The Apostles (11)

The role of the apostles in the salvation plan may be one of the most overlooked elements in God’s design for reaching the lost.  While Jesus paid the entire price and He was the only one who could pay the price, He left a tremendous responsibility to His apostles… they would take it to the world. 

It is easy for us to agree with that point and leave it at that.  However, scripture reveals that their efforts were an integral part of the process of reaching the world... not only in disseminating the gospel, but in keeping it pure.  The apostles were defenders of the truth as well as propagators of it.  So much was their awareness of the need to keep the gospel pure that they made sure to instruct the believers as to how to safe guard the message of salvation after their deaths.    

Paul warned, “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.”  (Acts 20: 29)

And Peter said, “Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.  Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.  For we have not followed cunningly devised fables…”  (II Peter 1:14-16)

Jesus made it clear as he prayed for His apostles in John 17 that they had a grave responsibility in reaching the lost… as it was the Lord’s plan for these men to be the link between Himself and the lost humanity for whom He died.

“Sanctify them (the apostles) through thy truth: thy word is truth.  As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.”  (John 17:17-20)

Simply, the lost would be reached through the words of the apostles and the apostles would leave an adequate gospel pattern that could verify their original gospel teaching… a template if you would!  Of course, it should match ours!

The writing of Paul to the church in Rome makes this very clear in chapter 10 of Romans when he made a statement concerning salvation by the gospel.  He begins by making a salvation statement and then follows the statement by asking some questions concerning the ability to put the pronouncement into effect.

“Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:13) 

The questions immediately following this straight forward declaration give a clear cut means by which to understand how to call on the name of the Lord (Otherwise it would remain a term that could have many possible meanings).  One by one let us consider them.

“How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?”  (Verse 14)

The answer to this and the other three will reveal a clear method of determining the exact details of calling on the name of the Lord as well as on believing on the Lord.  It would appear that these two terms are in some way the same.  But to answer the question… A person cannot call on one in whom they have not believed.  The question has an implied answer of “they can’t”.  Thus the second question is asked.

“… how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?”  (Verse 14)

The same conclusions hold true to the second question… but we assume that there is a purpose to these leading queries, so let us continue answering.  A person cannot believe in one of whom they have not heard.  The implied answer to the second question is “they can’t”.  Thus the third question.  (we see a pattern here!)

“… how shall they hear without a preacher?”  (Verse 14)

Again, a person cannot hear without a preacher.  The implied answer to the third question is “they can’t”.  This final conclusion brings us to the last answer, which is really where Paul wanted to bring us to in the first place… the questions were simply the logical path that leads the reader to the point he wants to make.  Thus, the last question.

“And how shall they preach, except they be sent?”  (Verse 15)

Again, the answer is “they can’t”.  But now he asks no more questions, but makes a statement.

“… as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!  But they have not all obeyed the gospel.”

His obvious point is that there are some who have been sent (with authority) to preach the gospel, which in turn must be obeyed.  The word “apostle” means “one sent”.  Jesus sent his apostles into the world with the gospel.

“Afterward he appeared unto the eleven… and he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”  (Mark 16: 14-15)

We can conclude that the apostles were sent of God into the world with the gospel message of salvation.  We have seen by the teachings so far that the gospel matches our template of death, burial, and resurrection.  If this is the message the apostles delivered to the lost, we can be assured that it is the pure and original message of salvation.  It should be obeyed today as well!   How is that done?

We find ourselves back at the original question… almost!  How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? 

But now we have an answer!  They hear by the preaching of the Apostles.  In other words we can expect two things from the words of the apostles when they preached to the lost:  How to call on the name of the Lord.  And, how to obey the gospel… the death, burial, and resurrection.  If these things are clearly seen, we know that our template and the words of the apostles are in alignment.

One more thing.

John, an apostle, writes in his first epistle to the church, instructions on dealing with false teachers… false apostles.  He begins:

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God:  because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”  (I John 4:1)

Trying the spirits is obviously associated with examining the teaching of false prophets according to this verse (and those to come).  There is a way to know if a spirit (and its teaching) is of God.  To start with we must examine what they say.

“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:” (Verse 2)

Knowing the truth is intrinsically related to who the spirit behind the teaching declares Jesus Christ to be.  The Spirit of God declares that Jesus has come in the flesh.  One might ask then; what was He before He was flesh?  There are two forms of life… flesh and spirit.  It would seem then that he was spirit before flesh.  Philippians 2:6 tells us that Christ was in the form of God.  Jesus said that God is a spirit.  (John 4:24)  Simply, Jesus was Spirit before He was flesh.  According to Philippians He was equal to God.  I Timothy 3:16 declares that God was manifest in the flesh!  What a great way to start… Jesus is God in the flesh! 

But what about those who don’t teach or believe that He is? 

“And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, where of ye have heard that it should come, and even now already is it in the world.”  (Verse 3)

These are pretty strong words from the apostle John.  Knowing the identity of Jesus Christ is of utmost importance and for any teaching declaring Him to be less than God (Spirit) coming in flesh is plainly called the spirit of antichrist.  In order to avoid such a terrible error very close attention needs to be paid to what the apostles preached to the lost.  We continue.

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.”  (Verses 4 & 5)

John affirms to those to whom he writes that they are of God because they have overcame “them”.  The antecedent of “them” is the antichrist spirits that are working through false teachers… this is the “trying of the spirits”, which he initially spoke of.  John said that He that is in us (those who have believed the gospel and obeyed it… the gospel the apostles preached) is greater than he that is in the world (antichrist spirit).  The Spirit within the truly born again church witnesses with greater power to the truth of God’s identity than the spirit of the world, which is antichrist, witnesses to the lie of bringing Jesus down to a lessor deity.  But John makes sure we understand all this with one more statement.

“We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us.  Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”  (Verse 6)

“We are of God!”  John must be extremely presumptuous or he really knows what he is saying and is speaking with the authority of one sent of God… an apostle!  He continues by declaring that those who know God have heard us (apostles).  And anyone who does not hear the apostles is not of God.  He then declares plainly:  This is how to tell the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error!

Now we see why it is important not to minimize the role of the apostles in understanding and receiving the salvation message.  It is by them that we will understand fully whether we are standing in faith that is founded in the word of God or in presumption that has a foundation of shifting sand. 

When the apostle Peter confessed the deity of Christ by revelation (Matthew 16: 13-17) Jesus declared that upon this rock He would build His church.  The revelation of His identity is the foundation of the church… a rock.  The theories of man as to Jesus’ identity are the shifting sands of the antichrist spirit’s confusing proclamation… that Jesus is somehow less than God in flesh.

When we consider the teaching of the apostles to the lost we will look for all these things to be brought into total alignment.  Jesus said “the scriptures cannot be broken” and in these things we can expect that it all holds true… without contradiction!