One website with high volume traffic boldly greets visitors with the tagline: “Meet Today’s Prophets and Apostles.” The names of twelve alleged apostles are given, with a nice photo of each person.
Lesser luminaries, on other websites, who want to get into the act of spiritual pretension, simply proclaim themselves to have an apostolic, prophetic, and healing ministry. What is to be said to such people? I would suggest the following be said.
The first word to say to any modern day apostle is this, “Your arrogance is appalling.” It does no good to deny the arrogance of your assumption. Furthermore, any words of profanity expressed against those who rebuke your fraudulent ministry only confirm your godless status. “Jezebel,” “Antichrist,” and “Blasphemer of the Holy Spirit” are not uncommon pejoratives used against those who disapprove of charlatans who claim to be apostles and prophets by their own word. A Biblical apostle was never self-appointed. A Biblical apostle met three requirements.
First, the candidate was someone who had followed Jesus during His entire earthly ministry, beginning from the baptism of Jesus by John, and continuing until the Lord’s ascension into heaven (Acts 1:21-22a).
Second, a Biblical apostle was required to have seen Jesus personally, in the flesh, after His resurrection (Acts 1:22b). “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;” (1 John 1).
Third, a Biblical apostle was one who had been appointed by the Lord Jesus Himself (Acts 1:24-25).
Those men who were authentic apostles became the foundation for the church (Eph. 2:20). Once the foundation is laid, and a house is constructed, there is no need to rebuild the foundation. Church, there is no need to rebuild the foundation with modern day apostles.
The second word that should be spoken to a pseudo prophet is this: “Your greed is grotesque.” The modern day apostle seeks power, position, and stolen honor, but most of all money, they desire money. Seeking to make merchandise of God’s people, “they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.” (2 Peter 2:14-15).
There is a third word that should be spoken to the modern day apostle: Your judgement will be severe. Those who assume a sacred office in an unauthorized manner, as did Nadab and Abihu, will be severely judged, as severely as they were for offering their own “strange fire before the LORD, which He commanded them not” (Lev. 10:1).
It is possible that God the Holy Spirit might bring you to repentance and sorrow over your sins of arrogance, greed, and unbiblical appointment to a sacred office, but it is not likely. Your damnation is sure. Flee, if you can, from the wrath to come. Above all else, do not die in your state of sin. However, be assured, apart from your conversion, the Lord will plainly say to you one day, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Herein is the Word of the Lord. “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15).