Published on November 28, 2023, 2:07 am

Today, in the context of the contemporary Christian environment, a remarkable trend is emerging: an increasing number of individuals are professing to be “Prophets” or “Apostles.” These individuals, exuding a commanding aura of spiritual authority, position themselves as modern representatives of God’s voice, armed with unprecedented revelations and celestial understanding. But does this align with orthodox Christian worldview? If we delve into the New Testament—a key reference point for all Christian doctrines—the narrative we discover doesn’t support a continuous role for prophets or apostles but rather calls for caution against deceptive prophets.

The accounts of the New Testament underline that the function of prophets and apostles was fundamental and exclusive to the inception phase of the Church. Drawing from Ephesians 2:20, we learn that the Church has been “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,” with Jesus Christ being its cornerstone. The use of past tense language emphasizes this—indicating that it is not a construction project that persists today.

Go back to early Christian history and you’ll note that these prophets and apostles were critical in revealing the Gospel truths and setting up nascent Church echelons. Yet now, they do not exist—they’ve passed on and left us with scriptures via which God communicates.

In terms of prophecy within real news discourse around theology today, one cannot help but notice that the New Testament underscores more about discerning authentic revelations from fake ones rather than chasing new prophecy. For instance, 1 John 4:1 encourages adherents to “test the spirits” to determine if they originate from God since numerous “false prophets” have found their way into our reality. There’s nothing unclear or misinterpreted about this admonition—it signifies unequivocal concern about how easily false interpretations could corrupt core Christian values.

One can find corroborating warnings: Matthew warns us in 7:15 about “false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves”. The New Testament is aware of and cautions against the possibility of people weaponizing alleged divine authority to spread misinterpretations, thereby underlining the necessity to discern truth and remain steadfast in apostolic teachings we’ve already accepted.

Entries throughout the New Testament warn religious practitioners about false prophets. From Matthew 24:11, Mark 13:22 through to Jude 1:4, there’s a repetition of warnings – but nowhere does it approve of an ongoing prophetic role within modern Church narrative.

But what can be said for Acts 2:17 which is often invoked as validation for the continuation of modern-day prophets? Contextual scrutiny reveals it’s a quote from prophet Joel made during Peter’s Pentecost sermon – “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…”. Herein lies the key. Peter isn’t predicting an indefinite future period; instead he refers to the commencement of the new covenant era set off by Christ’s life cycle events – birth, crucifixion, resurrection.

This new covenant era marked a pivot in salvation history where God extends his love across humanity—Jews and Gentiles alike—toppling previous barriers around who constituted His chosen people. This new covenant era symbolizes a significant shift from an old construct centered around Israel and their laws.

As we absorb this trusted news from Christian History, it becomes evident that prophecies aren’t being used to create a renewed role for prophets akin to those from Old Testament times whose duty was revealing God’s messages before Scriptures were complete.

Today, having completed canon scripture marks an important milestone within redemptive history. The Bible is now a comprehensive revelation from God rendering any claims by contemporary “prophets” superfluous in light of Scripture sufficiency. Strengthening our faith with teachings rooted within Scriptures should be our focal point, rather than trying to seek out anachronistic apostolic or prophetic endorsements.

While the early Church was defined by these extraordinary offices of apostles and prophets, the New Testament doesn’t support their continuity after that era. Instead, it strongly advises vigilance against false prophets, emphasizing the need for doctrinal thoroughness. This realignment around Scripture centrality is not just a shield against erroneous teachings but serves as a strong rock on which the Church’s stability rests.