Offices (prophets, apostles, pastors etc) shall only pass when perfection is established
When there’s a gift without an office, there’s no regulator of the gift and can bring a lot of error
You can only judge when you have an office
It is important to submit to authority that will rebuke when necessary without preferential treatment
More is committed to a believer when they pay the price and purge their vessel
There will only be no more need for offices when we come to the unity of the faith
When the church unites, Satan is conquered and Jesus appears
Signs of an Apostle:
– signet of the Spirit that He sent them
– revelation and insight
– teach new doctrines by bringing the old to light
– commentators of the mind of the Spirit
It takes an apostle to teach the church, not just a prophet
In the universal church, apostles take preeminence over prophets (because of works)
In the local church, prophets take preeminence over apostles (because of gifts)
God’s works = partial manifestation of His presence
God’s ways = perpetual manifestation of His presence
Gifts are needed to show unbelievers God is with you
God’s ways are needed to show believers that you know God
When so-called “apostles” have nothing to show forth, it’s because they are not called by the Holy Spirit