THE QUALIFICATIONS AND TESTS FOR APOSTLESHIP.
Here are several Biblical tests to know if you or others claiming this title are indeed a God ordained apostle or have been self-appointed.

Romans 1:1 Paul was CALLED BY GOD HIMSELF. Today we find many who believe they stand in the office of apostle, but they never were called by God personally.

So many are claiming this, who never met scriptural tests, but mostly out of self-importance and pride, are trying to impress others by inflated titles for which they are unqualified and bestowed upon themselves.

Some believe they can have someone lay hands on them and they are then called an apostle and prophet. They believe they can go through a school training system, an online course, or worse, ordain themselves and assume the title.

Only God Himself ordains who He wills. Paul said He was called by God. Paul did not appoint himself nor did man appoint him. God did it Himself personally.

We have to understand the meaning of being an apostle or being called an apostle. We see Paul stressed that I was called to this office.

In the New Testament a person is always called directly and supernaturally by God to be an apostle. Some people suppose you grow up to be an apostle, you start as a Sunday school teacher and pastor and move on up until you are an apostle. Others say apostles are appointed by their churches.

There's not a word of any of that in the New Testament.

Apostles are always appointed directly by Jesus. In Matthew 10 He appointed the apostles. In Galatians 1 Paul said I've been appointed as an apostle directly by Jesus Christ. Now if you understand what an apostle is you'll see why you can't appoint yourself.

You can decide if you have a genuine call of God on your life to be a pastor and meet the scriptural tests in 1 Timothy 3 or Titus 1. However, you cannot decide to become an apostle because there are certain qualifications that go with the office. You cannot decide your ministry has grown sufficiently and assume the title because it gives you status and authority over people.

What is an apostle?

Basically, the word in the Greek in the New Testament is one who is sent. But as you study in the New Testament what an apostle does, you can broaden the full meaning of what an apostle is. He is a messenger or ambassador sent on a specific mission by a higher authority.

There are certain qualifications that are required in the New Testament to be an apostle. These qualifications disqualify and rule out almost all calling themselves apostles today as we will see.

1.) An apostle will receive a direct call and appointment from heaven placing you into the office of an apostle as we have already discussed. Matthew 10:1-4; Acts 1:21-26 especially verse 24 where it states, "who You have chosen", Galatians 1:1 Paul said he was appointed not from men nor through man but by Jesus. 2 Timothy 1:11 Paul said he was appointed an apostle. These Scriptures prove if a man is an apostle he will be directly appointed by heaven with this call.

2.) An apostle is used by God for the care, the establishment and oversight of churches 2 Corinthians 11:28. He can ordain elders Titus 1:5. He can impart supernatural gifts of the Spirit to believers Romans 1:11, for the edification of the church, meaning the 1 Corinthians 12:7-12 gifts.

3.) A true apostle will expose sin, corruption and error in the church. We see Paul correcting the church of the Corinthians and Galatians to keep them free from error. See 1 Corinthians 5, 2 Corinthians 12:20-21. Also, Peter in Acts 5:1-12 called out the hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira pronouncing judgment. These passages, with many others, show the importance of this office needed in the church today.

4.) A true apostle will have sound doctrine and deep revelation confirmed by the word of God. Ephesians chapter 1 and 3; Galatians 1:8. His message, deeds, and words will be in harmony with revealed scripture, never contradicting them. This disqualifies almost all who call themselves apostles, or at least, they want you to think that they are. They do not have the apostolic message. What is the apostolic message? What God is restoring in this hour by His Spirit is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit so that the church will be in His power again. He is restoring body ministry, which means the spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians 12, and Romans 12. These spiritual gifts are to be regularly manifested by the body of Christ because that is the way the New Testament church functions. See 1 Corinthians 14 also. God is restoring the apostolic message of faith in His Word and His promises, the message of true discipleship not just church membership, being a spectator entertained for an hour or so.

A true apostle will have a message of total faith in God like the apostles in the New Testament. They had a deeper message in the Holy Spirit that only comes by direct revelation. This also means restoring biblical truths as turning the other cheek, not going to law to defend yourself, nonresistance, not taking the oath, and many other teachings many churches do not teach or believe today but are clearly taught by Jesus in the sermon on the mount.

A true apostle will not have a new discipleship message, based on lust for money and greed to enrich themselves, fleecing the flock.

5.) A true apostle will have suffered immensely for the name of Jesus and His gospel bringing him into a deeper revelation of the sufferings of Christ for His body. Philippians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 11. The persecutions, trials, tests, hardships he endures are all proof of the calling of a true apostle. His character and lifestyle is above reproach and an example for the church to follow.

6.) A true apostle's authority will be recognized by the church that Jesus has appointed and anointed him to the ministry by the inner witness of the Spirit. The deeper revelation, the signs that bear witness, the authority which he speaks will be confirmed in the hearts of the believers 2 Corinthians 12:12. 7.) This call to the office of apostle will be confirmed by signs and miracles and fruit. He does not only have the signs and miracles confirming his ministry, but he will also have the fruit Jesus spoke of in John 15. I have ordained you to go bear fruit. He said much fruit and He said your fruit will remain. Paul could prove, justify, and authenticate his ministry as he stated in Romans 15:19 by the signs and miracles.

This is what will follow an apostle. If a person is used to heal or deliver another believer occasionally this doesn't mean that these signs and miracles identify an apostle. Romans 15:15-19 Paul said he is the minister to the Gentiles, verse 19. He confirmed his ministry through mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God.

Now a word of caution here on the test of true and false prophecy as found in Deuteronomy 13. This passage warns against a false prophet who gives a sign that comes to pass. So, God Himself tells us that a false teacher, false prophet, false minister, or false apostle sometimes can work a sign that will come to pass, or he will give the sign and will say this will confirm my ministry and it will actually come to pass the way he says.

In Matthew 7:21-22 Jesus speaks of those who cast out demons and worked miracles that do mighty works in His name, but He says, "I don't know you". He said a tree is known by its fruit. So, just signs and miracles in themselves will not confirm a ministry. Now you could raise the question, how can Paul qualify because He can't meet the first condition. He says he is an apostle, and he was challenged that he was not by some. As you read his epistles, he is challenged more than once that he was not one of the twelve, therefore not a true apostle.

As you read his epistles, especially in 2nd Corinthians and Galatians, he is defending his apostleship. How can he qualify because the first qualification is he must have a personal acquaintance with Jesus' ministry. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:1-2 how he can qualify. He said the risen Lord appeared directly to me and appointed me to this office. He tells you this also in Galatians 1:1 and verse 12. He said I did not receive this Gospel from man but the Lord Himself directly separated me and appeared to me and gave me this Gospel.

Paul said the revelation that he has is directly from heaven. But he never talked to the other apostles at first. He said this because he wanted no question in anyone's mind that his apostleship was not from the Lord. They could think that someone had set him in that office besides Jesus Christ. He purposefully for a long time had no relationship with the other apostles except that brief excursion up to Jerusalem right after his conversion. But he got his Gospel, his appointment directly from the Lord Jesus Christ.

We see in the New Testament that there are more than twelve apostles. Acts 14:14 and Galatians 1:19 where Barnabas and James the Lord's brother are called apostles in Scripture.

It's important to see that any apostle today or any prophet is going to get their appointment directly from the Lord Jesus Christ. We should refuse to follow a man that says he is a prophet or apostle who does not have that direct personal appointment by the Lord Jesus Christ. There may be ministries in the future for some. One thing is sure, anyone who is set in the office of apostle or prophet is going to have the qualifications.

To summarize, he is going to have the mighty signs and miracles, he is going to have the direct appointment from the Lord Jesus Christ, and he's going to get his revelation from heaven. He is going to get a deeper revelation of what the Word says directly from heaven. He is going to have the deeper meaning of what the written revelation is saying. He is not going to contradict it. Paul was called to be an apostle so when was He called? After the death, burial, and ascension of Jesus. After the church was established. After Pentecost. Long after the twelve had been appointed. Why didn't Jesus appoint him with the twelve? Why was Paul appointed so much later? He said in 1 Corinthians 15 that he was the last of those he named to see Jesus. Why was he last? Because it was not yet time for him to be appointed.

The twelve were only sent to Israel. We need to keep that in mind as we study the New Testament and read the Gospel. In one place, Paul said Peter was the apostle to the Jews and I am the apostle to the Gentiles. The twelve, we must keep in mind, were only sent to Jews. Jesus in Matthew 10, when He appointed them said go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. When the Syrophoenician woman came to Jesus for healing of deliverance of her child what did He say? He said I've only been sent to Israel. It's not right to take the children's bread and give it to the Gentiles. And in Romans 1:16 Paul tells us that the Gospel is to be preached to the Jew first and then to the Gentile. In fact, everywhere he went he would go first in the synagogue on the Sabbath and offer it to the Jews and generally they would reject it. Some would believe but first he offered it first to the Jew and then to the Gentile. We see it wasn't time yet.

God didn't call him to be one of the twelve for two good reasons.

1. First of all the Lord had to scatter the church after it was well established in Jerusalem then he had to scatter it to get it out to the world. How did he do that? Paul was the great persecutor of the church. He scattered it.

We read in Acts 8 how Paul was persecuting the believers in Jerusalem. They were scattered all over the empire. And they went everywhere preaching the word. The apostles stayed in Jerusalem we are told. The church was scattered then God in His permissive will used Paul to persecute the church to such a degree that the people would have to flee for their very lives.

2. He was an apostle to the Gentiles. Jesus stressed over and over in His ministry that the Jews were first to get the Gospel and His word, and He established the first church in Jerusalem. It had to be to the Jew first. There had to be a home base. There has to be a well established church and then Paul could be called to spread the gospel throughout the world.

Paul said I was separated and called that day on the road to Damascus after Jesus' ascension. Galatians 1:15 Paul says he was separated for this ministry just like Jeremiah. When it pleased God, He separated me from my mother's womb and called me by HIS Grace to reveal His Son in me that I might preach Him among the heathen. He got his Gospel from Christ not from flesh and blood. He was called to be an apostle that day on the road to Damascus. But He was separated and chosen in Christ from the foundation of the world, just as are all Christians Ephesians 1, You are called when you hear the Gospel. The day you believe that's when you were called but that's not when you were separated. Paul said, I was separated from my mother's womb. Acts 9 Jesus said you've been a chosen vessel. You are a chosen vessel unto me.

When you were called, the day you believed you were foreordained to eternal life Eph. 1:4-5. According as God has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that's when you were separated. You were separated unto God before the foundation of the world and that we would be holy and without blame before Him in love having predestinated us by the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His Will.

So, you were called by the Gospel, you have to hear the Gospel, you have to hear the call, you have to receive the call, but you were separated and ordained from the foundation of the world. Separated He said, unto the Gospel of God. That is the Gospel of God's saving grace is what he refers to. Verse 2 which he has promised before by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. Edited. Shared.

In conclusion, we need to test ministries especially those calling themselves apostles. Jesus commended the church of Ephesus in the book of Revelation chapter 2 and verse 2. Jesus said you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars. With these tests just shared, you will now be able to discern between the true and the false. May God give you wisdom and a discerning heart keeping you free from deception in these last days.

Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for teaching for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

God willing, more will be posted soon. All glory to Jesus alone.