Here is a worthwhile quote from Bernard, a saint many hundred years ago, as quoted by Richard Baxter in his book The Reformed Pastor:
Some desire to know merely for the sake of knowing, and that is shameful curiosity. Some desire to know that they may sell their knowledge, and that too is shameful. Some desire to know for reputation's sake, and that is shameful vanity. But there are some who desire to know that they may edify others, and that is praiseworthy; and there are some who desire to know that they themselves may be edified, and this wise.
May we have the perception to grasp why lies at the heart of our desire to learn more, and, above all, may that desire be honoring to God!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Are Apostles Alive Today?
Over the last century, the uprising of the charismatic movement has yielded many questions; not least of which is the notion of whether apostleship exists today. Questions on the definition of an apostle abound in this age. Many believe that apostles do exist today. Experience and Scripture are appealed to on both sides. For those who affirm its existence, Paul's statement in Ephesians 4:11-12 is cited, "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ." No doubt apostles have at one time existed, but do they exist today?
The short answer, biblically speaking, must be "no," but various cavaets must be clearly admitted. The word "apostle" can carry a number of different meanings. Coming from the Greek "apostolos," which derives from its cognate "apostello," (which means "to send") some have suggested that an apostle is "one who is sent." An apostle can carry some idea of one who is sent, but this is rather short-sighted. One cannot always define a word by looking at its verbal cognate. For example, the Greek word for church is "ekklesia," which comes from the words "ek" (meaning "out of") and "kalleo" (meaning "to call"). This, however, does not mean that the church is simply the "called out ones"--although in some senses this is true--but the church is either referred as a local assembly of believers or an universal body of saints. Words must be defined as they are used in each context. Authors give meaning to the words they use, although I do confess that words generally have a limit of possible meaning.
It the strictest definition of the word; however, apostles are alive today. Though it can carry the definition of "a sent one," it is predominantly used in the New Testament as one who "stands in" for someone, namely, God himself. He is in a sense commissioned by God, but, more specifically, he is one who speaks on behalf of God himself. So, in this sense, apostles are alive today, for their letters exist. When we read Ephesians, Romans, or the Gospel according to Matthew, we must not think of their books as the musings of another equally-gifted believer, but rather as an apostle, one who utters the words of God himself. Paul speaks as an authority, because he is not only an emissary (sent one) from God, but proclaims God's truth in all its convicting authority.
The short answer, biblically speaking, must be "no," but various cavaets must be clearly admitted. The word "apostle" can carry a number of different meanings. Coming from the Greek "apostolos," which derives from its cognate "apostello," (which means "to send") some have suggested that an apostle is "one who is sent." An apostle can carry some idea of one who is sent, but this is rather short-sighted. One cannot always define a word by looking at its verbal cognate. For example, the Greek word for church is "ekklesia," which comes from the words "ek" (meaning "out of") and "kalleo" (meaning "to call"). This, however, does not mean that the church is simply the "called out ones"--although in some senses this is true--but the church is either referred as a local assembly of believers or an universal body of saints. Words must be defined as they are used in each context. Authors give meaning to the words they use, although I do confess that words generally have a limit of possible meaning.
It the strictest definition of the word; however, apostles are alive today. Though it can carry the definition of "a sent one," it is predominantly used in the New Testament as one who "stands in" for someone, namely, God himself. He is in a sense commissioned by God, but, more specifically, he is one who speaks on behalf of God himself. So, in this sense, apostles are alive today, for their letters exist. When we read Ephesians, Romans, or the Gospel according to Matthew, we must not think of their books as the musings of another equally-gifted believer, but rather as an apostle, one who utters the words of God himself. Paul speaks as an authority, because he is not only an emissary (sent one) from God, but proclaims God's truth in all its convicting authority.
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