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12

The Apostles and the New Church

The Apostles of Christ are sent into all the world to preach the gospel to all who would believe. The signs of the works of God followed them as they preached the kingdom of God with power and demonstration, revealing Jesus Christ.

​​​​Jesus ascends to heaven – After Jesus appeared to His disciples and revealed Himself as the glorified Christ, He returned to heaven. But before He ascended, He gave His disciples one last charge: go tarry in Jerusalem until you are filled with power from on high. Being filled with the Spirit empowers them to be the Apostles that Jesus called them to be. The Spirit gives them the power and ability to be witnesses of His resurrection so that they can preach the gospel and do the works of God as Jesus had commanded them to do in all the world.  Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:14-20; Luke 24:36-53

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Holy Ghost poured out – After the disciples tarried in the upper room for a hundred and twenty days, they were all in one place and one mind when they heard a sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind. It filled the place where they were sitting, and cloven tongues of fire sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke with tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.  Acts 2

 

Being filled with the Spirit of Christ, they testified that they no longer knew Him after the flesh, but rather as He is in heaven, the Son of God, creator of heaven and earth. They now knew Him as the Word, according to John 1:1. It was time for them to go into all the world and declare that Jesus has risen and that He the promised Messiah that should come and be king of Israel.

 

The acts of the Apostles – immediately after the apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost, they began to work by a send of God and began to preach the power of the resurrection with signs following. They preached the gospel, and many believed. They laid hands on the sick and healed them. They spoke with new tongues and cast out devils with power and demonstration. Nothing was withheld from the Apostles of God as their message spread throughout the world. Their message was simple; Jesus is Alive!  Book of Acts illustrates the works of the Apostles.

 

These Apostles were of Israel and were Jews by birth. As they went forth, they mainly preached unto the people of Israel until the Lord visited the apostle Peter in a trance. This visitation is the beginning of God saving all Israel and grafting in the Gentiles to the body of Christ by faith. This is a very defining moment for the followers of Jesus Christ and changes the way the gospel is preached on the earth.  Acts 10:1 - 11:18

 

God visits the Gentiles during the time that Peter had a trance from heaven, the angel of the Lord was visiting a Gentile man named Cornelius. He feared God and honored him, so God sent Peter to him to save his whole family and fill them with the Holy Ghost just like God did with the apostles. This opened the door to all Gentiles, showing them that a new way had been established for them by faith. 

 

Even though the Gentiles, who are called heathens and sinners, were never raised in the teachings of God, they could now be called God’s people by the Spirit and by faith in God. This revelation was a game-changer among the soon-to-be-established church.  Acts 10:1 - 11:18

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Saul converted to be an Apostle – Saul was a very zealous man who, by the law and instruction of the high priest of Israel, went about persecuting the church of the living God. He was working with the group that killed Jesus and pressed hard upon all those who followed Him.

 

One day, he was on a journey to continue his persecution of the church when the Lord appeared unto him in a great light. After falling to the ground, Saul experienced one of the most significant conversions in the Bible. God chose him to be an Apostle of God. It was told to him that he would suffer many times for the name of Jesus so that many could have a chance to receive Christ. Saul accepted this great honor and gave his life to serve the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

This conversion sent shock waves around the early church believers and the religious leaders of Israel. After his conversion, he went by the name of Paul. He was taught the gospel, which he called his gospel, by the revelation of Jesus. The Lord made him the Apostle of the Gentiles, who are non-Jews. His ministry would defy the religious ordinances of his time and bring much glory to the kingdom of God. 

 

Although Paul was a mighty man of God, his gospel caused many conflicts among the religious council (mostly the hard-core Jews), and because of it, he was greatly persecuted and often cast into prison. He was the Apostle that God used to stand against Israel’s self-made, self-sent leaders. If God were going to save all Israel and include the Gentiles in His gift of salvation, He would need Paul to shake up the whole religious government of manufactured doctrines and bring a new gospel to the world.

 

Paul never wavered in his faith in God and continued preaching the word of God with power and demonstration throughout the world. Most of the New Testament Bible that we have today was written by the apostle Paul and gave us great insight into the governments of God and His will on the earth. 

 

With Paul now a part of the Apostles, the kingdom of God was preached to all the world, demonstrating God’s love and redemption for all souls that live upon the earth, no matter what nation or race that you belong to.  You can find Paul’s conversion, and a summary of his life and ministry in Acts 9 - 28

 

The epistles of the Apostles – During the age of the apostles, summarized in the book of Acts, there were many churches established. During that time many letters were written by the Apostles of Jesus Christ. These letters are what we have as our Bible today. Much was written to the people of God and the established churches to help them grow in faith and walk in the Spirit. These epistles were written by the witness of the Holy Spirit and to this day have a great impact in all who will believe.

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These writings of the Apostles teach us the doctrines of Christ and reveal the many hidden mysteries of God that have been kept secret since the world began. These teachings are the answers to the questions left unanswered by the Old Testament. The espistles also show the hidden secrets of iniquity that are buried deep in the hearts of people. The closer you get to the light, the more wickedness is revealed in you. It’s the teachings of the apostles, who are built on Jesus Christ, that make you free from sin and death.

 

If you are to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, you must be taught these doctrines and have the mysteries revealed to you. These teachings are the key to walking in eternal life right now. Without them, your faith will waver in times of conflict.

 

Some of the fundamental teachings of the Apostles.

  1. Jesus is the Messiah that was prophesied to come.

  2. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

  3. Jesus is the only way to heaven.

  4. Justified by grace through faith without works.

  5. Faith with works.

  6. Freedom from the law.

  7. Spiritual living. (Walking in the Spirit)

  8. Church government.

  9. Salvation is to all nations by faith, Jews and Gentiles alike.

  10. The day of the Lord and the second coming of Jesus Christ.

 

All of these teachings make up the mysteries of God, which, when understood, reveal the one true revelation that God wants to teach us all; the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

The revelation of Jesus (Book of Revelation) – the book of Revelation was given to the apostle John on the Isle of Patmos through visions of the Spirit. He was then commanded to write what he had seen and heard and send it to the seven churches in Asia. Its great message is to reveal to the angels of the churches the Lord’s day and show them what must take place on that day.

 

The Revelation of Jesus is simple, direct, and powerful. In simplicity, it’s a revelation that sees God set Jesus Christ as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and the Lord’s Day is how God brings the revelation to pass. The Bible has always been about God glorifying and establishing His Kingdom, and making His Son Jesus Christ the King of it all.  Colossians 1:15-20; Revelation 19:11-16

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The book of Revelation is about true government and who will reign as the one true king over the whole universe of God. This is why it is called the revelation of Jesus. It is the key to understanding the rest of the Bible and making sense of it.

 

In the churches, you learn about the journey you experience as a member of God’s kingdom. In that journey you’ll learn about your departure from God, and your return to Him as an overcomer. You’ll see the wickedness that works in your heart through many falsehoods. Including the false Jew, false apostles, prophets, and even Satan himself. All of which will be overcome by joining yourself to Jesus through His revelation. Every superpower of evil will be overcome in the revelation of Jesus. Including, the great mother of harlots, Babylon, the beast, the Antichrist, and the dragon, which is the devil and Satan. 

 

In the churches you learn that Jesus is there with you, guiding you, instructing you in how to overcome every evil that is revealed. In this kingdom, Jesus will glorify His saints with Him while the wicked are judged and destroyed. In this government of heaven and earth, it’s about who will reign with God for all eternity.

 

But the thing that must be understood is that Jesus is glorified when we are sitting with Him in His throne. Revelation 3:21 It’s when we are with Him in His kingdom that Jesus can be made the king of all who are finally complete in Him. 1 Corinthians 15:24-28

 

This book is the finality of God’s incredible story of how He taught His sons (You and me) to rise up and walk as the heirs of the Kingdom of God. While there is great wrath and judgment in this book, the thing that must not be overlooked is the true celebration of heaven. The Lamb of God is glorified and given a name above all names. The saints who suffered and died at the hands of the wicked, will be justified and exalted with Him.

 

If we are going to benefit from the Bible and its teachings, we must let the revelation of Jesus guide us through it. Everything in the Bible is used to clarify what God’s intent is for humanity and what must be accomplished in them.

 

This revelation shows His servants things that must shortly come to pass. It’s a revelation of who Jesus was, who He is, and who He will be. The revelation of Jesus Christ has been fulfilled and finished in the Spirit. Now it has been given to reveal the revelation of Jesus Christ in us.

 

This is why the revelation of Jesus is the fulfillment of the whole bible. It is all of God revealed in us. While you could see Jesus manifested in the gospels, He is not truly realized until His revelation is made known to you by the Spirit. You can experience all that the book of Revelation says because it is the revelation of Jesus in you.

 

If we are going to reign with Him in His kingdom, we will also be a partaker of that same revelation as the Son of God. Although the Book of Revelation is the last book of the Bible, it is the whole revelation of Jesus from beginning to end and will be experienced in every man.

 

The End of the New Testament

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