Comments on: What happened to prophets and apostles? http://www.mormondna.org/bible/happened-prophets-apostles.html What Mormons Are Really Made Of Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:41:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Joshua Steimle http://www.mormondna.org/bible/happened-prophets-apostles.html#comment-329 Joshua Steimle Thu, 31 Dec 2009 03:19:10 +0000 http://www.mormondna.org/?p=203#comment-329 The last time I spent any time on my blog here it took me several days to catch up on my day job. I thus find myself restricted to responding only where I can do so with brevity. Just a few things: "Apostles today are commonly referred to as missionaries." - Are you saying there is no difference between people sent out by any Christian denomination today as missionaries, and Peter, James, and John? In your second and third sets of answers you're effectively saying there is no need for prophets and apostles today, as there were in the Bible, because we have the Bible. Two questions come to mind; 1) isn't this more or less what the Jews said when Christ and the apostles started giving them new scripture? 2) if the Bible were enough, why is there so much disagreement and confusion amongst Christian today about very basic things, such as whether God and Christ are the same individual or not? Why would God allow so much confusion about Him and his plan for us? "For all others, once you are dead that is it…game over." - What about Matthew 17:3? What about Malachi 4:5? Regarding Revelation 22:18-19, this is referring to the book of Revelation itself, and not to the Bible, since; 1) the Bible did not exist when the book of Revelation was written, and 2) the book of Revelation was not the last book of the Bible to be written, it only happens to be placed at the end. As for Proverbs 30:5-6, if you take that scripture to mean what you imply it means, doesn't it invalidate the entire New Testament? The last time I spent any time on my blog here it took me several days to catch up on my day job. I thus find myself restricted to responding only where I can do so with brevity. Just a few things:

“Apostles today are commonly referred to as missionaries.” – Are you saying there is no difference between people sent out by any Christian denomination today as missionaries, and Peter, James, and John?

In your second and third sets of answers you’re effectively saying there is no need for prophets and apostles today, as there were in the Bible, because we have the Bible. Two questions come to mind; 1) isn’t this more or less what the Jews said when Christ and the apostles started giving them new scripture? 2) if the Bible were enough, why is there so much disagreement and confusion amongst Christian today about very basic things, such as whether God and Christ are the same individual or not? Why would God allow so much confusion about Him and his plan for us?

“For all others, once you are dead that is it…game over.” – What about Matthew 17:3? What about Malachi 4:5?

Regarding Revelation 22:18-19, this is referring to the book of Revelation itself, and not to the Bible, since; 1) the Bible did not exist when the book of Revelation was written, and 2) the book of Revelation was not the last book of the Bible to be written, it only happens to be placed at the end. As for Proverbs 30:5-6, if you take that scripture to mean what you imply it means, doesn’t it invalidate the entire New Testament?

]]> By: Iconoclast http://www.mormondna.org/bible/happened-prophets-apostles.html#comment-290 Iconoclast Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:43:09 +0000 http://www.mormondna.org/?p=203#comment-290 Q. If you believe in the Bible, answer me this–where are the prophets and apostles? A. They exist today, but not in the manner that is commonly thought of. A prophet is a person that speaks for another. For exmple, Moses was God's prophet and Aaron was Moses's prophet. An apostle is one who is sent out. Not all prophets spoke of future events. While there were the 12 apostles (14 if you count Matthias and Paul) chosen by Jesus there were also others. Apostles today are commonly referred to as missionaries. Q.If God were a loving God, why would he give the ancient people prophets and apostles when hardly anyone lived on the earth, and today when there are billions of people on the earth provide no such direction? A. The above question is a supposition that we know the number of people on the earth prior to our common era. We have yet to discover how many people lived prior to the great flood. Also, not all of the societies afterwards had a census to number all men, women, and children. However, God had provided direction from the begining and will to the end of the age. One important factor of prophesy is the reason. Please refer to 1 Peter 1:10-13. Q. Can you give any logical reason why God wouldn’t have prophets and apostles on earth today vs. thousands of years ago? A. The logical reason for not having prophets (the ones who spoke of future events) and apotles (like the 12 chosen by Jesus) is because the Bible (a.k.a the mirror) was completed and, therefore, there was no need of those types of gifts. Please refer to 1 Corinthians 13:8-12. Besides, since John was the last apostle to die there was no other apostle to impart the gifts of the Holy Spirit onto others. Therefore, when the last of those who received the gift of prophecy by the laying on of hands fom the apostle died there was an end to prophecy. Q. Does the Bible itself say there would be an end to prophets and apostles? A. No, but it says there will be an end to the gifts that were apportioned to the Apostles and Prophets. Please refer to 1 Corinthians 13:8-12. A. Yes, when Jesus returns to judge the world. Please refer to Revelation 22:12. Q. If it does state or insinuate such a thing, does it state that prophets and apostles would never return? A. The only one that is mentioned on returning is the Christ. For all others, once you are dead that is it...game over. However, there is a warning to adding to God's word and taking away from his word. Please refer to Revelation 22:18-19 and Proverbs 30:5-6. P.S. When we look at the Bible many things are manifested to us. The Old Testament is the New Tetament concealed. The New testament is the Old Testament revealed. There is a relationship between the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles (14 tribes if you include Manasseh and Ephraim and 14 apostles if you include Matthias and Paul). There is a relationship between the Tabernacle and the church of Christ. The Bible is amazing! When we wish to answer where are he prophets and apostles we should be more more specific on which type. Q. If you believe in the Bible, answer me this–where are the prophets and apostles?
A. They exist today, but not in the manner that is commonly thought of. A prophet is a person that speaks for another. For exmple, Moses was God’s prophet and Aaron was Moses’s prophet. An apostle is one who is sent out. Not all prophets spoke of future events. While there were the 12 apostles (14 if you count Matthias and Paul) chosen by Jesus there were also others. Apostles today are commonly referred to as missionaries.

Q.If God were a loving God, why would he give the ancient people prophets and apostles when hardly anyone lived on the earth, and today when there are billions of people on the earth provide no such direction?
A. The above question is a supposition that we know the number of people on the earth prior to our common era. We have yet to discover how many people lived prior to the great flood. Also, not all of the societies afterwards had a census to number all men, women, and children. However, God had provided direction from the begining and will to the end of the age. One important factor of prophesy is the reason. Please refer to 1 Peter 1:10-13.

Q. Can you give any logical reason why God wouldn’t have prophets and apostles on earth today vs. thousands of years ago?
A. The logical reason for not having prophets (the ones who spoke of future events) and apotles (like the 12 chosen by Jesus) is because the Bible (a.k.a the mirror) was completed and, therefore, there was no need of those types of gifts. Please refer to 1 Corinthians 13:8-12. Besides, since John was the last apostle to die there was no other apostle to impart the gifts of the Holy Spirit onto others. Therefore, when the last of those who received the gift of prophecy by the laying on of hands fom the apostle died there was an end to prophecy.

Q. Does the Bible itself say there would be an end to prophets and apostles?
A. No, but it says there will be an end to the gifts that were apportioned to the Apostles and Prophets. Please refer to 1 Corinthians 13:8-12.
A. Yes, when Jesus returns to judge the world. Please refer to Revelation 22:12.

Q. If it does state or insinuate such a thing, does it state that prophets and apostles would never return?
A. The only one that is mentioned on returning is the Christ. For all others, once you are dead that is it…game over. However, there is a warning to adding to God’s word and taking away from his word. Please refer to Revelation 22:18-19 and Proverbs 30:5-6.

P.S. When we look at the Bible many things are manifested to us. The Old Testament is the New Tetament concealed. The New testament is the Old Testament revealed. There is a relationship between the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles (14 tribes if you include Manasseh and Ephraim and 14 apostles if you include Matthias and Paul). There is a relationship between the Tabernacle and the church of Christ. The Bible is amazing!

When we wish to answer where are he prophets and apostles we should be more more specific on which type.

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