According to the explanations offered in this teaching so far, we’ve seen that the Apostles of Christ are the custodians of the gospel; the mysteries of God. In this teaching, I’ll be answering, more elaborately, the question: Can any other Preacher Receive Revelations for the Church?
The answer is Yes and No. I hope I haven’t lost you? Okay, here’s the point I’m making: Every preacher of God’s word (every Christian at all), can receive revelation for the church in a sense, but in another sense, NO PREACHER TODAY CAN RECEIVE REVELATION FOR THE CHURCH. So, let’s make a quick distinction: 1. There’s the revelation of Christ – His doctrine, which is the gospel. This has been delivered once for all to the Apostles. 2. There’s the gift of revelation/prophecy that guides us specifically in life and ministry. This is an ongoing ministry in the body and people can keep receiving direction for the church as a whole or for themselves as individuals. Let’s further expound on these:
- THE REVELATION OF THE GOSPEL
This revelation was exclusively delivered to the church through the Apostles. At Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus commanded them to teach the nations all He had commanded them. At Acts 2:42, it is called the Apostles’ Doctrine i.e. it is their teaching. At Acts 20:27, Paul says he had declared to the church the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD! In fact, three times Paul called the gospel, ‘my gospel’ (Romans 2:16; Romans 16:25; 2 Timothy 2:8). Before you think that’s just some random use of the phrase, at Ephesians 3:3-5, he says the revelation was given to him (and other apostles) for us. This was why they had the authority and right to warn people to not listen to any other doctrine! At Romans 16:17, he says we should mark those who uphold a contrary doctrine to what he had taught and we should avoid them. At Galatians 1:7-9, he says if anyone preaches another gospel apart from what they (the apostles) have preached, such should be accursed (rejected, shunned, and ignored).
At 2 Thessalonians 3:6, he says we should withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he’s received from them (the apostles). This means the Apostolic message is what determines who’s walking in disobedience or not. In fact, at chapter3:14 of this same epistle to the Thessalonians, Paul again says; “And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.” You see how weighty their teachings are? We can dissociate from a fellow believer on the grounds of his defiance to apostolic teaching! At 1 Timothy 1:3, he instructed Timothy to charge some that they teach no other doctrine – no negotiations or dialogue! At 1 Timothy 6:3-5, he says if anyone teaches otherwise (contrary to what he had taught) and does not consent to the sound doctrine of Christ, we should withdraw from such. Let’s allow Paul rest for a while. What about the Apostle John?
At 1 John 4:6, John says he who hears us (the apostles) is of God; but he who is not of God does not hear us, and that by this, we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. In the opening verses, he had spoken about a need to identify false prophets/spirits. So, at verse 6, he gave a major red light to look out for – those who reject apostolic doctrine. There was a man like that in the ministry of John whom he called out for that reason, concluding that such a man is not of God – 3 John 1:9-11; “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.” So, we can identify a heretic by his departure from the teachings of the apostles. Jude also tells us that the entirety of the Christian creed was delivered once and for all to the saints! Jude 1:3; “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”
These portions of the bible are very clear and unambiguous – we have a complete revelation of the gospel that needs no addition today. No preacher is expected to have an extra revelation in matters of doctrine. He is to preach the revelation as handed down by the Apostles of Christ. And if any man considers himself to be an apostle of Christ today, let it be known to him that the foundational Apostles are the Apostles of apostles.
- THE GIFT OF REVELATION AND PROPHECY
There’s the gift of the Spirit by which we can reveal things to the body of Christ for edification and direction. This gift will never contradict the gospel neither would it exalt the speaker above the written word. For instance, twice Agabus prophesied in the book of Acts; one about the famine that was going to hit the entire world and affect the church as well, and second about Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem (Acts 11:28; Acts 21:10-12). Both came to pass precisely. Both prophecies were simply for providing direction; not to teach or instill doctrine in anyone. So, while we are not to rely on the gift of revelation to receive the gospel message for the church today, we can rely on it for direction in life and ministry. We can be led in relationships, ministry, work etc. As a matter of fact, we are led even in the seemingly unimportant day to day activities.
Paul, at 1 Corinthians 14 says we can speak to others by revelation (1 Corinthians 14:6; 26-31). In the prophecy of Joel concerning the New Covenant, a notable feature of these last days is that sons and daughters will prophesy and see visions (Joel 2:28). Thank God for visions and revelations today! However, we must know the boundaries of this gift. Many prophets have ruined and shipwrecked the persuasions of many believers with visions and revelations. We are to judge every prophecy and vision/revelation by the word of God. This is the only safe path.
In conclusion, the idea of sticking with the apostles and the gospel they preached is not unique or peculiar to the New Testament. In the Old Testament also, everyone had to strictly submit to the precepts and teachings of Moses! He was instructed to instruct the children of Israel to have a STRICT ADHERENCE to the things written and commanded. See this:
Deuteronomy 5:31-33; “But as for you, stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I am giving them to possess.’ “Therefore you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. “You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.”
They were not to turn from right to left! Such a strict adherence to the Law of Moses written for them. They were to diligently keep all the statutes!
Deuteronomy 6:17; “You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, His testimonies, and His statutes which He has commanded you.”
In fact, they were also required to pass it down to their generations. They were to teach it to their children diligently. There was no room for improving on what was commanded or instructed. In fact, in order to be so accurate and precise in communicating them, they had to bind them on their hands, and write them on the doorposts of their houses and gates. They were to stay reminded!
Deuteronomy 6:6-9; “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (See also Deuteronomy 6:20-25).
Joshua, Samuel, David, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Hosea, and other prophets all made esteemed the law of Moses as God’s word to them. Imagine such loyalty and faithfulness to the precepts of Moses. So, in God’s dealings with men right from the Old Testament, His pattern has been consistent. He reveals to some and commands others to submit. In the Old Covenant, Moses was the custodian, while in the New Covenant, Jesus appointed the Apostles as the custodian of His gospel. When Christ sent out His apostles to preach at Matthew 10, he said to them; “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” (verse 40). If we reject the apostles, we are rejecting Christ. It is not a simple matter. Let’s embrace the doctrine of the Apostles wholeheartedly.
This concludes our series ‘Receiving Revelation from the Word’.
We trust you’ve been blessed and enlightened.
Leave a Reply