The Office of Apostle is Closed

[PurplePuppy]

The Office of Apostle is Closed

2/4/2016

The debate often arises as to whether or not the office of Apostle is a closed office. There are those who would say that the office of apostle is closed. Such men as Fred Price and Brian Simmons have even claimed to hold this office (Source and Source). Mainstream Charismania mostly supports the idea of modern apostles, and it is official Mormon doctrine that there are always 12 living apostles. The New Apostolic Reformation is entirely based on the idea of modern apostles, revering self proclaimed apostles such as Chuck Pierce and John Eckhardt.

The real question, however, is the question of whether or not there are actually apostles today. I think the best place to go for this question would be Acts 1, where Apostle Matthias is chosen to take the office that Judas Iscariot left vacant. The qualifications for said office are shown in verses 21-22 (ESV).

"So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection."

We may also look to where Paul defends his own Apostleship in 1 Corinthians 9:1 (ESV).

"​Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?"

Considering these verses, it is clear that Apostles must have seen the resurrected Christ. Since Christ has ascended (See: Luke 24) and His second coming is yet to come, the office of Apostle must be closed. Therefore, we can reason that Fred Price and Brian Simmons and the Mormon leaders are not true Apostles (Not only because that office is closed, but because each of them bring a different Gospel from the Gospel of Christ, see Galatians 1:8).

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