A man who declares himself to be an “Apostle” (as a positional declaration, not a “sent one” but a job, office or position in the body, a position of leadership) is claiming to have received this ordination from God and is declaring to have an ability to “hear God” pertaining to the message he is sent to bear, that the bulk of the Christian body does not have.

If he declares this of himself, then his understanding of the ONE scripture that he uses to substantiate his position ought to be impeccable.

Now, the ONLY scripture typically used by the proponents of this system to rationalize their position is Ephesians 4:11. And we may quickly see that (presuming for a moment that this is an “office”, which I hold that it is not) there are mentioned here 4 of such “offices” and not 5.

You will see the word “AND” here 4 separate times. The first 3 times, it is the Greek word “de” which is used here to separate items in a continuative list.

The 4th time the word “AND” is used, it is the word “kai”, meaning “EVEN”, having a cumulative force. The Holy Spirit, through the King James translators rightfully chose not to delineate and separate the one item by a semi-colon as they did the other items in the list. It is as if I was to say: John is handsome AND dashing. Handsome EVEN dashing.

This is the use of two different descriptive words to explain the attributes of one thing, namely, John.

So, the list (assuming wrongly that these were “offices”) would be:

1. Apostles
   
2. Prophets
   
3. Evangelists
   
4. Pastors EVEN Teachers (Pastor/Teachers)

I will argue the point that these are NOT “offices” but FRUIT — later on. For now, let us deal with one false, self-proclaimed APOSTLE.

If a man claims that he is an APOSTLE, positionally, and he claims to have received a word from God, or that he has the ability to hear God in a way that the bulk of us in the body have NOT heard God — Is it possible that he would he really misread, mistranslate and mis-teach this verse of scripture? If he is hearing God and I am to obey him as my “superior”, would he really mess up this bad? Regarding the modern teaching of the “five-fold” ministry, if it is not FIVE, but FOUR — then maybe we should have a check in our spirit about those teaching in this movement.

My main thesis remains that these “gifts” are not offices, but fruit of a life lived according to those gifts. Ex.: A man may call himself a “teacher”, but he is not a teacher simply because he has called himself this. Nor is he a teacher because he has convinced many other people to call him one. He is a biblical “teacher” only if someone actually learns something of value, according to the will of God and the purpose for that particular persons life. Therefore it matters not what a man calls himself, because the fruit will bear witness of what he is. If this man calls himself a teacher, and no one learns, what purpose was there for him to proclaim his position? It can only be for manipulation purposes, so that we might be predisposed to grant unto him that he is what he claims to be, regardless of the fruit that he bears. However, if a man does not claim to be a teacher — yet everywhere he goes men learn from him, What does it matter if he called himself a teacher or not? Will not the fruit bear witness of what he is?

It is like the man who claims to be a Messianic “Rabbi”. He shows up at a meeting wearing the full rabbinical regalia, with a foot long beard, and appropriate music. What are the purposes of this circus?

Back when I was in the sales world, I sold a VERY high-end product. I wore a really nice suit and expensive shoes. Why? Because I wanted you, the customer, to be predisposed to highly value the product that I sold. It is marketing. The “Rabbi” knows that the more he looks the part, the more willing you are to accept that he is what he claims to be, and you will be MORE willing to buy his product. It calls for a suspension of disbelief. It is a not-so-subtle declaration of spiritual superiority, hoping that those who are able to spiritually discern the manipulation will be too intimidated to declare openly that the emperor has no clothes.

This list of these gifts in Ephesians is not a list of “offices”. It is a list of fruit (residue left behind after the one has passed by).

Let us now go back and examine this section of Ephesians, since in it is the one scripture that is generally used to support this teaching.

The overall teaching of this section of the letter to the Ephesians is this: that we maintain a unity in the body (verse 3 and 4), not in compromise, but in a unity of the faith — all of us being “called out ones”. The whole point of this chapter is that we realize that there is no HEIRARCHY. This chapter begins thusly: “that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called”. The beginning of error is in the exegesis of this word “vocation”. It is the word “klesis” (it is the root of the word eklesia) meaning “calling”.

An Ek-lesis is an “out calling”. Ek meaning “out”.

This “klesis” in Ephesians is not “job” or “office”, but that we walk worthy of our “calling” (out-calling) — elect status. It is by this “klesis” that we are the “eklesia” (called out ones, the real “church”). The thesis holding true that this chapter is preaching the equality of the believers at the foot of the cross. It does not teach a hierarchical structure. Verses 3-6 emphasizing this unity and equality.

Now that we understand the context of 4:11, we can understand that (per verse 8) that we have all received “grace” — meaning “gifts” from God. That “grace” being partitioned unto us according to the gift (and will of God). Now these “gifts” are many — but each of us has received these gifts in varied and different supply.

And he gave (committed) unto us these gifts, each of us particularly and all of us corporately - not in regard to hierarchy (don’t you know that you are all brethren?) - but that we might go forth and show the fruit (God produces fruit, we are merely fruit bearers) of these gifts, resulting in the perfecting of the saints.

I would hold that the burden of proof lies with those who proclaim that it IS an office, seeing that the scripture does not claim it to be one. If we were to refer to what the word “apostle” means, then the confusion falls off:

I believe that the word “saint” is not an office but is a declaration of a reality, brought about by a gift from God (grace) and evidenced by fruit. And so by the same token…Paul being both an “Apostle” and a “Saint” was not divided, the one part of him holding authority over the other. I am most certain that Paul did not have business cards, claiming his apostleship. Rather, Paul was a servant of both God and man.

Paul was a church planter. He didn’t plant “organizations”, he planted organisms. He did not trumpet institutions, he trumpeted Jesus Christ. He was most definitely “sent” by God. The centuries have born witness to this. Paul traveled and served. His apostleship was evidenced by STRIPES (I believe most, if not all, will). His servanthood was evidenced by hardship and suffering.

In reading the epistles of Paul, in order, we see that, as the apostleship of Paul wore on, he was less and less willing to claim a title. First declaring himself to be not one whit beneath the chiefest of the Apostles, but many years later declaring that he was “the chief of sinners”. As Paul got closer to the cross, he was less willing to take a title before men. So it should be with us.

Let us not go to a feast and seat ourselves in the best seats. It would be bad for us if the master of the feast were to ask us to remove to a place of less respect and honor. Rather, let us seat ourselves in the cheap seats, so that if the master of the feast finds us worthy — he may come and ask us to sit in the place of honor.

Christianity is a race to the bottom. If we serve, without regard to title and office, then the Master, when he returns, will grant us positions of power and authority in His Kingdom. Let the ones who will be chiefest among us, be the least and servants of all.

I am your servant in Christ Jesus,
Michael Bunker

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