Paul, in explaining the ministry of apostles, said, “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake; that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you,” 2 Corinthians 4:5-12.
The rubber doesn’t get much closer to the road than this — death is at work in us, but life in you. In another place He says, “For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fool’s for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor.”
Knowing these things, who would want to be an apostle? Would you believe about everybody and his brother and sister? Yes, there are people crawling out of the woodwork, men and women, who claim to be apostles, especially in the New Apostolic Reformation movement. Even though Paul said apostles are men — ‘as men condemned to death’ — pompous women are claiming to be equal to men in the call of the apostle. This is a sure sign of the anti-christ, for Daniel said the man of sin will have no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women; and we know from Genesis 3:16 that a woman’s desire is for her husband. The man of sin will show no regard for men or for any other god, for he will magnify himself above them all. The women’s liberation movement in the 60’s and 70’s had its origin in the spirit of anti-christ. For the word of God says, “But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ,” 1 Corinthians 11:3.
These women and men in the NAR movement are false apostles. They actually choose the office for themselves. The office of the apostle is not sought, nor is it a feeling that makes one think he might be an apostle. The Son of God Himself chooses and personally appoints His apostles.
The man who wrote the Passion Translation professes to be an apostle. If you compare the Passion Translation with a legitimate Bible, you will see that he is living in a dream land filled with ice cream and lollipops. And, if this doesn’t make you throw the PT away, just look up his so-called experience in the Library of Heaven, or study his testimony that there is one more chapter in the book of John and that he is chosen to reveal it when the time comes for what he calls the greater works generation (John 14:12).
I say these things jokingly, but they are true. He really believes this stuff, as do most of the other self-professed apostles in the NAR movement. (The PT was written explicitly for the NAR movement). They all put themselves on a pedestal, thinking themselves to be above their flocks. But what does Paul say, “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.”
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
jondavidbanks.com 