Raising The Righteousness Bar by Ben Fronczek

http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?p=530

Raising The Righteousness Bar

Raising the Righteousness Bar
INTRODUCTION.   In High school, did you ever try to do the high jump. You know, where you try to jump over that bar. And if you make it they raise it a few inches and encourage you to jump even higher until you can’t make it over anymore.

The world high jump record is 2.45 meters (that’s 8 feet ½ inch). That’s the greatest height anyone has ever cleared with their body. One person has did it once in 1993 & no has done it again. It is the standard by which all great jumps are measured. If a jump doesn’t meet or exceed that height, it falls short of being the best that was ever done.

The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were almost universally respected for their righteous  and vigorous attention to the laws of God. They were, in a sense the, “world record holders at law keeping.” Their righteousness was by many considered the standard by which everyone else was judged.  They just seem so religious as well.

But if you’ve read the NT you know that Jesus had something to say about their righteousness as He spoke to on the sermon on the Mt.. In Matt 5:20 He said, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

The average Joe there must have been shocked, even stunned at what Jesus had to say there. The Pharisees and teachers were the most religious people they knew, and yet Jesus was telling them that their righteousness must surpass that of those scholars.

Surpass means to go beyond, sometimes even way beyond.

So in essence Jesus said, ‘If you want to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, your righteousness must, must exceed that of the Pharisees, maybe even by a lot.’  Or, ‘Those guys you may think are the most religious simply are not near good enough for God. What you see in them all as being good, is flawed and full of holes. What looks like perfection is actually broken to the Father. You have to go beyond what they are doing.’

I imagine the people wondered, ‘What more can I do? I’m just a simples guy. It’s just not possible to do more than they are doing?’ But Jesus looked at the Pharisees and teachers of the Law and said, “What they’re doing is not good enough”

And so what was Jesus doing? In a sense He was raising the righteousness bar.

So what did He mean by saying all this? Well, the Pharisees identified 613 rules in the OT Scriptures 248 commands to do something  and 365 prohibitions.
They aspired to keep them flawlessly. If anyone would be considered really, really righteous, you’d have to figure it would be them.

And yet, Jesus still raised the bar. Their kind of righteousness  wasn’t good enough.
In the following verses Jesus lets them, and us know up front that He did not come to change or abolish God’s Law that the Pharisees and teachers were  trying to follow,

but rather He tells the people that He came to fulfill it, or obey it completely. And He did! And He is the only one who has ever fulfilled perfectly to this day.

You see the problem was, the Pharisees and teachers may have understood the letter of the law, but where they were flawed was in the fact that they did not understand the spirit of those laws, nor did they have an intimate relationship with the One who gave those laws.

In the following verses in Matthew 5 Jesus tries to points out and illustrate what God really wanted and expects of them,     and us.  For example:

– In vs. 21-26, Jesus talks about anger. (READ)   ²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²² But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

   ²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

   ²⁵ “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

Now a Pharisee would never dream of pulling the trigger of a gun to kill someone – there was a rule against that, ‘Thou shall not kill’ – but they’d still be happy to destroy a person’s dignity with their words. Or, ruin and hurt an individual in some other way, possible using another to do the dirty work.  For example: They used Romans to do their dirty work and kill Jesus….   But there on the mount, what did Jesus teach the people? Yes the letter of says ‘Do not Murder,’ but the spirit of it goes much deeper and speaks about the relationship we should have with one another, that we should do our best to push aside those hostile feelings and resolve our differences in a peaceful manner. God the Father doesn’t want His children fighting and killing one another, rather He wants to see the spirit of peace to prevail.

– In vs. 27-30, Jesus talks about adultery. (READ)      ²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”

Many of those early Jews would never have an affair and neither would we – Why, because God has a rule against that. But Jesus addressed something deeper and personal that shows the very Spirit of that law. Yes God does not want you to go behind your spouse and commit adultery, but neither does He want you to get carried away with, and lust after, and commit adultery with, and cheat on your spouse in your mind. In doing so your mind is divided and so too is you allegiance to your spouse. (He lets us know that we need eliminate whatever may be causing us to lust like that.. literally cut it out of your life, or else) (Joseph ran)

Unfortunately we don’t have the time to look at all the examples he gives in this text, but do you see what Jesus is stressing here? It’s not the just the law that’s important, rather it’s the heart and the principles behind the law that God is interested in us following.

The Pharisees knew the rules, but they really didn’t know God. In their attempt to be letter perfect, they didn’t seem to care about spirit or principles that stood behind God’s rules.     Later in Matt. 23 Jesus will slam these Pharisees and teachers and call them phony’s and hypocrites.  25”Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.     ²⁷ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

And so Jesus was telling His disciples, and I believe us as well, ‘Don’t act like these guys.’  And so He raised the righteousness bar.

You may think that those Pharisees almost sound a little comical. Who could be that committed to studying God’s Law and then miss what God really wanted? It’s funny until we realize we may be doing some of the same things: Claiming to be a Christian and then acting or thinking just as bad and sometimes worst that our non-Christian friends.

–          We know Jesus said that the greatest command is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and being. But how does that reflect in our life? Or in our attitudes? How does that reflect in our worship, our service to Him, or in our giving?

–          When asked Jesus said that the 2^nd greatest command was to love our neighbor as our self, and later He upgraded by saying, “Love one another as I have loved you.”     But how does that reflect, or play out in our lives, and attitudes?(at Home, at Work, in your car in traffic?)

We’ve all heard stories or seen how ‘so called Christians’ act just as phony and hypocritical as those Pharisees and teachers of the Law; in how we judge, and make fun of other people, in how we treat others, in how we dabble in things we shouldn’t which stain our purity and integrity. And so outsiders Christianity because of them. You don’t believe me go to the internet and google Christian hypocrites, you’ll be shocked.

In a sense, I believe we all fall short. I know do. But I also believe Jesus in a loving way is saying here, ‘Don’t settle for those hypocritical standards’. And so He raises up the righteousness bar for us and says, ‘now shoot for this I know you can do it.’

Just calling yourself a Christian and obeying a set of rules is not enough.  ‘He said ‘Unless you surpass that superficial phony kind of religion, you are not going to enter the Kingdom of heaven.’   Isn’t that what he said in that text?

Let me give you few ways to help you reach those new heights and truly become more righteous before God, even more than the Pharisees of yesteryear and today:

#1. I really believe that one thing that will help us to become righteous in God’s sights is to focus more on becoming a lover of God, than a keeper of rules  The Pharisees seemed more interested in keeping the rulebook than building a relationship with and learning to love God Himself. It doesn’t seem like they took the time to understand God and the heart of what He really wanted. The laws seem more important than the very principles that were behind them.   Matt. 23:23

How do you think you would feel if your kids were only concerned about doing their best to keep the rules of your household and doing their chores, but then never pursued or wanted to have a personal relationship with you.

I believe that’s another reason why Jesus came; to open our eyes so we can see past the rules to the One that rules all.  The Jews would not even mouth God’s name, but Jesus taught His disciple to address Him as, “Our Father who art in heaven” , and even “abba, Father” or dad. Yes Jesus wanted His disciple to honor our Father in Heaven, but to honor Him by giving Him our heart and our love. And if we love Him like that, then obeying God will not come out of a feeling of obligation, but rather doing what God wants will be a natural byproduct of that love..

So we nee to nurture a relationship with our Lord. Court Him, spend time with Him, talk to Him in prayer, ask Him for help in this matter, do everything you can do to develop this relationship.

#2. Step out of the spotlight   When it comes to our religion we shouldn’t be looking around for approval or recognition from others.   Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 6:1, He said, “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (It’s not about you or me and being a braggy showoff Christian.) As a matter of fact He even said when it come to doing good, don’t even let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

It’s not about standing up and saying, ”Look at me I am a Christian,” before others!
But rather it’s about REALLY loving your Father in Heaven and then , ‘Letting your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.’ (not you)     We need to remember, people may see what we do, but God knows our heart and why we do it!

#3. Go to God’s word. Not like the Pharisees, but Read it, study it, meditate on it, digest it. It his message to you and me.  The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy and early Christians, “¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  2 Tim. 3:16-17  God has given us what we need to know and understand Him!

#4. Find those who seem to sincerely love God and His word, spend time them and learn from their example. The wisest man who ever lived wrote, “As iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17   We’ll never be too old to learn from another.

In Philippians 4, Paul told those early Christians “ ⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”        He’s saying, ‘folks, learn from my good example!’ Even the best high jumper needed a Coach.

#5. And last of all and most importantly, the one thing I believe that will make us righteous in God’s sights is to receive His righteous Gift… Jesus

No matter what we do in and of ourselves, without and His cleansing blood we will never be right before God.  As a matter of fact the prophet Isaiah compared our  righteousness to filthy rags – that was just a polite way of saying,  our righteousness is like used toilet paper. That’s how much our own righteousness is worth. Why, because not one of us is 100% righteous and pure. (Isa. 64:6)

Even the Apostle Paul wrote to Roman church saying, “²¹ So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²² For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³ but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

In Romans 3:21-22f he wrote:  “But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known…This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”

In Philippians 3:8 he wrote “…not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”

When we accept Jesus in our life, God gives us His righteousness. Jesus makes us right in God’ sight.  That’s why Jesus died on the cross for you and me.  Because of His incredible love and mercy, He being perfect, died for you and me who are imperfect.

The Bible in Romans 8:3-4 tells us that God sent Jesus to die for us so that in Him the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us.

In Col. 2:10f Paul writes,    “¹⁰ and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.(and then he tells us how) ¹¹ In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,(so he said that Christ performed this cutting away or circumcision on us. When?) ¹² having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

¹³ When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you^] alive (or declared righteous) with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴ having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

When we truly love God with all our heart and mind and being we’ll want to please Him because we love Him and He will help us reach new heights with His help, with His spirit, and by His grace

Closing: Jesus let us know that God’s rules are important. They were Important to Him and should be important to us. But more important than following rules, and standing up and declaring ourselves to be a Christian, is our personal relationship to Him.

My Challenge for you this week is the very challenge that Jesus put before us all in this lesson to surpass the false righteousness of the phonies of this age, and become GENUINE disciples of our Lord Jesus, one who is in love with Him.

For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566

God’s Prescription for Salvation by Alred Shannon Jr.

https://biblicalproof.wordpress.com/2011/03/page/5/

God’s Prescription for Salvation

Mar. 13, 2011

If you were taking prescription medication that had the Warning: Taking More Than Once A Day Will Be  Fatal, I guarantee that 99.9% would adhere to the warning. Yet, the GREAT PHYSICIAN, Jesus Christ has warned all mankind that refusing to obey the gospel will send our souls to hell. Take God’s prescription for salvation as directed by the Word of God, and live forever with Him in Glory.

1 Cor 15:1-4; Rom 10:17; Rom 10:10; Mk 2:17; Acts 2:38; Rev 2:10

Should We Proselyte? by J. C. Bailey

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Bailey/John/Carlos/1903/Articles/shouldwe.html

Should We Proselyte?

Some weeks ago I heard a criticism of the work being done by the brethren in a certain country. This man said the work was not very successful for they made most of their converts by proselyting. I shall not mention the country more than to say it was not India. As long as I have lived I have heard this criticism made against the church. I have heard it made by our religious neighbours in India.

Is it wrong to proselyte? I wish to show from Scripture that it is wrong to proselyte. I shall also show from the Scriptures that it is right to proselyte. My dictionary gives this definition of “proselyte”: “a convert, or one won over, as to some religion or party -- to try to obtain followers.”

New Testament Conversions

The Christian religion stands on the foundation of making followers for Christ. In the Great Commission, Jesus said that we are to make disciples of all nations. On the Day of Pentecost there were thousands of Jews gathered in Jerusalem. They were there as members of the Jewish religion. They were there to worship God according to the rites and ceremonies of the Jewish religion. They were won to the Christian religion. This was under the direct operation of the Holy Spirit. The number of proselytes continued to grow in Jerusalem until the church was made up of thousands of peoples, all proselytes from the Jewish faith. Then there were proselytes from the heathen religions. Paul says, by the Holy Spirit: “How be it at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods: but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?” (Galatians 4:8- 9). Paul further says: “Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever he might be led” (I Corinthians 12:2). We could multiply proof to show that those who became converts to Christ were either converted from the Jewish religion or from heathenism.

“Proselytes”

My concordance shows that the word proselyte is used twice in the New Testament and in the plural form once. Let us look at those words. On the day of Pentecost, the plural form is used. There were sojourners from Rome both Jews and proselytes (Acts 2:20). These were Gentiles who had been proselyted from the heathen religions to the Jewish religion. Now these proselytes are among those who were proselyted again to the Christian faith. The argument is often made when you approach people with the gospel that what you say is right, but they would be doing wrong to change their religion. It was not wrong for these people who had left heathenism to embrace the Jewish religion to change again and embrace the Christian religion. We shall show later in this article that it is right to leave denominationalism to embrace the religion of the New Testament.

One of these proselytes, that is a man that had left heathenism to accept the Jewish faith and then became a Christian, was very active in the Christian faith: Nicolaus, a proselyte from Antioch (Acts 6:5). He was one of the men chosen to serve in the church at Jerusalem.

Many people would argue that we should not make converts from the denominational world. When I was a young preacher, some 60 years ago, a friend said to me after I had moved into a certain community that if I were to get along well I should not steal sheep. Is that not just another way of saying that I should not proselyte?

There is a way in which it is wrong to proselyte, for Jesus, under certain circumstances, was most vehement in his condemnation of making proselytes. He said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye compass land and sea to make one proselyte; and when he is become so, ye make him twofold more a child of hell than yourselves” (Matthew 23:15). So a convert (proselyte) that is made to the traditions of men is in worse condition than he was before. This is the teaching of Jesus. Paul spoke of the elders of the church apostatizing and then making converts: “I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them. Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one of you night and day with tears” (Acts 20:30,31).

One Way

Jesus did not claim to have the best way but the only way. Listen to His word: “Enter ye in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life and few are they that find it” (Matthew 7:13,14). So Jesus says there is just one way. It is a strict way and not too many find it. Jesus put it in this language, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

So people who have been following the traditions of men need to be proselyted to the way of Christ. Those who have been proselyted to the traditions of men from the truth need to return to the way of the Lord.

Language could hardly be plainer than this: “Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son” (II John 9).

Some people who profess to follow Christ claim that as long as you follow Christ it does not make any difference what church you belong to. Did Jesus die in vain? He died and purchased the church with His blood (Acts 20:28). He gave himself for the church (Ephesians 5:25). The church does not consist of the various denominations for there is one body (Ephesians 4:4). That body is the church: “...and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:22,23). Let us look at one more passage: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20,21).

Most of my religious neighbours would not take the position that was taken by one bishop in India, or so he was reputed to have said to his preachers: “Do not try to make any more converts from Hinduism. They worship God in their way and we worship God in our way.” Jesus said that He was the way to the Father. Paul said that we must believe the gospel in order to be saved (Romans 1:16). Denominationalists, whether liberal or conservative, need to be converted to the church for which Jesus died, as well as the heathen.

J. C. Bailey, 1982, Dauphin, Manitoba

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

On the other side by Gary Rose

For Travis...

Last Thursday, a dear friend and fellow Christian, died. As I sat next to her husband in church Sunday morning, I thought of her and what I knew of her godly life. She will be missed by everyone who knew her and loved her. I know I will miss her.

For Christians, death is not the end, but rather a new beginning! How do I know this? 

Two things: First, read the message of the picture and second, read the following passage from Paul's letter to the Corinthians...

1 Corinthians, Chapter 15 (World English Bible)
 ¹ Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand,
  ² by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
  ³ For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
  ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
  ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
  ⁶ Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep.
  ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,
  ⁸ and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.
  ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God.
  ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was bestowed on me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
  ¹¹ Whether then it is I or they, so we preach, and so you believed. 

  ¹²  Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
  ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised.
  ¹⁴ If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain.
  ¹⁵ Yes, we are found false witnesses of God, because we testified about God that he raised up Christ, whom he didn’t raise up, if it is so that the dead are not raised.
  ¹⁶ For if the dead aren’t raised, neither has Christ been raised.
  ¹⁷ If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.
  ¹⁸ Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
  ¹⁹ If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. 

  ²⁰  But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep.
  ²¹ For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man.
  ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
  ²³ But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s, at his coming.

The FACT that Jesus was raised from the dead is undeniable. After resurrection he appeared to over 500 people at one time (vs. 6, above). This should enough witnesses for anyone!!! 

Because Jesus was raised from the dead, I have hope. I only partially understand what heaven will be like, but that really doesn't matter, because Jesus is there- that's enough for me!!!

ps. I hope you enjoy the picture as much as I have- you know, you can learn a lot from a dog!!!!

"THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS" What Is Our Hope, Glory, And Joy? (2:17-20) by Mark Copeland

                         "THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS"

                     What Is Our Hope, Glory, And Joy? (2:17-20)

INTRODUCTION

1. Soon after the church at Thessalonica was started, Paul was forced
   to leave...
   a. Unbelieving Jews had created problems for some of the members 
      - cf. Ac 17:5-9
   b. Paul and Silas had to be sent away by night - Ac 17:10

2. In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul reflects upon their abrupt
   departure...
   a. How it created an eager desire to see them again - 1Th 2:17
   b. How Satan had hindered them from fulfilling that desire - 1 Th 2:18
   c. Prompting him to ask the question:  "For what is our hope, or 
      joy, or crown of rejoicing?" - 1Th 2:19

3. We do well to ask ourselves the same question...
   a. What is our hope?  For what do we long with desire and 
      expectation?
   b. What is our joy?  What gives us true happiness and satisfaction?
   c. What is our crown of rejoicing?  What provides the highest degree
      of joy in our lives?
   -- Is our answer the same as Paul's?  Should it be?

[As we consider what our answer should be, let's examine more closely
our text and the answer Paul gave...]

I. PAUL'S HOPE, GLORY, AND JOY

   A. WE READ OF HIS DESIRE TO SEE THEM...
      1. He had been "taken away" from them - 1Th 2:17
         a. He is referring to his necessary departure - Ac 17:10
         b. He uses a word that implies a painful bereavement, like a 
            child taken away from his or her parents (Barnes)
      2. He had been away from their presence only "a short time" 
         - 1Th 2:17
         a. Exactly how long, we do not know
         b. Probably no more than a year, if not months
      3. He "endeavored more eagerly" to see them "with great desire" 
         - 1Th 2:17
         a. Note the repeated emphasis of his longing to see them
         b. His desire likely heightened by the manner in which he had
            to leave them

   B. WE LEARN WHAT PREVENTED HIM...
      1. He wanted to come to them "time and again" - 1Th 2:18
         a. Either from Berea or Athens
         b. But he was hindered 
      2. It was Satan who hindered him - 1Th 2:18
         a. He attributes the persecution by his fellow Jews to Satan
            1) It was the unbelieving Jews who were hounding him
            2) They were following him from place to place - Ac 17:5,13; cf. Ac 14:19
            3) They were possibly his "thorn in the flesh", "the 
               messenger of Satan" alluded to in another epistle - cf.
               2Co 12:7-10
         b. Satan was the ultimate source behind the persecution 
            suffered by the early church - cf. 1Pe 5:8-9; Re 2:10

   C. WE DISCOVER PAUL'S HOPE, GLORY, AND JOY...
      1. The Thessalonians were Paul's "hope", because he hoped to see
         them at the coming of the Lord - 1Th 2:19
      2. They were his "joy" or "crown of rejoicing", in anticipation
         of seeing them in the presence of Jesus - 1Th 2:19
      3. They were his "glory" and "joy" - not just in the future, but
         in the present as well - 1Th 2:20 ("you are our glory and 
         joy")

[Paul's hope, glory, and joy were his brethren in Christ, especially
those he had taught and brought to the Lord.  Not just the
Thessalonians, but others as well (cf. Php 4:1).  

And it works both ways:  At the coming of Christ, Paul would be the
source of joy for those he taught (cf. 2Co 1:14).  Now let's consider
what ought to be...]

II. OUR HOPE, GLORY, AND JOY

   A. FOR SOME CHRISTIANS, IT MAY BE...
      1. Their possessions
         a. Their hope is in the acquisition of material things
         b. Their glory (pride) is in what they have obtained
         c. Their joy (happiness) is in the pleasure such things give 
            them
         -- But such things are perishable and susceptible to theft, 
            they draw us away from God; therefore it is folly to have 
            them as our hope, glory and joy - cf. Mt 6:19-21,24; 1Jn 2:15-17
      2. Their jobs
         a. Their hope is in the advancement of their careers
         b. The glory (pride) is in how far they have come
         c. Their joy (happiness) is in the money, power, or prestige 
            they have obtained
         -- But our jobs and all that they bring can be fleeting 
            (especially in today's job market, with frequent downsizing
            and lack of company loyalty to employees); they shall one 
            day come to nought - cf. 2Pe 3:10
      3. Their families
         a. Their hope is what their families may become
         b. Their glory (pride) is what their families have become
         c. Their joy (happiness) is in the relationship they enjoy 
            with their families
         -- While certainly more noble (and rewarding) than possessions 
            or jobs, even our families are limited in the joys and 
            glory they can bring; death ends our relationship as 
            family, and if they are not Christians, what does that do 
            for our hope?  Cf. Mt 10:37; 12:46-50

   B. FOR ALL CHRISTIANS, WHAT IT SHOULD BE...
      1. Our hope should be to see each other in heaven!
         a. To see each other with Jesus in the presence of the Lord at 
            His coming
         b. What a wonderful occasion, what a glorious reunion!
      2. Our glory should be seeing each other in the presence of the 
         Lord!
         a. Serving the Lord faithfully now
         b. Being glorified together with Jesus when He comes - cf. 
            2Th 1:10-12
      3. Our joy should be the happiness coming from our working 
         together in the Lord!
         a. The joy experienced by John when he saw others walking in 
            the truth - 2Jn 4; 3Jn 3-4
         b. The joy Paul experienced when told of the faithfulness of 
            the Thessalonians - 1Th 3:6-9

CONCLUSION

1. Our hope, glory, and joy should be in that which is eternal...
   a. Otherwise we are setting ourselves up for eventual disappointment
   b. Our possessions, jobs, even families cannot provide true hope,
      glory and joy
      1) At best, what they offer is temporary
      2) At worst, they provide much disappointment, and draw us away 
         from God

2. Since much of our hope, glory, and joy, both now and in eternity, is
   through our brethren... 
   a. It is important that we nurture and strengthen our relationships
   b. It is imperative that we seek to bring others to Christ, 
      including those in our physical families
   -- Such effort not only brings us closer to each other, but to God,
      and produces that which lasts for eternity!

And then we shall truly be able to say to each other, "For you are our
glory and joy."  Can we say that now...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

Baptism and the New Birth by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1516

Baptism and the New Birth

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

A major cleavage within Christendom pertains to the point at which the “new birth” occurs. Most of Christendom maintains that a person is born again, and thus has sin washed away by the blood of Christ, when that person “accepts Jesus Christ as his personal savior.” By this expression, it is meant that a person must mentally and/or orally decide to embrace Christ as the Lord of his life. Hence, the new birth is seen simply as a determination of the will—a moment in time when the person accepts Christ in his mind and couples that decision with an oral confession.
The passage in the New Testament that alludes specifically to being born again pertains to a conversation that Jesus had with a high-ranking Jewish official:

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’ ” (John 3:1-7, emp. added).

In an effort to avoid identifying “water” (vs. 5) as water baptism, many within Christendom in the last half century have proposed a variety of novel interpretations. For example, some have proposed that “water” is a reference to the Holy Spirit. While it certainly is true that John uses the word “water” symbolically to represent the Spirit later in his book (7:38-39), that fact had to be explained by the inspired writer. However, in chapter three, the normal, literal meaning is clearly in view, not only because water baptism throughout the New Testament is consistently associated with the salvation event (e.g., Acts 2:38; 8:12-13,36-38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:15,33; 18:8; 19:5; 22:16; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; Hebrews 10:22; 1 Peter 3:21), but even in this context, eighteen verses later, the term clearly has a literal meaning: “Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there” (John 3:23). Additionally, if “water” in John 3:5 is an allusion to the Holy Spirit, the result would be nonsensical: “unless one is born of the Spirit and the Spirit.”
Another quibble offered in an effort to avoid the clear import of John 3:5 is that “water” is a symbol for the blood of Jesus. Of course, no rationale exists for making such a connection. Elsewhere John refers explicitly to water and blood, but clearly distinguishes them from each other in their import (1 John 5:6).
Perhaps the most popular notion, advanced only in recent years, is that “water” is a reference to a pregnant woman’s “water”—i.e., the amniotic fluid that accompanies the physical birth of a child. However, this suggestion likewise fails to fit the context of Jesus’ remarks. In fact, Nicodemus himself thought that Jesus was referring to physical birth (“mother’s womb”). But Jesus corrected his misconception, and contrasted such thinking with the intended meaning of “water and Spirit.” Indeed, Jesus would not have told Nicodemus that he needed to be born physically (“water”). He would not have included the act of physical birth in His listing of prerequisites to entering the kingdom. That would make Jesus say that before a person can enter the kingdom he or she must first be a person! What would be the point of stating such a thing? [Would it perhaps be to ensure that everyone understands that non-humans (i.e., animals) cannot enter the kingdom?!] Later in the same chapter, did John baptize near Salim “because there was much amniotic fluid there”?
If one cares to consult the rest of the New Testament in order to allow the Bible to be its own best interpreter, and in order to allow the Bible to harmonize with itself, additional passages shed light on the meaning of John 3:5. According to the rest of the New Testament, spiritual conception occurs when the Gospel (i.e., the seed of the Holy Spirit—Luke 8:11) is implanted in the human heart and mind (James 1:18; 1 Corinthians 4:15; Ephesians 6:17; 1 Peter 1:23). The Word of God, in turn, generates penitent faith in the human heart (Romans 10:17) that leads the individual to obey the Gospel by being baptized in water (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Hebrews 10:22). The resulting condition of the individual is that he or she is now a child of God, a citizen of the kingdom, and member of the church of Christ (Matthew 28:19-20; Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 6:4).
Additional verses in the New Testament clarify and cinch this meaning of John 3:5, pinpointing the “new birth,” while also allowing us to understand the activity of the Holy Spirit in the act of conversion. Consider the following chart (Jackson, 1988):

John 3:5	Spirit	Water	Kingdom
1 Corinthians 12:13	Spirit	Baptized	Body
Ephesians 5:26	Word	Washing/Water	Cleansed Church
Titus 3:5	Renewal of Spirit	Washing of Regeneration	Saved by Mercy

These verses demonstrate that God achieves conversion through the Gospel message authored by the Holy Spirit. When a person comes to an understanding (Acts 8:30) of the that inspired message, his penitent faith leads him to submit to water immersion for the remission of sins (Acts 8:36,38; 10:47). The result of his obedient response to the Gospel is that he is saved and cleansed from past sin and instantaneously placed into the kingdom of Christ.
Notice that submission to the divine plan of salvation does not mean that humans save themselves by effecting their own salvation. Their obedience does not earn or merit their forgiveness. Rather, the terms or conditions of salvation are stipulated by God—not by humans—and are a manifestation of His mercy! When people submit to the terms of entrance into the kingdom of Christ, they are saved by the blood of Jesus and the grace of God—not their own effort! Water immersion is not to be viewed as a “work of righteousness which we have done” (Titus 3:5). When we submit to baptism, we are being saved by “the kindness and love of God our Savior” (Titus 3:4). We are being saved “according to His mercy” (Titus 3:5).

REFERENCES

Jackson, Wayne (1988), “The New Birth: What is It?,” Christian Courier, 24:14, August.

Are There Modern-Day Apostles? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1226

Are There Modern-Day Apostles?

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

The incredible diversity of viewpoint that exists in religion today is startling and disconcerting. We are witnessing a breakdown of respect for authority in American culture, as well as a tremendous increase in personal opinion and feelings as the standard of authority. Consequently, we now have a veritable smorgasbord of doctrinal variety in religion. Such is the nature of pluralism. One is likely to see anything and everything perpetrated in the name of religion and/or Christianity. The only solution to such a situation is to reaffirm the inspiration and authority of the Bible. The Bible is the only written document on this planet that is the standard of authority in life and in religion (see Miller, 1996, pp. 430-446,462-471).

THE DEFINITION OF AN APOSTLE

Such being the case, we must go to the Bible to determine God’s will with regard to modern-day apostles. When we do so, we first learn that the word “apostle” comes from the Greek word apostolos, which means “one sent from or forth, a messenger, delegate” (Arndt and Gingrich, 1957, p. 99; Thayer, 1901, p. 68). The term is used in the New Testament in two distinct senses. It can refer to an individual who is sent by other humans to accomplish a particular mission or task. The term is so used to refer, for example, to Barnabas (Acts 14:14). He was an “apostle” in the sense that he accompanied Paul on an evangelistic trip. Jesus is said to be our “Apostle” in the sense that He was sent to atone for our sins (Hebrews 3:1).
The term “apostle” also is used in a second sense—what we might call an official sense. That is, “apostle” can refer to individuals who were officially and divinely selected to serve as Jesus’ original representatives—“ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Jesus handpicked the original twelve apostles (Matthew 10:1-5; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16; 9:1-2). Of these original twelve, Judas betrayed the Lord as predicted by the Old Testament (Psalm 41:9; John 13:18-19; 18:1-5). Instead of repenting, he cinched his apostasy by committing suicide (Matthew 27:3-5; John 17:12). Consequently, a successor to Judas was selected by divine decree (Acts 1:16-26).
Only one other apostle in the official sense is alluded to in the New Testament—Paul. His appointment to apostleship was unique and unparalleled in that he was chosen for a specific first century task (Acts 9:15; 22:14-15; 26:16-18; 1 Corinthians 15:8-9; Galatians 1:11-12,15-16). Christ selected him to introduce the message of Christianity to the Gentile world (Romans 11:13; 15:16; Galatians 2:8; Ephesians 3:8). Paul was careful to document the fact that his apostleship was by divine appointment (e.g., Romans 1:5; 1 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:1,16).

THE QUALIFICATIONS OF AN APOSTLE

When one assembles all the relevant New Testament data, at least three qualifications emerge as prerequisite to one becoming an apostle in the official sense (Hayden, 1894, p. 33, expands these credentials to seven in number). First, an apostle had to have seen the Lord and been an eyewitness of Christ’s resurrection (Acts 1:22; 22:14; 1 Corinthians 9:1). Second, an apostle had to be specifically selected by the Lord or the Holy Spirit (Matthew 10:5; Mark 3:13-14; Luke 6:13; Acts 1:26; 9:15; 22:14-15,21; 26:16). Third, an apostle was invested with miraculous power to the extent that he could perform miracles. The power to perform miracles included the capability to confer the ability to work miracles to other individuals through the laying on of his hands (Mark 3:15; 16:17-20; Luke 9:1-2; John 14:12,26; 15:24-27; 16:13; Acts 2:43; 4:29-31,33; 5:12,15-16; 6:6; 8:14-18; 19:6; 2 Timothy 1:6; Romans 1:11; Hebrews 2:3-4). Jesus referred to His bestowal of miraculous capability upon the apostles when He promised they would be “endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).

THE WORK OF AN APOSTLE

The apostolic office was unquestionably a temporary office for the early church (though apostolic appointment was for life). Its essential purpose was twofold. First, apostles were commissioned by Jesus to launch the Christian religion (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-48). This purpose was achieved by means of the initial presentation of the Gospel to the whole world (Colossians 1:23), and the establishment of the church of Christ (Acts 2). Second, apostles were largely responsible for making the New Testament available—first in oral form and, more specifically, in written form (1 Corinthians 14:37; Galatians 1:12; Ephesians 3:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; 3:14; 1 Peter 1:12; 2 Peter 1:12-21; 3:15-16).
These two central tasks are set forth clearly in the New Testament. In Matthew 16, Jesus declared that He would build His church after His resurrection from hades (vs. 18). He then explained that it would be the apostles who would instigate initial entrance into Christ’s church (hence the significance of “keys”—vs. 19). This commencement of the Christian religion and the church of Christ would be achieved by means of the apostles “binding” and “loosing” the doctrinal tenets and principles of Christianity that Heaven had previously bound or loosed [the Greek uses the perfect passive and should be translated “will have been bound/loosed in Heaven” as in the NASB (cf. Matthew 18:18-20; John 20:22-23)]. Peter and the apostles articulated the terms of entrance into the kingdom of Christ for the first time on the Pentecost that followed Christ’s resurrection (Acts 2:14ff.).
In Ephesians 4, after summarizing Christianity in terms of seven core concepts (vss. 1-6), Paul described the initial sequence of events that recounted the advent of Christianity (vss. 7-16). Paul noted that: (1) after His crucifixion, Jesus descended into the Hadean realm; (2) He then was resurrected; (3) He ascended back to Heaven; (4) upon His ascension, He dispensed gifts; (5) the apostolic office was included in the reception of these miraculous capabilities; (6) the purpose of these gifts was to equip and edify the church; (7) the preparation provided to the infant church by these gifts was temporary (“till” is an adverb of time connoting when the miraculous gifts were to terminate), in that the same preparation soon would be available through the completed revelation, i.e., “the faith.” [By “completed revelation” we do not mean completed canon. We mean that all of God’s communication to humanity would have been revealed. See the New Testament discussion contrasting “mystery” with “made known” (Romans 16:25-26; 1 Corinthians 2:7-10; Ephesians 3:1-11). In the meantime, the process of producing copies of the various New Testament documents and circulating them far and wide would have been occurring rapidly and extensively from the very moment of their production by the inspired writers (cf. Colossians 4:16, 1 Timothy 5:18, where Luke 10:7 is already known and classified as “Scripture,” and 2 Peter 3:15-16, where Paul’s epistles are already circulated and recognized as “Scriptures”). Further, the reference to “the faith” in Ephesians 4:13 cannot refer to a time when all people or all Christians will achieve unity in faith. Such a circumstance will never occur. Paul was referring to the time when all people would have access to all of God’s communication to man, thus giving them the potential for attaining spiritual maturity (“a perfect man” vs. “children“). See Miller, 2003].
Once all of the information necessary to the promotion of the Christian religion was revealed to the early church (through oral means made possible by the distribution of the gifts), the church would have the means available to grow and mature in Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:8-13). While prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers [the words “pastors and teachers” share the same article in the Greek, and so should likely be construed to mean “pastor-teachers,” i.e., a single function in which pastors (those selected by the local congregation to serve as elders or shepherds) were endowed with the miraculous ability to teach inspired information not yet made available in written form] were part of this early development of Christianity (Ephesians 4:11), the office of an apostle was the primary means by which Christ accomplished the inauguration of His religion.
The apostles had the sole responsibility of executing the will of the Son of God in founding, organizing, and fully equipping the church of Christ on Earth, that she might fulfill her heaven-borne mission, until Jesus comes again (Hayden, p. 22). That is why Paul could say two chapters earlier that the household of God (i.e., the church) was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20; cf. 3:5; Revelation 21:14). That is why he informed the Corinthian Christians:

God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? (1 Corinthians 12:28-30).

The apostles are said to be “first” in the significance and criticality of their divinely appointed role. The apostles specifically described their unique role in the early church as entailing giving themselves to “the word of God” and “the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:2,4).

THE DURATION OF AN APOSTLE

Once the church of Christ was established and Christianity was given its initial presentation (cf. Colossians 1:23), the apostolic office faded from the scene along with the age of miracles. As an eyewitness of Christ’s resurrection, Paul referred to himself in relation to the other apostles as “last of all” (1 Corinthians 15:8). Neither apostles nor miraculous gifts was needed any longer. They had served their temporary purpose (Mark 16:20; Acts 4:29-31; 13:12; 14:3; Romans 15:18-19; Hebrews 2:3-4; cf. Exodus 4:30). Miraculous gifts functioned as scaffolding while the church was under initial construction, and were removed once the structure had been completed (1 Corinthians 3:10; 13:11; Ephesians 4:13-14). The book we call the Bible is the totality of God’s written revelation to the human race. Consequently, people now have access to everything they need (2 Peter 1:3) to enter into a right relationship with God via Christianity and the church of Christ. The apostles “had no official successors. From the nature of their duties, there could be no succession” (Hayden, pp. 20-21). Apostles, quite simply, are no longer needed!

NO APOSTLES TODAY

Unfortunately, several groups that claim affiliation with the Christian religion allege to have apostles among them, including Catholicism, Mormonism, and some pentecostal groups. This claim is unbiblical. No person living today can meet the qualifications given in Scripture for being an apostle. No one living today has been an eyewitness of Christ’s resurrection. Christ has selected no one living today for the apostolic role. No one living today possesses the miraculous capabilities of an apostle. We should not be surprised that people would falsely claim to be apostles. Jesus warned that false prophets would come in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they would be ravening wolves (Matthew 7:15). Paul described some of his opponents in these words:

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Further warning was issued to the Galatian churches: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). Anyone claiming to be an apostle today who teaches anything in addition to the New Testament is clearly not an apostle of Christ!
Peter added his voice on the same subject: “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1). No wonder John admonished: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1; cf. Matthew 24:11,24). In the Revelation, the church at Ephesus was commended because they “tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars” (Revelation 2:2).
Catholicism maintains that Peter was the supreme bishop, even over the other apostles, and that every pope since Peter is an apostolic successor to Peter. The pope is selected after literally hours and days of deliberation by cardinals in the Vatican. The only apostle in the Bible that was not handpicked by Christ in person was Matthias. Yet he was not selected by mere men deliberating and debating his potential. He was selected by the casting of lots—which was simply another way for Jesus to do the selecting (Acts 1:26; cf. Proverbs 16:33).
It is incredible to think that any human beings living today would presume to appoint apostles. In pinpointing the credentials of an apostle, Luke (Acts 1) made it abundantly evident that to qualify as an apostle a person would have to have seen the Lord and been an eyewitness of His resurrection. That is why Paul was careful to state: “Am I not an apostle? …Have I not seen the Lord?” (1 Corinthians 9:1, emp. added). In recounting his conversion, he quoted Ananias as having said, “The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard” (Acts 22:14-15, emp. added). What alleged modern-day apostle could make such a claim?
The New Testament also makes clear the fact that an essential characteristic of an apostle was that he had been selected by Deity. When Jesus was on Earth, He handpicked the first twelve apostles. After His departure from Earth, the disciples cast lots to select a successor to Judas. Their method allowed no input from mere humans—except in the recognition that two men possessed all the qualifications necessary to be an apostle. Casting lots allowed God to do the selecting. Divine control in the selection process by casting lots was common in Old Testament history (see Leviticus 16:8; Numbers 26:55; 33:54; 34:13; Joshua 14:2; 18:6,10; 19:51; cf. Acts 13:19; 1 Samuel 14:42; Nehemiah 10:34; Psalm 16:5). Solomon claimed: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (Proverbs 16:33). Indeed, Peter’s prayer on the occasion shows that the decision already had been made by the Lord before the actual casting of lots: “…show which of these two You have chosen” (Acts 1:24, emp. added). The summary statement regarding Matthias—“he was numbered with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:26; cf. Matthew 28:16; Mark 16:14; Luke 24:33)—gives way to a return to the expression “the twelve” (Acts 6:2; cf. Acts 2:14). The text states: “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship” (Acts 1:24-25). Paul also was handpicked by Jesus—to be a “chosen vessel” (Acts 9:15). No human being on Earth today can claim he has been personally singled out and chosen by Jesus to be an apostle.
A third proof that no apostles exist on Earth today is the fact that New Testament apostles were empowered by God—not only to perform miracles—but also to convey miraculous power to other people who then could work miracles themselves. This characteristic is demonstrated in detailed fashion in Acts: “Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money” (Acts 8:18). The issue of modern-day apostles may be settled very quickly! To authenticate their claim to be apostles, they must be able both to perform miracles as well as confer miraculous power to others. The apostles of Jesus in the New Testament demonstrated their apostolic status without hesitation. Anyone today who claims to be an apostle should be willing to do the same. No such ability exists today.

ORIGINAL APOSTLES WERE SUFFICIENT

A fascinating passage in the New Testament sheds further light upon this notion of modern-day apostles. That passage is Matthew 19:28. There Jesus informed Peter and the other apostles: “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” A related passage is Luke 22:29-30 which says, “And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as my Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
These verses are Christ’s figurative declarations describing the role of the twelve apostles in the establishment of the church and the dissemination of the gospel proclamation (cf. Bales, 1957, pp. 187-223). The “regeneration” refers to the Christian era, which began at Pentecost, during which time spiritual regeneration became possible through the blood of Christ (Titus 3:5). It is an equivalent expression with the “time of reformation” (Hebrews 9:10). The throne of Christ’s glory refers to His present location at the right hand of God (Acts 2:34-36; Ephesians 1:20; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:13; 8:1; 10:12-13). The “judging” done by the apostles refers to the rule that the apostles exerted while they were on Earth, setting in place the features of New Testament Christianity (Matthew 16:19; John 20:22-23). The “twelve thrones” refers to their complete authority from Christ to implement Christ’s will until the end of time—which they presently do today through their authoritative writings—found only in the New Testament. The “twelve tribes” is a figurative way to refer to the church—the spiritual Israel (Galatians 6:16; James 1:1; cf. Romans 2:28-30; Galatians 3:29).
Neither Christ nor the original apostles needs successors or representatives on Earth today. They continue to rule and reign over the kingdom through the work that they achieved in the first century, and that is preserved for all in the New Testament. Christ is now on His throne ruling and reigning. The apostles also are on the thrones assigned to them by Christ. To suggest that the apostles have modern-day successors is to discount and discredit the current rule of the apostles. Neither Christ nor the apostles has abdicated their authority or their current rule to any humans on Earth.
Additionally, the fact that Jesus declared that all twelve apostles would occupy thrones in the kingdom proves that Peter had no greater authority than the other apostles. The apostles were equal in their reception and wielding of the authority delegated to them by Christ. Yet the Catholic Church claims that the immediate successors to Peter were Linus (from A.D. 67 to 79), Cletus (from A.D. 79 to 91) and Clement (from A.D. 91 to 100). They agree that the apostle John would have still been alive throughout this period (see G.C. Brewer’s discussion as quoted in Bales, pp. 208-210). The doctrine of the primacy of Peter means that the first three of the alleged successors of Peter would have exercised authority over the still-living apostle John—who had been handpicked by Christ Himself! The very John whom Jesus placed on one of the twelve thrones would have been under the authority, knowledge, and power of three popes who had not been selected to be among the original Twelve! (see also Hayden, pp. 22-33). Hayden aptly summarized the New Testament position regarding modern-day apostles:

The thirteen apostles chosen, ordained and endowed by the newly crowned Messiah faithfully and fully executed their commission. When they entered into everlasting rest, the church was established, with all needful ministries to edify, extend and perpetuate it throughout all coming centuries. Then the extraordinary, which was necessary to found a new institution, was succeeded by the ordinary, which is sufficient to teach, regulate and govern the subjects of Christ’s kingdom according to the laws that went forth from Jerusalem. The revelation of God was completed. The word of faith is henceforth nigh every believer, even in his mouth and in his heart. The apostolic office ceased, and evangelists and pastors became the permanent teachers and superintendents of the church (pp. 33-34).

REFERENCES

Arndt, William and F.W. Gingrich (1957), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press).
Bales, James (1957), The Kingdom: Prophesied and Established (Austin, TX: Firm Foundation).
Hayden, W.L. (1894), Church Polity (Kansas City, MO: Old Paths Book Club).
Miller, Dave (1996), Piloting the Strait (Pulaski, TN: Sain Publications).
Miller, Dave (2003), “Modern-day Miracles, Tongue-Speaking, and Holy Spirit Baptism: A Refutation—Extended Version,” [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2569.
Thayer, Joseph H. (1901), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1977 reprint).