Quote:
Originally Posted by pelathais
Now, I am the very last guy to take up for Kenneth Hagin, et al. ... but how would you apply the words of Jesus from Matthew 24 with the experiences of Paul? Paul claimed to have "seen" Jesus.
I'm not saying that Hagin & Co. are on any level even near to the Apostle Paul; just wondering about this application of Matthew 24.  |
Paul saw Christ before the Gentile church came to fruition. Christ's
Matthew 24 prophecy is in the context of the Gospel having been preached to the Gentiles ('the nations'). Paul was used to form and minister to the beginning Gentile Church. Kenneth Hagin and Chester Hensley were not. In fact the word 'apostle' means 'first letter carrier', ie, the first messenger to receive a letter or message (in this case, from Christ) to be delivered by chain relay to a specific party (in this case, the gentiles). So, it's also impossible for Hagin and Hensley, or anyone else today to be apostles. Apostles of Christ no longer exist, by the very definition of the word.
In fact, I'll add this. The only 'Apostles' that could exist today would not be apostles of Christ, but rather apostles of the 'other Jesus' mentioned by Paul, leaders of the apostate church which infects the world with false doctrine (apostate is the Greek word apo-stasis - apo-to cast off, stasis-cross or upright. Apostate means casting off the cross, teaching against the daily cross and against suffering for Christ's namesake), TEACHING ANOTHER BAPTISM which doesn't involve BEARING A DAILY CROSS. A baptism that makes one
FEEL good (like a person who is drunk on scorpion venom), and makes one think "I'm okay" instead of convicting one of their sinful nature.
I think we'd all better MAKE SURE we know what a DAILY CROSS really is, and figure out HOW TO GET ONE.