Topic(s): Church

Todd Clippard

It is not possible for men to be disciples today in the same sense and manner as the twelve. First, consider the qualifications given by Peter when the apostles chose a replacement for Judas Iscariot. In Acts 1:20-22, we read the following:

"For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection." KJV

Whoever was to replace Judas must have been a disciple from the ministry of John the Baptist and continued in faith until the resurrection and ascension to be a witness of Jesus' resurrection. There were only 120 present at that time (Acts 1:15), so there wasn't a large number from which to chose.

Paul was also an apostle of the Lord with all the powers and authority of the twelve (1 Corinthians 9:1, 15:9; 2 Corinthians 12:11-12). Yet he was not with the others from the beginning of John's ministry (Acts 9). Thus, he described his call to apostleship as one being "born out of due time" (1 Corinthians 15:8).

Other powers of the apostles was the ability to give the gifts of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of their hands (Acts 8:14-20; Acts 19:6). This ability is not present today, neither is it needed, for the word of God is sufficient for all things for us today (2 Timothy 3:16-17).