The indispensable standard the Bible gives for someone to be an Apostle is that it “must be one of the men who accompanied Jesus with us the entire time that the Lord Jesus was among us” (Acts 1:21 God’s Word©). “We apostles are those men who ate and drank with Jesus after he came back to life” (Acts 10:41 God’s Word©)

What, then, are we to do about Paul who claimed he was an Apostle? “I am an apostle sent to people who are not Jewish” (Acts 11:13 God’s Word©).

The Twelve were centred in Jerusalem, though they did minister beyond the Jewish people. Paul came from Tarsus in the Province of Cilicia (noted for a major university) in what is now Turkey. In other words, while Jesus began the Good News Realm in Israel, Paul began that ministry to the Roman world. He was both a scholar and Roman citizen, as well as a Jew, and is, therefore, the icon of the merging of all people into the “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God” community (Ephesians 4:5-6) under the authority of Jesus Christ. This unity is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ personally being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20).

We are told that Matthias replaced Judas Iscariot as the twelfth Apostle of God’s chosen people, but the Bible does not record any replacements of martyred Apostles, nor someone else taking on the mantle of Paul. The role played by them is not, therefore, perpetual, but foundational. “The disciples were devoted to the teachings of the apostles” (Acts 2:42 God’s Word©). These teachings are now contained in the New Testament, and there is no need, even a prohibition on, adding to them!

This leads to the realization that there are no Apostles in the Church of today.

Further, no Christian has authority over other believers at all (except where the community of faith must discern what to do with any member who persists in error and refuses correction). The Church must not be organized as a hierarchy, because “Jesus called the apostles and said, ‘You know that the rulers of nations have absolute power over people and their officials have absolute authority over people. But that’s not the way it’s going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant’ ” (Matthew 20:25-27 God’s Word©). The entire Church is an organization of those who serve, NOT those who lead and others who follow! That is another reason why there are no Apostles, because they exercised some authority to get things started, being the New Testament in flesh before it was Scripture. The long-term life of the Church rests upon service (Matthew 25:31-46), with only Jesus as the Head (eg Ephesians 1:10, 22, 4:15).

Humans like things organized because it gives them a sense of control, but one Christian having authority over others is always wrong. The pattern we have is: “Don’t let anyone look down on you for being young. Instead, make your speech, behavior, love, faith, and purity an example for other believers” (1 Timothy 4:12, God’s Word©); and, “Don’t be rulers over the people entrusted to you, but be examples for the flock to follow” (1 Peter 5:3 God’s Word©).

Anyone, therefore, who claims to be a modern day Apostle cannot be taken seriously.

In the God’s Word Translation the word “wait” occurs 162 times in the Bible! Why?

Because people, wanting to be like God, want to do when God wants to do it for us and through us. We are constantly forced to review the Garden of Eden sin, lusting “to be like God” (Genesis 3:4).

Today is the anniversary of Pentecost, the day the Body of Christ (Church) was truly born.

In a spectacular way God demonstrated that God can do it, and people can join in.

“Once, while [Jesus] was meeting with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for what the Father had promised. Jesus said to them, ‘I’ve told you what the Father promises: John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’|” (Acts 2:4-5 God’s Word Translation©)

The Church (not congregations) exists because God is at work, NOT because people are smart, skilled, or simply sensational.

Wait for God to lead, call and do. Serve God. Do not chase your need to be a famed or noticed champion deserving accolades and honour!

As I was in prayer today thanking God for the day, I also had to confess my sins, expressing with gratitude that God keeps teaching and training me. I also said that I chose to be a good student.

At that moment God flashed into my mind’s eye the great irony of that. I am beyond retirement age, with 3 university degrees and 2 professional certificates and I am still a pupil in the Saviour’s school learning the most difficult career with the most-required continuing education of any vocation in the world, namely, being a servant of the Most High God Almighty.

I have taught courses in 3 different seminaries and 2 Lay Schools and yet I am only barely qualified, with many provisos, to be a servant!

May I ever revel in being the least to point people to Creator God Who is the Most.

Not much wonder the Bible emphasizes humility and holiness over works and achievements.

“Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One)” (Philippians 3:8 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition©).

People underestimate how they are manipulated and controlled by culture. I am not talking conspiracy theories here. I refer to the habits and customs that surround us and which we follow without thinking about even when they turn us into an anti-Christ. This cannot be overstated.

I will speak only of the Canadian culture here (though it is part of what is termed the “western culture”). We have the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This particular cultural institution has become the foundational motivation for congregations that refuse to follow public health orders during the pandemic. Their claim is that they have freedom of religion in this document which means they are exempt from any law which they interpret to persecute their customary practice of religion. Notice that culture plays a double role in this fiasco.

The congregations are enveloped in a subculture that defines worship as meeting in a certain place at a certain time, and they define this further to be the primary definition of their identity. As prisoners of the wider culture of “rights” they use the secular laws to demand their religious laws as having priority over their responsibility for each other, inside and outside their circle.

This use of rights is entirely selfish. They refuse to see this because that would mean reviewing their subculture of privilege, that their right to act their way is superior to all other “rights”.

Jesus had the right to a fair trial, a right which was denied to the Christ. So did Jesus appeal the kangaroo court? Did Jesus whine on the cross about personal innocence and the injustice foisted upon the “Sinless One”?

No, because secular rights, won or argued in secular courts (or even religious courts) betrays an attitude of mastery or control instead of servanthood.

Here is the extreme example to verify the stand of the Bible (Matthew 5:40-41). Jesus taught that if someone sues you for your shirt, give them your coat also. If you are compelled by a military or civic power to carry a load for one mile, then carry it for two. “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44).

If a public health order suspends the “right” of congregations to meet en masse in their precious edifice, then the congregation should not only obey it, but over-obey it somehow.

Instead we have self-righteous religious fanatics demanding their “human” rights to reject the teaching of Jesus, deny their community responsibilities, publicly declare that they have superior rights to others in the culture and forfeit the role of serving in their arena of operation.

What is their justification to abandon what identifies people as followers of Jesus instead of self and culture? They are heroes (self-appointed, alas) who are fighting for the human rights of all religious and spiritual people! I don’t need that. “If God is for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31b).

Jesus is The Model for our living. Sometimes we skip over some of the things that are in the Bible to hold us to true and faithful servanthood. Instead we hold to doctrines and teachings rooted in this life while ignoring the eternal lessons lived out by Jesus while here on earth.

Jesus lived holy humility. Jesus did not claim divine authority, or cosmic power, though both were a part of Christ’s persona. God Jesus submitted to God the Father in order to fulfill the divine mission of salvation, despite the trauma that lay ahead to fulfill that.

We humans complain about every inconvenience, ignoring what Jesus really did for us. Humility is a God-like attribute. It calls us to serve and sacrifice, as Jesus did.

Yet we humans, frail and mortal and truly finite, abuse messages like that “we can go confidently to the throne of God’s kindness” (Hebrews 4:16 God’s Word Translation©), using it as an invitation to confront God with authority and power in our arrogance instead of humble gratitude.

We claim what is due us, even when it is not due us!

We do not rejoice when God is glorified by our life, standing instead with satisfaction that we are gifted to do mighty things (so we think).

Humility is a forever attitude, which is too often replaced with power over, undeserved authority and claims for benefits here on earth.