Skip to main content

Authority of an Apostle

1. To appoint elders in the churches (Acts 14:23)
2. To address problems in a local church that the church is failing to handle (1Cor.1:10,11; Phil.4:1)
3. To execute discipline regarding moral issues in the church (Acts 5:1-11; 1Cor.4:21; 2Cor.13:10)
4. To authorize churches to execute discipline in the absence of the apostle (1Cor.5:3-5)
5. To answer doctrinal questions of a local church and to prescribe rules (1Cor.7:1,17; 8:1)
6. To charge the churches and individuals in office to do things important for the body of Christ (1Thess.5:27; 1Tim.1:3,18; 5:21; 2Tim.4:1,2)
7. To appoint and send trustworthy individuals to oversee local churches in a geographical area for growth, health, and proper order (Tit.1:5; 1Tim.3:1ff; Phil.2:19,25,29).
8. To give instructions for certain matters of contextual significance (the instructions are not universally applicable universally) (1Cor.7:12, 25).
9. To receive financial support for ministry (but, not to charge them more than is proper) (2Cor.11:8; Phil.4:15-18; 2Thess.3:8-9)
10. To instruct the churches regarding collection of offerings (1Cor.16:1,2).
11. To confront those who oppose the message of the Gospel (Acts 13:8-11; Tit.1:11)
12. To receive reports from churches established by the apostle (Phil.2:19; 1Cor.1:11; 5:1)
13. To receive and handle freewill contributions for all saints (Acts 4:35,37)
14. To be entrusted with funds for the saints who are in need (2Cor.8:1-4, 19; 9:12,13).
15. To deal with leadership problems in the church (3Jn.1:9-10)

Note:
--An apostle has no authority over the faith of any believer (2Cor.1:24)
--Apostles are not above the elders in the local church where they belong (Acts 15:6,7,13,22)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Placebo and the Philosophy of Mind and Matter in Drug Research

A placebo is a non-therapeutic substance administered under the camouflage of medication to deceive patients into believing that they are receiving medications; this done solely for psychological and not for physiological effects. Placebo may usually be used to compare its effects with the effects of other drugs in drug research. Let's take the case of an experiment that tries to establish whether a particular drug, say to treat weariness, is genuine or merely has the effects of a placebo. Suppose 20 candidates are chosen for this experiment. 10 are given the drug and the rest are put on a placebo while they are told that the placebo is a genuine medication. They need to make sure that the deception is well carried on for the success of the experiment. If both the groups make similar improvements after taking the treatments, the new drug seems to only function as a placebo in effect. The basic hypothesis of the placebo raises the question of mind over matter. Of course, this pushes...

3 Facts About Temptation

M...L...S 1. Temptation is MOMENTARY. It won't last forever. The devil tries to make it look as the final reality. But, it is not. It is just a test, and it'll be over; but, the question is whether you'll pass it. 2. Temptation is a Test of LOVE; and LOVE is an action. Love fulfills all the commandments. The two greatest are LOVE GOD with all your being and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR as yourself. But, love is not a feeling or emotion; it is an action. We need to LOVE Him more in the moment of temptation; it can only be possible when we focus on Him. 3. Temptation will make you STRONGER and PURER. It may stretch your muscle; but, not beyond your capacity; and then the HELPER, our TRAINER is there with us and knows what will make us stronger... Despite all this, let us never forget to pray: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one!"

The Light of Law Vs Light of Christ (John 8)

JOHN 8:1-12 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the mids...