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.

The Bible is about God.

Yet people read it for political proofs, religious ideology, for use as a weapon against those with whom they disagree or find unacceptable and as a verification for their own heresies or adrenaline to feed their “I’m-right” ego.

The Bible is about being on God’s Team (with God as the highest honcho) and non-debatable love for each and every one of God’s creations.

If your reading gives you permission to judge and condemn anyone of any time or place, prideful assurance that your doctrine or culture is superior to others, or seems useful as an excuse to abuse or hold power over others, you are not reading The Bible God commissioned, but a social distortion for human justification for wrongdoing.

“The tree had fruit that was good to eat, nice to look at, and desirable for making someone wise [“like a god” Genesis 3:5]” Genesis 3:6.

From the beginning people chose whatever satisfied their personal consumption, titillated them in their vision and set them up to play god.

The Divine Plan was for people to serve in creation, walk with God and nurture each other.

I plan, God being my helper, to follow the Plan and benefit the Community, not my little self-centred, self-created universe. Yes, the price is high, but it is better than the religious vandalism that allows people to mutilate creation and destroy other people.

There are only two kinds of people: those who act like God and those who play God. The first are motivated by deep, compassionate love and show respect. The others claim to know best for everyone else and impose their opinions on others with contempt. John Milton accurately portrays this impulse of humans (through the voice of Satan) by writing:
Here we may reign secure, and in my choice
To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav’n.
(John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book II, Lines 240-242)
The theory of those who play God is, even if you can’t reign in real hell, make life hell for others and dominate them.
The theory of those who act like God is, by devotion to the worth of others, make the world a better place.

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.

If organized religion was faithful in serving Jesus they would not need public protest and media manipulation to replace their cultural irrelevance.

Note: [The evidence for faithfulness is love, and that is demonstrated by feeding the hungry, providing safe water for the thirsty, welcoming strangers, providing climate appropriate clothing to the naked, visiting those who are sick to provide for their needs and socializing with those in jail. (Matthew 25:35-36)]