Douglas K. Smith

One of the most important controversies that has existed since the time of the apostles is the issue of their authority. This issue was addressed by the apostles themselves (which is very clear in places such as 2 Corinthians 11, 12 and Galatians 1,2 and suggested even in some of the salutations of Paul's epistles - e.g., "an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God") and it must also be dealt with today. There are three main positions concerning this issue. The first is that the apostles acted authoritatively when speaking for God and that there have been no special inspired messengers or revelations of God to His people since. Second is the view that apostolic succession continues in some form today, either in the form of church leaders or new revelation (or both). Some Roman Catholics, charismatics, and members of other groups hold to a form of this view, thereby making God's Word insufficient for faith and practice and by adding to it will be found liars (Proverbs 30:6). Finally, others deny apostolic authority, seeing the apostles not as writing with special authority and inspiration from God but only from a point of view shaped by their culture. The position of the author is that the first view is correct and that the rejection of apostolic authority is nothing less than a rejection of God and a repudiation of the Christian faith.

We must put the apostles to the same test C. S. Lewis said we must evaluate Jesus by: either they are telling the truth, they are lunatics, or they are liars. The apostles clearly claimed authority from God in their teachings. If they were mistaken and crazy, they cannot by any means be trusted. If they were deliberately lying, then they were horrible men and must absolutely be repudiated. But, if they were telling the truth (and if Jesus was telling the truth about them), then their teaching is authoritative, and the implications for us are simple (but also life-changing and not always easy): Christians must show their trust in God by believing, embracing, and practicing what He taught through His apostles. But if we reject the apostles, God's messengers, then we reject God Himself as untrustworthy and undesirable (I John 4:5,6).

To consider this issue fairly, we must discuss what an apostle is, the qualities that set them apart from other men, and why accepting their teachings is essential to true Christianity.

Our English word apostle is translated from the Greek apostolos and means "one who is sent." The Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as "the Apostle and High Priest of our profession" in Hebrews 3:1. Apostolos is used primarily in the New Testament to speak of the twelve apostles the Lord Jesus Christ (the very Son of God) chose. The apostles and the disciples of Jesus as general terms are not synonymous - disciple means student. The apostles certainly were disciples, but the larger group of disciples did not share the same authority as the twelve. Furthermore, in Acts 1:21-22, Peter mentioned specific criteria when selecting a replacement for Judas Iscariot. The man had to be one who had been a disciple from Jesus' baptism by John to Jesus' ascension in order to be a witness of Jesus' resurrection. (The only exception was Paul, who Jesus later personally appeared to and chose - see Acts 9:1-31, 22:1-22, 26:1-23; cf. Paul's vindication of his apostleship in 2 Cor. 11,12 and Gal. 1,2.)

The apostles were unique. They were the ones Christ explicitly commissioned to begin the spread of His gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8). Christ promised to send His Spirit to them to teach them and remind them of His commands; He gave them special authority and revelation (John 14:26, 16:13-15, Acts 1:8). God through Christ gave the apostles power to do signs and wonders during Jesus' earthly ministry and especially after His ascension to the Father. This special manifestation of the power of God was given as evidence that the apostles were Divinely approved and sent (Hebrews 2:1-4, 2 Cor. 12:12). No other believers in the early Church (except some ordained by apostles) could work signs and wonders.

The authority of the apostles was recognized among themselves and by the other believers. They were the leadership of the early Church. Their teaching was regarded as authoritative by each other as well as other Christians (Acts 2:42, 1 Cor. 2:13, 1 Thess. 2:13, 2 Peter 1:19-21); Peter even declared Paul's writing to be equivalent to Holy Scripture (2 Peter 3:15,16)! Paul mentions that apostles are very special in the order of the Church, Christ's body (1 Cor. 12:28,29), and that believers are "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone." (Ephesians 2:20)

The reason that the apostles' teaching must be accepted is that they are sent by Christ, who said, "He that receives you receives Me, and he that receives Me receives Him who sent Me" (Matthew 10:40). One of the grossest evidences of unbelief and rebellion against God manifests itself in the disdain and contempt many hold for God's messengers. This was seen with God's prophets to Israel and is seen today in the attitudes held by many professing Christians for the apostles' writings. It is clear that rejection of the messenger one authoritatively sends is rooted in a rejection of the one who sent him. Therefore, those who denied God's prophets and those who today reject His apostles in effect deny the Lord Jesus Christ and the only true God.

We must conclude that acceptance of apostolic authority is inseparable from true Christianity. We see clearly from Scripture that to reject Christ's apostles is to reject Christ. And to reject Christ is to reject God.

Therefore, rejection of God's messengers - no matter who does it, or how subtly - is the result of nothing less than rank unbelief. We have seen that the apostles are the foundation of the Church (and "if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3)) If we deny the very foundation of the Church, we must forsake the Church itself; no building can stand without a foundation. And if we attack the foundation of Christ's building, then it is clear that we are at war with the Divine Builder Himself.