When speaking of apostles, most people use the thought of an apostle in a vague way to say that all ministers are apostles, but this is not true!  Others use the title of apostles to apply to those appointed by Jesus in the early days of the 1st Century and say that there cannot be any more, but this is untrue!

 

Let us use the Bible, the Word of God, to determine the apostleship.  Since the resurrection of Jesus and The Scriptures declare that if He were on earth, He would not be a priest; therefore, He could not give gifts while on earth.  But, having sat down at the right hand of the Father, He began to receive gifts an give gifts and became the High Priest according to Hebrews 3:1, 'Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus..." Another Scripture to confirm the gift dispensation is found in Hebrews 8:3-4, 'For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.  For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law...'

 

NOW, THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES...According to the above Scripture; and, of course, many more, we are given all rights to proclaim the Gentile dispensation of apostles and prophets.  Since these are gifts given to the ministry, our twelve last days' Apostles in this twentieth century and other apostles and prophets who have received these gifts are amazing to others who have visited or been among them in the various places where they have met in the United States.  It is astounding to behold the signs and wonders that are wrought by the hands of the apostleship with remarkable healings and casting out of devils.  The outstanding doctrine of laying on of hands, which was introduced by Jesus, is also being practiced by our last days' Gentile Apostles.  Hundreds are receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands of the Apostles.

 

An outstanding evidence of the apostles is that qualification possessed by the Apostle Peter in the 16th chapter of Matthew, when Jesus replied unto Peter, 'Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona.'  Then we have another confirming sign by the Apostle Paul, who declared that the revelation was not taught to him by man.  The Gentile Apostles of our day are in fulfillment of the promise of the twelve princes of Ishmael, having the divine revelation, just as those chosen by Jesus were to represent the twelve tribes of Israel.  When one sees all these evidences and the practicing government of the Church, it is indisputable.  These have received the gifts of the apostles, with twelve ordained by the pattern.  The New Testament does not seem to record any more than we do.  Twelve of their number were ordained in their pattern, and the twelve received the gift after the resurrection, along with many other ministers of the New Testament who received the gift of an apostle.

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* Article Written By:  The Late Grady R. Kent, St. John II, Chief Bishop of The Church of God, 1957-1964. This sermon was taken from The Vision Speaks, Volume 5 : Number 11 : May 1963.

All grammatical and typographical errors have been corrected except for direct quotations from the Author.  Thought content of said article has not been changed