I Corinthians 4

Did you ever wish you were an apostle? I have. Apostles were chosen and specifically appointed by Jesus (the 12) and/or by God (Paul). Paul says in 2 Cor 12:2: "The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles ...." Apostles had great powers! They could heal people. The could work miracles. Apostles were cool!

But then I read I Cor 4:9-13. Yuck! End of the procession. Men condemned to die. Spectacles. Fools. Weak. Dishonored. Hungry and thirsty. In rags. Brutally treated. Homeless. Work with hands. Cursed. Persecuted. Slandered. Scum of the earth!

Do apostles still exist today? I was taught that there was no longer a need for the "signs, wonders and miracles" stuff because we now have the Bible. Apostles had these powers to show/prove that they were from God and that they spoke God's words. The writings we have (the New Testament) were written by Apostles (or about Apostles). So, the signs, wonders and miracles are not there (I guess), but are there still apostles?

I did a Google search on that question. Wow! There are some different opinions out there on this one. Some say that missionaries are apostles. Some church leaders claim to be Apostles (i.e., appointed/anointed by God to preach the word and lead his people). Others say that the Bible clearly teaches that there are no apostles today.

Look at the following links for some interesting views:

http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=146

http://www.learnthebible.org/apostles-today.html

http://www.globalchristians.org/articles/apostle.htm

So, do apostles still exist today? I personally don't think so, but I cannot say for sure. So, what did I learn today? I learned that this is a hot topic. But I finish today wondering why Paul wrote this in I Cor 4. Why did he write about his "qualifications?" He says that he did it not to shame but to warn. To warn them of what? To warn them not to want to be apostles? To warn them not to claim to be more important than someone else? To warn them not to be arrogant in their knowledge, "position" in the church, associations, friends? Yes, that is what I think is going on.

Paul is warning the Corinthians that words mean nothing. He is telling them that God's way is very different from man's way. In the world, knowledge, position, associations, friends, money, etc. are measures of power. Not so in God's kingdom. In God's kingdom, all are equal. We are all the same. As Paul says (I Cor 4: 6-7):

Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

I think that in the church that God wants us to have, all men should be equal. No one should be above anyone else. No one should be treated as being more holy, more anointed, closer to God, more popular. But that is so hard to do when we all live and work in a world where these things are what separates all of us.

I was talking with my son and daughter this morning (before I read the Bible today) and the topic of cliches among friends came up. My daughter is in middle school. It was amazing to hear her talk about groups at school and how the different groups view one another. It is like a caste system in middle school. There are the popular and snotty kids, groups in between, and the bottom level kids (what others call the losers). It was sad listening to her talk about this. But then I thought about what it is like in my work place. The same. I thought about what it is like in my neighborhood. The same. And I thought about what it is like in the church I sometimes go to. The same.

It all makes me wonder.