Jesus 12 Apostles - The Office and Purpose

During some email back and forth with a gentleman who says he has been a Christian for a few years, I brought up the subject of the “New Testament church,” a term he had never heard before. He seemed to have more than average bible knowledge on paper though it would have been more revealing if we could have had a face to face conversation. I admit, email isn't the best way to communicate bible theology and understanding. One of the questions he posed to me was,

“Do you not consider the Old Testament in your studies and worship practices as authoritative alongside the New Testament, it’s the word of God too?”

This is a very good question that is prevalent throughout Evangelical and Protestant churches and movement’s  that can be easily addressed for which I answered, "The Old Testament is deeply studied and understood to be just what it means – the old covenant that has been replaced with the Law of Christ on the day of Pentecost when Apostle Peter preached his first official gospel sermon in Acts chapter 2. The old law had a veil over the hearts of its readers even today until they turn to Christ and His new covenant Law."

 

Apostle Paul said:

"Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— unlike Moses,who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."   (2 Cor 3:14-18)

Secondly I revealed, "The old covenant was found to be with fault and broken by the Israelite's on a regular basis." In Hebrews 8:7-13 the Holy Spirit leaves us with a clear revelation that the old is obsolete and vanishing away making way for the new covenant that is now written in the minds and hearts of man.

I further explained that Jesus Christ and His Apostles are what the church should be focusing on in practice, worship, daily living and works for the Lord now. That all of the God breathed commands and instructions we have been blessed with in the New Testament will correctly and fully equip disciples for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness for every good work (2Timothy 3:16). We are no longer under the old Law, but under Grace through the Gospel.

Then while conversing with my friend about salvation and how to be saved, he confidently stated that, “When we read the words of Jesus, we had better listen to them more than the Apostles. His words count the most.” 

 

To this I replied, “Actually, if you believe every Word in the Bible is from God (Psalm 119:160, Matt 4:4), the words and teachings by the Apostles hold the same weight as the Lords in that it was and is the Holy Spirit (God) that inspired these great workers for the Lord to write down with their own hand exactly what God wanted written. All 12 of them had the same perfect and exact teachings from Jesus the Christ Himself!” (John 17:6-8) I didn't get a response which is what I expected.

All too often, good hearted, well meaning folks, who "call themselves Christians," cut themselves short of what God is fully trying to communicate to them. They miss the mark. I am not one that knows everything God wants me to know, in fact I learn more and more week by week, year by year as any other Christian working out their salvation with fear and trembling does (Phil. 2:12). But, my suspicion of these good people is that they have been incorrectly taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and have yet to fully obey Him to truly be forgiven of their sins and receive and be sealed with the Holy Spirit in order to be equipped to properly discern spiritual things. Jesus is still waiting for these unsaved believers to properly obey the gospel and be baptized by faith in the working of God for the remission of sins (Acts 22:16), and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) thereby lifting the veil and walking in newness of life in Christ.

These lessons will help the seeker and the disciple understand just how important and powerful the words of the 12 Apostles are in Gods plan for mankind. May you be richly blessed…

By Jeff Hamilton

By Clinton Hamilton

Lesson by Wayne Jackson - Christian Courier

"Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel: wherein I suffer hardship unto bonds, as a malefactor; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory."

           

Charts courtesy Barnes Bible Charts