Category: Apostles

The New Testament abounds with evidence that Paul was a genuine apostle of Jesus Christ. He possessed the authority of an apostle, and his epistles contain the teachings that we are to follow today.

Peter, James, and John formed an “inner circle” among the Lord’s twelve apostles. We cannot know for sure why these three men were singled out, but we benefit greatly from the blessings they were allowed to experience.

Some people today believe that they have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak in tongues and to prophecy, to perform miracles, to heal the sick and cast out demons. Regardless of the sincerity of these individuals, these claims do not harmonize with the Bible’s teaching regarding the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit. The miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit were real. They were given to believers through the laying on of the hands of an apostle. These gifts were the means of equipping the church and confirming the word to unbelievers. When the last apostle died, these gifts were no longer available to mankind.

The Lord made great promises to the apostles regarding the help they would receive from the Holy Spirit, but we must understand that these promises were limited to the apostles. The Holy Spirit is not a Helper or Comforter for us in the sense that He was for the apostles. Jesus fulfills this role for us today (1 John 2:1). However, we do benefit from the work that the Holy Spirit did through the apostles. As the Holy Spirit taught them all things, reminded them of all things, and guided them into all truth, they wrote it down. When we read what they wrote, we can understand all things that the Spirit has given to the apostles (Ephesians 3:3-5).

The gospel of John records several short conversations Jesus had as He began to attract disciples at the beginning His ministry. These conversations are contained in verse 35-51 of John 1.