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"TO BE A WITNESS WITH THEM OF HIS RESURRECTION!"
Search the Scriptures as we may, we cannot find any other
purpose for the twelve apostles, except to go out and preach, and
heal, and to be WITH Jesus thruout His ministry, in order that they
might forever PROVE the TRUTH OF THE RESURRECTION!
That was the only reason for the definite number of TWELVE!
To suppose that this definite number of twelve was to be continued
and perpetuated AFTER THEIR MISSION WAS FULFILLED is absurd!
Is there any statement that others later called "apostles"---
once SENT to preach---merely evangelists---such as Paul, Barnabas,
etc., were "one of the twelve?" There is no such statement in the
Bible! Rather Paul and Barnabas, after there were called apostles
(as in Acts 14:14), went up to Jerusalem UNTO THE APOSTLES. (Acts
15:2). And here, at this conference, the Holy Spirit revealed
truth TO BE WRITTEN AS PART OF THE INSPIRED SCRIPTURES, which were
not yet, at that time, complete. Surely no "12 apostles" are
authorized by the Scripture to receive such special instruction
from the Holy Spirit, to made part of the Holy Scriptures, TODAY!
Such an implication is little short of blasphemous!
True, Paul and a few others are called "apostles." But an
"apostle" is merely "ONE SENT." If we could find one single
Scripture where Paul, or any other than the original twelve, ever
were called "ONE OF THE TWELVE", as we freely hear men style
themselves today, then we would know the twelve continued on.
BUT THERE IS NO SUCH SCRIPTURE!
The words "The twelve" are NEVER used except to refer to the
original 12 which companied with Jesus thruout His ministry, to be
witnesses of His resurrection!
There is NO SCRIPTURE even hinting that the twelve were
continued. On the other hand, every Scriptural indication is that
THEY WERE NOT. Even the authors of "A History of the True Church"
were unable to find any continuance of THE TWELVE in the TRUE
Church!
That ought to settle the matter. The Scripture speak of FALSE
apostles, and of "them which SAY they are apostles, and are not,
but hast found them LIARS." (II Cor. 11:13; Rev. 2:2). Let us
beware being deceived. It is the COMMANDMENT KEEPERS whom the
Devil seeks, in these latter days, to deceive!
Let us be sure everything we accept is based on true BIBLE
AUTHORITY, and not falsely read INTO the Bible by imputing a
meaning to various scattered texts contrary to the plain, obvious
intended meaning IN ITS SETTING!
HOW ABOUT THE SEVENTY?
Now let us look briefly at the "70".
Did THEY constitute a CHURCH BOARD? Was power to govern, or
rule, or act as an advisory board in matters of doctrine or church
government? Was THAT the purpose for which Jesus appointed them?
The ONLY PLACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT where "the seventy" are
mentioned is in the 10th chapter of Luke.
Beside the twelve, whom Jesus ordained "that they "should be
with Him," for "a witness of His resurrection," and whom He sent
forth to preach, "the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent
them two and two before his face into every city and place
whither he himself would come." (verse 1).
Did they ASSEMBLE---as a board?