What are the Biblical qualifications that will allow someone to be called, or to call themselves an apostle? Many today, as well as in the past, have taken it upon themselves to call themselves apostles. These men do not fill the requirements laid out in the Scriptures. In this are they in error.
An apostle is a messenger chosen by God to fulfill a special commission. They are clothed with authority as His authorized oracle. Christ was called an apostle.
Hebrews 3:1, “Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.”
Apostles are selected of God:
Acts 1:24, “Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two (Justus, and Mattias) thou hast chosen.”
Acts 9:15, “Go thy way: for He (Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.”
Being commissioned:
2 Corinthians 4:7, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Qualifications:
2 Corinthians 12:12, “The signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.”
The mission of an apostle:
Acts 26:17-18, “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me (Paul.)”
An apostle’s responsibility:
1 Corinthians 4:1-4, “Ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. — stewards, that a man be found faithful. I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 9:27, “I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means, whin I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
Faithfulness of an apostle:
2 Timothy 4:7-8, “I (Paul) have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but all them also that love his appearing.”
The essential requisites, of being an apostle:
They were to have been an eye witness.
John 15:27, “And ye (the apostles) also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me (Jesus) from the beginning.”
Also for Mattias who succeeded Judas did this applied,
Acts 1:21-22, “These men (Mattias, and Justus) 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 (Jesus) was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection.”
All the apostles said,
1 John 1:3, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you.” Paul also,
1 Corinthians 15:8, “And last of all, He (Jesus) was seen of me (Paul.)”
1 Corinthians 9:1, “Am I (Paul) not an apostle? — have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?
To claim to be an apostle they must have been immediately called and chosen to the office by Jesus Christ Himself.
Luke 6:13, “He (Jesus) called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.”
Galatians 1:1, “Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father.”
Infallible inspiration was also necessary to qualify for this office.
John 16:13, Jesus speaking to the apostles, “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth.”
The apostles were to explain in the truest sense, and in spirit, the O.T. and also to reveal the mysteries of the N.T. to the world, and all generations that followed.
The gospel must be received from them as the word of God, and not the word of men.
1 Thessalonians 2:13, “When we received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men.”
1 John 4:6, “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth, and spirit of error.”
Having the power of working miracles:
As in speaking various languages, curing the lame, healing the sick, raising the dead, discerning of spirits, and conferring these gifts to others.
Mark 16:20, “And they (the apostles) went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following Amen.”
These were the credentials of their mission.
Hebrews 2:4, “God also bearing them (the apostles) witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost.”
These men were not ordinary pastors, or teachers, restricted to a particular church or denomination, but they being the oracles of God to men, and having the care of the early churches.
2 Corinthians 11:28, “Those things that — cometh upon me (Paul) daily, the care of all the churches.”
They were to settle all controversies, Acts 16:4, also they held the rod of discipline for offenders, 1 Corinthians 5:3-6.
What is a disciples?
A disciple is a student or follower who accepts, and helps spread the teachings of others. Its the acceptance in mind, and life of the views and practices of a particular teacher, group, or denomination.
John the Baptist had his, Matthew 9:14, “Then came to him (Jesus) the disciples of John.”
The Pharisees had theirs, Matthew 22:16, “And they (the Pharisees) sent out unto him (Jesus) their disciples.”
Moses had his, John 9:28, “We are Moses disciples.”
But usually when we speak of disciples in the N.T. we speak of those who followed Christ. Even here, the 12 apostles were referred to as disciples.
Matthew 10:1, 11:1, “When Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples.”
Generally followers of Jesus were NOT called “Christians,” until the founding of the church at Antioch. Acts 11:26, “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”
There are both male, and female disciples.
Matthew 10:24, “The disciple is not above his master.”
Matt.5:1, “Seeing the multitudes, He (Jesus) went up into a mountain: and when He was seated, His disciples came unto him.”
Specifically of the twelve apostles:
Matthew 20:17, “And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way.”
Emphatic, for true disciples:
John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
John 15:8, “Herein is my Father glorified, the ye (the 12) bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples.”
After Christ’s death the term disciples takes the broader sense of followers, believers, as in Christian,
Acts 6:1-2, 11:26, “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”
Greek mathousaia indicates a female disciple, as in a female Christian, Acts 9:36,
“There was a certain disciple named Tabtha, — this woman was full of good works and alms (charitable deeds) which she did.”
Phillip Laspino www.seekfirstwisdom.com