Jesus, the apostle and the high priest. We have to confess (acknowledge, agree) the apostolic dimension of Christ. We have to embrace its operations within the Body of Christ.
He is the apostle (sent one) who was sent by the Father to the world:
John 4:34
34 "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. NIV
John 3:16
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. NIV
(b) Jesus appointed the first Apostles in the Church:
Mark 3:13-15
13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve-designating them apostles-that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. NIV
Luke 9:1-2
1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. NIV
Matthew 10:1-2
1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: NIV
Revelation 21:14
14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
NIV
Luke 11:49
49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.' NIV
In the Old Testament, we do not see anybody who is called “apostle” even though we see “types of apostles”. In the Old Testament, the ministries that were functional were: King, Prophet and Priest. That there are no individuals called “apostles” in the Old Testament does not mean that apostolic ministry and dimension did not exist in the Mind of God.
In defining the apostle, we will use different definition platforms which are all equally important in arriving at an understanding of what really is an apostle.
First Definition Platform: The meaning of the Word “Apostle”
Apostle: “he that is sent or a sent one; a delegate; a commissioner; an ambassador”. The root meaning of this word is: “to send out on a mission”.
Based on the definition, the issue of functioning as an apostle has the following things to consider:
· It emphasises the relationship between the apostle (the sent one) and the one who sends (Jesus Christ). One can not step into full functionality as an apostle if one does not have a solid relationship with Christ the sender.
· Being an apostle has this issue of emphasising more the Sender and the Sender’s mission and less on the messenger himself (the Apostle). The ministry of an apostle is therefore rooted on certain platforms of humility, death to self etc.
· Being an apostle emphasises the centrality of the mission and the need therefore for an apostle to fulfil his mission in the earth. You cannot be an apostle and not be driven by God’s purpose.
· Being an apostle emphasises issues of Representation of the Sender (Christ) and the world from which you have been sent (the Kingdom of God). The apostle must represent Christ in character, deed and operations.
· The issue of being sent means that apostles function strictly under command. Apostleship is therefore a call into realms of obedience to the sending of the Lord.
· The issue of being sent means that apostles are pioneers both into spiritual and geographic territories. Apostles are spiritual pioneers in that they go ahead to discover truth for the church. Like Abraham, who discovered faith (Rom 4:1).
· The issue of being sent means that apostles interface with the world (the territories they are sent to) with a grace to advance the kingdom of God.
Second Definition Platform: Christ, the “Apostle”
Hebrews 3:1
1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. NIV
As has been stated before, true apostleship proceeds from the reality of Christ Himself being the Apostle who was sent to the world.
What are some of the things we can extract from Christ to create an understanding of what defines an apostle?
· Son-ship: He was sent as a Son. This further means that true apostleship is built upon a platform of “one’s state of life” (one’s Son-ship before the Father) and not upon a platform of “activity and ministry”. Ministry gets discharged from correct and mature life.
Further Considerations on Son-ship: Son-ship is not a title we earn because we are Christians or because we have heard a preaching on Son-ship. Son-ship is a spiritual position we enter into triggered both by (a) our revelation of our calling as God’s sons and (b) our process of development and maturity unto Son-ship. “Maturity” here is not one of “ministry” but one of character. Consider the following issues:
· Although Jesus was sent as a Son, He had to go through a process of maturing to become a Son. That is, His was functional son-ship and not just revelation-based son-ship.
Hebrews 5:8-9
8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him NIV
Hebrews 2:10
10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. NIV
· There was a day God “publicly” declared Jesus as His Son. This was after a process of being tested through suffering. So Jesus stepped into Functional Son-ship.
Psalms 2:7
7 I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
He said to me, "You are my Son;
today I have become your Father. NIV
Hebrews 5:5
5 So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,
"You are my Son;
today I have become your Father." NIV
Luke 3:21-22
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." NIV
· We also, have to come to positions of Functional Son-ship. When we declare ourselves to be God’s sons, we cannot be doing so simply because we read a scripture (even though revelational insight is important); we however must declare our Son-ship from a position of “Functional-Son-ship”. This means that we can demonstrate our Son-ship through a quality lifestyle, matured character and matured mentality.
Romans 8:19
19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. NIV
Romans 8:23
23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. NIV
Galatians 4:1-7
1 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
NIV
· One of the main issues coming out of Gal 4 is that Son-ship must be a functional reality. We cannot call ourselves God’s sons if we are still worldly and Babylonian in our characters, lifestyles, worldviews etc. (Gal 4:3).
So Son-ship must not only be a revelation-based declaration. Son-ship must be a functional reality. It is clear in the scriptures that we are all called to be God’s sons. Son-ship is therefore our ultimate position and inheritance in Christ (Gal 4:5, Rom 8:23).
Second Definition Platform: Christ, the Apostle (cont…)
What are some of the things we can extract from Christ to create an understanding of what defines an apostle?
· Sacrifice: He was given to the World to die for the sins of God’s people.
· Execution and finishing: true apostles are not preoccupied with titles but with the need to engage in kingdom business (John 4:34).
· Functional Representation of the Nature of God (John 14:9, Heb 1:2).
· Bringing the world to a place of correct design of life (John 1:29).
Third Definition Platform: Apostles as Wise Master Builders
1 Corinthians 3:10
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder (or wise master builder), and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. NIV
Paul, the apostle, talks about the grace in his life making him a wise master builder. This is the same grace that was recognised by Peter as the grace of an apostle (Gal 2:7-10).
The word that Paul uses in 1 Cor 3:10 is the Greek work “sophos architekton”.
· “Sophos”: this was the word that was used to describe respected ancient Greek philosophers. The word defines one who is “skilful in the affairs of life”.
· “Architekton”: Greek word from which we get an English word “Architect”.
The grace of apostles is one of possessing understanding (wisdom) of correct shapes and designs of human life as defined by God. The grace of an apostle is one of understanding designs, blueprints and shapes of human life. Apostles are skilful designers of life. They have an inspiration to define and build the shapes of human life.
There are three very important components in the definition of an apostle that we see in 1 Cor 3:10:
· A) An apostle carries wisdom: This is not natural-academic wisdom; this is spiritual wisdom that comes not by experience but by grace. The wisdom is insight and understanding of God. Apostles are revelational by grace.
· B) An apostle carries architecture: An apostle has sight and understanding into the correct organisation of human life. He understands how human life needs to be structured.
· C) An apostle is a builder: an apostle is not a “theoretical grace”. Apostles have an ability to actually build the purpose of God in human life. They are not merely preachers but builders.
Based on the definition platforms we have been provided above, we then begin to realise that Apostles are Sent Ones with a correct design of life from God.
Galatians 2:7-8
7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. 8 For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. NIV
The scripture in Gal 2:7-8 means that Peter had a design of life for Jewish communities, to bring them into correct alignment with the kingdom of God. Paul, on the other side, had a design of life for Gentiles, to bring Gentile-nations into correct alignment with the Kingdom of God.
Apostles are spiritual architects sent by God with designs to build human life in their respective spheres or territories – Paul spoke about the issue of spheres (2 Cor 10:13-16). According to Gal 2:7-8, Peter’s sphere was the Jewish world and Paul’s was the Gentile world.
Fourth Definition Platform: Apostles are Wise Man
Luke 11:49
49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.' NIV
Matthew 23:34
34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. NIV
1 Corinthians 3:10
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise master builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. NIV
This definition platform is closely connected to the second one above (apostles as wise master builders).
“Wisdom” is the core signature of the apostolic grace. As we have stated before, this is not natural or academic wisdom, this is spiritual wisdom.
The word “wise men” used by Jesus in Matt 23:34 is the word “sophos”, the same word Paul uses to describe the nature of his grace as an Apostle. Note that the word “wise men” (or sophos) in Matt 23:34 is used interchangeably with the word “apostle” in Luke 11:49.
Sophos: as said before, the word was used to describe respected ancient philosophers. The word is further defined as “the ability to apply with skill what one knows; one who is skilled in the affairs of life; one who is enlightened”.
The word therefore defines the following spiritual positions:
· Revelational understanding and Insight.
· Skilful application of truth and knowledge.
Apostles are not theoretical in their orientation (they are not obsessed with spiritual insight), they possess both insight and application capacity. Wisdom therefore defines a core apostolic position. In this sense we can look at Solomon as a type of an apostolic grace.
Wisdom defines a Core Apostolic Position
Proverbs 8:1-2
1 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand; NIV
Proverbs 8:22-31
22 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
23 I was appointed from eternity,
from the beginning, before the world began.
24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth,
when there were no springs abounding with water;
25 before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
26 before he made the earth or its fields
or any of the dust of the world.
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29 when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30 Then I was the craftsman at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind. NIV
Describing the Nature of Apostolic Impartation
Proverbs 9:1-6
1 Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn out its seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her maids, and she calls
from the highest point of the city.
4 "Let all who are simple come in here!"
she says to those who lack judgment.
5 "Come, eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave your simple ways and you will live;
walk in the way of understanding. NIV
Proverbs 24:3
3 By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established; NIV
You will notice that just as Paul called himself a wise master builder, wisdom in Proverbs 8&9 is always associated with issues of building.
· Wisdom is the craftsman (Prov 8:30).
· Wisdom builds (Prov 9:1, Prov 24:3).
The fruit of apostolic impartation is an understanding of God that produces a correct understanding of life in the saints. The apostolic dimension calls us away from our “simple ways” (or worldly perspective, see also 1 Cor 3:1) to what the Bible refers to as “the way of understanding” in Prov 9:6. The ultimate goal of every apostolic ministry is to produce a people who are mature in Christ (Eph 4:13) and who are skilful in the affairs of life (Eph 3:10). Being “skilful in the affairs life” does not refer to carnality but spiritual maturity that expresses itself in the very conduct of our lives. So the intent of God is to express His wisdom to the principalities (Eph 3:10); it is to demonstrate His wisdom before the nations (Deut 4:5-8). This should be the goal of every authentic apostolic ministry.
Wisdom: the issue of Craftsmanship
Proverbs 8:30
30 Then I was the craftsman at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence, NIV
Prov 8:30
Then I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was daily His delight,NASU
Pro 8:30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him (NKJV)
Prov 8:30 Then I [Wisdom] was beside Him as a master and director of the work; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing before Him always, AMP
Pro 8:30 I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence (NLT).
The word used in Prov 8:30 defines “one who is a skilled architect”. The root meaning of this word is: “to build up, to support”.
The interesting thing here is that this definition agrees with what Paul says in 1 Cor 3:10.
The Apostolic Dimension in the Crafting of the World and Nations
Acts 17:24
24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. NIV
Romans 1:20
20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. NIV
The word used as “world” here is the word kosmos. This word is defined as “an orderly arrangement”. The word therefore speaks of a system of life; it does not simply speak of the different elements of creation.
God created the world system. This very same system was defiled by man.
Romans 5:12
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned- NIV
The world system, in its original state was not corrupted. It was only corrupted by the evil heart of man in Gen 3:6.
2 Peter 1:4
4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. NIV
Ephesians 2:1-2
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. NIV
It is the children of disobedience, the lawless generations that have corrupted the life systems of God, e.g. cultures, ideology, law etc.
God created the world system (Acts 17:24) and wisdom (or the apostolic dimension) says the ff.
Proverbs 8:22-31
22 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
23 I was appointed from eternity,
from the beginning, before the world began.
24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth,
when there were no springs abounding with water;
25 before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
26 before he made the earth or its fields
or any of the dust of the world.
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29 when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30 Then I was the craftsman at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind. NIV
Quite clearly, the core building dimension that was functioning in the process of the creation of the world was the apostolic dimension (wisdom). God has taken the same dimension and has given it as a gift to the church (Eph 4:11). The restoration of the apostolic dimension of Christ now allows us to begin to build a church that can interact with the nations. A church that, as a nation, can step into “nations-ministry”.
Isaiah prophesied:
Isaiah 2:1-4
1 This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
2 In the last days
the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
3 Many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
4 He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore. NIV
Isaiah 60:1-3
1 "Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn. NIV
We will not be able to rebuild the nations without the full release and acceptance of the apostolic grace in the church.
The Apostolic Dimension as the First Building Dimension of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:28
28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. NIV
Proverbs 8:22-23
22 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
23 I was appointed from eternity,
from the beginning, before the world began. NIV
Pro 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
Proverbs 4:7
7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding. NIV
The scriptures above tell us of the first-ness of the apostolic dimension (wisdom). It’s the first-ness of the dimension and not simply of human beings. That is, this has nothing to do with titles and positions but grace functionalities of the Kingdom of God. Church has not been able to function properly in the past years because we lacked the apostolic grace. This does not in any way diminish the other 4 building dimensions of Christ. Remember, we said that you cannot compare Christ with Christ. What is clear in the scriptures is that the building dimensions of Christ are structured in a ranking order and in a certain sequence. Everything in the kingdom is structured in a certain ranking order. E.g. There are angels and archangels. God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is never the other way round. This reveals the reality of rank within the Godhead. The Son serves and submits to the Father, and yet they are all equally God. We cannot understand these structures with our carnal-democratic minds. We need to think according to the patterns of the Spirit in order to appropriate spiritual truth (1 Cor 2:14). This ranking reality of the kingdom shapes even human life, husbands are heads and wives are to submit. There are fathers and sons etc.
So God has set the apostolic dimension first as a priority building dimension of the Body of Christ.
Apostles and the Kingdom of God
True Apostles understand that they sent by Christ and they are sent from the kingdom of God. They therefore walk in an ambassadorial dimension as kingdom delegates who have come into the world to advance the purposes of the Kingdom.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. NIV
Apostles understand the centrality of their mandate, which is the Kingdom of God. This is the gospel they preach.
Matthew 10:1-2
1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; NIV
Matthew 10:7
7 As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' NIV
Since the Apostolic Movement in the 1990s, church has stepped into a new position of emphasising the kingdom of God. This process is underway and is maturing as God reveals His kingdom to us. The kingdom of God is the rule of God, a system of life that speaks into the arrangement of human life in the earth. Apostle Paul was very strong in preaching a Gospel of the Kingdom that spoke into correct and just human existence.
Ephesians 3:6
6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. NIV
Galatians 3:28
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. NIV
Ephesians 2:14-19
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, NIV
Paul preached:
· A gospel of justice (Eph 3:6, Gal 3:28).
· A gospel of shared life (Eph 3:6).
· A gospel of equality and equal access (Eph 2:18) .
· A gospel of integration (Eph 2:14-17).
· A gospel of removal of all forms of class: ethnic, gender-based and socio-economic (Gal 3:28).
These are some of the core positions of the kingdom of God.
Apostles must produce Apostolic Believers
Genesis 1:11-12
11 Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. NIV
Ephesians 4:11-12
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up NIV
1 Corinthians 11:1
1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. NIV
1 Corinthians 4:16-17
16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. NIV
The basic reason for the functioning of all 5 building dimensions is so that they will reproduce themselves:
· Apostles must produce apostolic people.
· Prophets must not only prophesy but must produce prophetic people.
· Teachers must impart the teaching dimension or the understanding of the structure of the knowledge of God’s Word.
· Evangelists must impart an evangelistic spirit, producing an evangelistic people.
· Pastors must produce a pastoral people.
Gen 1:11 talks about the fact that “the land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds”. So every building dimension of Christ must produce after its kind. This issue demands the following:
· There must be a close relationship between the saints and those functioning in these building dimensions of Christ. This helps to remove mysticism concerning the functioning of these gifts and allows saints to have sight into the configuration or nature of these gifts.
· There must be more of an equipping process in the church, as those functioning in these 5 building dimensions equip and train believers to also step into these dimensions.
Paul said something very important to the Ephesians:
Ephesians 3:2
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, NIV
The release of every building dimension of Christ is not for the carrier or custodian of the gift but for the Body of Christ. So these graces or building dimensions need to be redistributed to believers. Here is the principle in Luke 3:
Luke 3:11
11 John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."
NIV
Apostolic Believers will be defined by the following characteristics:
Apostolic believers will resemble the same characteristics of apostles as seen in the definitions we have provided above.
· They will walk in a sent one dimension, seeing the Lord not only as their Saviour but also as their Sender.
· They will walk in the dimension of wisdom (or understanding) of God.
· They will be design oriented or architectural in their spiritual outlook.
· They will be building oriented, walking in dimensions of obedience.
· They will be kingdom oriented believers (Matt 6:33).
We are deep in the Apostolic Age that is bringing Reformation in the church, bringing the church back to the emphasis of the Kingdom of God. Unlike the disciples of John the Baptist in Acts 19, we have to be aware and participate fully in the current doings of the Spirit. This is part of our inheritance in the saints (Eph 1:15-18)!
