THE CHURCH 2
THE CHURCH 2
Now let us look at some of the characteristics of false apostles before moving on. Scriptures warn against them and we need to be able to correctly discern them. It is very easy to be deceived by them because they are so charismatic (CP 2Cor 11:4 15). False apostles are counterfeits of the devil the same as all other false teachers, and the only sure way to guard against being taken in by them is to test their teaching according to God's word (CP Ac 17:10 11; 2Pe 1:16 19). In 2Pe 1:16 19 Peter teaches us that scripture is the only proof text we have with which to measure any teaching in the church against, and even though we may also be eyewitness to a truly great spiritual experience as Peter himself was at the transfiguration of Jesus, if any teaching does not have its authority in scripture, then we must disregard it completely, the same as the church at Ephesus did (CP Rev 2:1 7). Christians are commanded to test every teaching that comes into the church (CP Ac 17:10-11; 1Th 5:21; 2Pe 1:16-19; 1Jn 4:1). PROPHETS: from the Greek word prophetes means "a proclaimer of divine truth". Prophets are placed second in the order of ministry gifts Christ gave to the church to prepare and equip it for service (CP Eph 4:11 12; 1Cor 12:28). Yet there are many who teach that together with apostles the ministry gift of prophet no longer exists; that it ceased with the first century church. But as our study on apostles show, that is not correct (CP Mt 24:14; Jn 17:18 21; Eph 3:1 12; 4:7 16; 5:25 27). Scriptures clearly teach that Christ has given the ministry gifts of Eph 4:11 to the church and ordained them all to remain there while ever the church exists. They are all vitally necessary - "for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry" (CP Eph 4:11 12). Perfecting in V12 means "to make fully ready", which defines the completed process outlined in V13 16 (CP Eph 4:13 16). We learned all these truths in our study on apostles but they need to be re stated here. All the ministry gifts Christ gave to the church will remain there until God's purpose for the church is accomplished, which can only ever be when it has fulfilled its mission on earth and is taken up to heaven to be with Jesus (CP Eph 2:19 20). This further emphasizes the continuing importance of apostles and prophets in God's purpose for the church and underlines the reason why they are placed first and second in the order of ministry gifts Christ gave to the church. God includes them with Jesus as the foundation of the church. Foundation in this context is used metaphorically of the ministry of the gospel and the doctrines of faith the church is built upon the teachings of the apostles and prophets. It is their responsibility to bring clarification and illumination concerning God's word to the church and to those they are establishing in the faith. They are both teachers and preachers.
Those who teach that the ministry gift of prophet ceased with the first century church equate the prophet's function in the contemporary church to the "pastor's" sermons and preaching. Nowhere in scripture however is the term "pastor" ever used to define rank, authority or title of anyone in the New Testament church which we also learned in our study on apostles, yet there are many men designated prophets: Paul (or Saul as he was known then), Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen (CP Ac 13:1); Agabus (CP Ac 11:27 28; 21:10 11); Judas surnamed Barsabus, and Silas (CP Ac 15:22,27,32). Barnabas, whose name actually means prophet, was so named by the apostles (CP Ac 4:36 37). Remember that Paul, Barnabas and Silas were also apostles as well as prophets, and we will find that they were evangelists and teachers as well. They functioned in all the ministry gifts, as also did Timothy and others, as we shall see shortly. The function of prophet as one of the ministry gifts of Eph 4:11 in the New Testament church is not to be confused with the gift of prophecy, one of the nine gifts, or manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the church (CP 1Cor 12:7 11). These are not ministry gifts but manifestations of the Spirit which only operate at certain times when the need arises and according to the earnest desire of the believer (CP 1Cor 14:1 4). The gift of prophecy here is potentially available to every believer baptized in the Holy Spirit but it is only for specific occasions, whereas the ministry gift of prophet is a permanent ministry. Furthermore, every prophet has the gift of prophecy but not everyone with the gift of prophecy is a prophet (CP Ac 21:7 9). Philip's daughters prophesied, but they are not designated prophets in scripture as Agabus is who prophesied over Paul in their house (CP Ac 21:10 11). Also, as with all the ministry gifts of Eph 4:11, every prophet is a qualified elder in the New Testament church, but not everyone with the gift of prophecy is.
There is more teaching on the gift of prophecy as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament than what there is on the ministry gift of prophet (CP 1Cor 12:1 11). These are all manifestations or gifts of the Spirit which includes the gift of prophecy in V10 (CP 1Cor 14:1 9, 15 19, 22 25, 29 33, 37). It is generally agreed that all these scriptures refer to the gift of prophecy not to a prophet, though V29 33 and 37 can refer to both. By their very definition prophets speak by inspiration and divine revelation but they are not infallible and their utterances must be subject to evaluation by other prophets, the church and the infallible word of God (CP Ac 17:10 11, 1Cor 14:29 33; 2Pe 1:16 19). Ac 17:10 11 and 2Pe 1:16 19 are used in our study on the teachings of false apostles but they are applicable here also. They both teach that scriptures are the only proof text we have against which we must measure every teaching in the church.
Now let us look at some of the characteristics of false prophets in the New Testament church. Jesus, Paul, Peter and John all warn against them and we need to be able to discern them. Jesus said they come in sheep's clothing. That means their deception is subtle - they have the outward appearance of a true prophet but inwardly are ravening wolves. But Jesus said we shall know them by their fruit. That is why it is so important to be thoroughly grounded in God's word, because the only way we can ever test any teaching in the church is by the word of God (CP Mt 7:15 23; Ac 20:29 32; 2Pe 2:1 3; 1Jn 4:1 6). All teaching must be tested against the revelation of God's truth in scripture. John's admonition to the church in 1Jn 4:1 to "try the spirits whether they are of God" makes it obligatory upon Christians to examine and prove every teaching in the church (CP Ac 17:10-11; 1Th 5:21; 2Pe 1:16-19). Scriptures are the only proof texts we have, and if any teaching cannot be proved by them then it must be disregarded, irrespective of who is teaching it.
EVANGELISTS: There is no confusion in the contemporary church over evangelists as there is with apostles and prophets. Evangelists, from the Greek word euaggelistes, are preachers of the gospel; ones who declare the good news of Christ (CP Ro 10:13 15). Evangelists preach to the unsaved, whereas apostles and prophets preach to both the saved and the unsaved. But evangelism is not only about preaching, it is also about the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and of power (CP Mk 16:16 20; Ro 15:18 21; 1Cor 2:4 5). Jesus not only preached; He also demonstrated the power of God over all the forces of evil that brought sickness, disease and death to the human race: He raised the dead; cast demons out of people, and healed them of their sicknesses and diseases. He made the lame to walk, the blind to see and the deaf to hear. He even exercised authority over the course of nature (CP Lu 8:22 56). These are but a few of the miracles Jesus wrought when He preached. He brought the good news of the gospel by word and deed and not by word only (CP 1Cor 4:20). The demonstration of the Holy Spirit and of power are signs that awaken others to a consciousness of the presence and the power of God and raise their faith in Jesus for salvation (CP Ac 6:1 10; 8:4 8). Over five thousand people were saved as a result of one miracle the healing of a crippled beggar - in the first century church (CP Ac 3:1 4:4).
It is incumbent upon all Christians to preach the gospel (CP Mt 28:18 20). But they are not evangelists as such (CP Ac 8:1 17, 26 40). Here we get a clear picture of the work of an evangelist according to the New Testament pattern. Philip preached the gospel, many people got saved and were then baptized in water. God confirmed the word Philip preached with signs following: there were miracles performed, demons cast out and people were healed. There was great joy in that city (CP Mk 16:16 20). It is pointless to speculate why the new converts were not baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues until the apostles came from Jerusalem and laid hands on them and prayed for them. That still happens today -not everyone is baptized in the Spirit immediately they are converted to Christ, and it is reasonable to assume that is what happened then too. The "Philip" we are reading about here is not the apostle Philip, one of the original twelve disciples Jesus called, but one of the seven men appointed to minister to the Greek widows in the church at Jerusalem (CP Ac 6:1 6 with 21:8 9). Although Philip was the only man designated an evangelist in scripture every apostle was also an evangelist (as well as a prophet and teacher). They had to evangelize first to lead people to Christ in order to plant churches and establish them in the faith (CP Ac 8:25; 13:1 5; 2Ti 4:5). The other six men chosen with Philip to minister to the Greek widows in the church of Jerusalem also became evangelists, although Philip is the only one among them named an evangelist in scripture. Stephen was the most prominent before he was killed (CP Ac 6:1 10).
Those scriptures all confirm that Eph 4:11 does not teach that there are five orders of ministers in the church appointed to discharge five different kinds of duties as most Christians in the contemporary church believe. In 2Ti 4:5 Timothy, who was already functioning in the ministry gifts of apostle and teacher, was reminded by Paul to do the work of an evangelist as well as his other duties. While evangelists may not establish churches like apostles, or bring forth new revelation like prophets, or a deeper understanding of God's word like teachers, they are as essential to God's purpose for the New Testament church as any of the other ministry gifts of Eph 4:11, and thus are also qualified elders in the church and just as committed to preparing and equipping God's people for service as are apostles, prophets and teachers. To teach as some do that evangelists are not essentially concerned with the feeding, tending, caring for and overseeing the church is to ignore the plain fact of scripture. Let us look at those scriptures again (CP Mt 24:14; Jn 17:18 21; Eph 3:1 12; 4:7 16; 5:25 27). Those who teach that evangelists are not essentially concerned with overseeing the New Testament church need to be reminded that every one of the ministry gifts of Eph 4:11 have been given to the church "for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry", and that this defines the completed process for which all who function in the ministry gifts of Eph 4:11 are responsible. God has committed the direction and government of the New Testament church to all who qualify as elders, not just some (CP Eph 4:11 12).