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Chapter 12
Modern Day Apostles
Are there modern day apostles alive today? If so, how can true apostles
be recognized? After all, Jesus commended the church at Ephesus for
testing false apostles: “you have tested those who say they are apostles
and are not, and have found them liars.” (Rev. 2:2) Paul said in 2
Corinthians 11:13-15: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For
Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is
no great thing if his ministers transform themselves into ministers of
righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” So, the
works and the fruit of false apostles will eventually show their true
motives. However, there could only be “false” apostles if “genuine”
apostles existed too.
I believe there have been true apostles walking the earth ever since the
first century church. When Jesus ascended back into heaven after His
resurrection, the Scriptures say that he “gave gifts unto men” and part
of those gifts include the gift of apostles. Ephesians 4:11 names the
five different equipping gifts as: 1) apostles, 2) prophets, 3) evangelists,
4) pastors, and 5) teachers. Scripture certainly records other apostles
besides the original twelve. A few biblical apostles other than the first
twelve include: Paul, Barnabas, Andronicus and Junias (who was most
likely a woman) just to name a few (Acts 14:14, Romans 16:7). The
GIFT of apostle was never given to draw attention to personalities, but
rather to live out a function for the Kingdom of God on earth. A gift is
GIVEN by God and not earned by man. So being an apostle is not a
promotion, but a living function.
The first twelve apostles of the Lamb were given authority from Christ
and spiritual authority is often a hallmark of an apostle. However true
spiritual authority is always based on relationship. And since
relationships cannot be forced, apostolic authority is organic in nature
and based upon family type relationships and not a hierarchical
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