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Old 08-12-2008, 09:10 PM
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Sam Sam is offline
Jesus' Name Pentecostal


 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: near Cincinnati, Ohio
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Re: Apostles and Prophets?

When I was attending the Apostolic Bible Institute in St. Paul, MN in 1956-1957, Bro. S.G. Norris taught us plainly that the apostles and prophets were foundational in the church (based on Ephesians 2:20 and Revelation 21:14) and that these offices ceased in the first century. He taught that there were only 12 apostles, that the choosing of Matthias was an error and Paul was the 12th and last apostle. I was a new Christian but I found several more men in the NT who were called apostles so I knew that what he was teaching was not true. Looking back, I think he was still reacting to the "Latter Rain" movement which had caused some problems in the UPC a few years previously.

As far as prophets in the NT church, we don't read of many mentioned by name. Ones I can think of right now are:

--Agabus and some others who are not named, Acts 11:27-28; 21:10
--Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, Saul Acts 13:1, these are listed as prophets and teachers so I don't know if they all fulfilled both offices or if some were prophets and others were teachers
--Judas and Silas, Acts 15:32
perhaps someone can think of more

In 1 Corinthians 12 where some of the gifts of the Spirit are listed, one of them is the office of prophet, ref 1 Corinthians 12:28-29

And in 1 Corinthians 14 where the protocol for operating spiritual gifts is set up, we are told to let 2 or 3 prophets speak. We are also told that we can all prophesy (hopefully not all in the same service) so that indicates to me that the gift of prophecy (which we are all told to covet) and the office/gift of a prophet are two separate things. Ref 1 Corinthians 14:29-33
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Sam also known as Jim Ellis

Apostolic in doctrine
Pentecostal in experience
Charismatic in practice
Non-denominational in affiliation
Inter-denominational in fellowship
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