Christ the Apostle, His apostles, and the kingdom of God!

In summation of the posts on the kingdom today, the vital link to the kingdom is first, Christ the Apostle, the one who called the apostles through the Holy Spirit and explained to them the kingdom of God!

Then, in having to fill the void left by Judas, who vacated His position of an overseer, God, who know the hearts inside and out, chose Matthias, to occupy “this ministry and apostleship…” Ac. 1:25

PAUL, who was known as Saul before His commissioning to be an apostle, had his “Damascus Road Experience”, in which His calling was made known to him. In Romans 1:1, he testified to being ” called as an apostle, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and set apart unto the gospel of God. In Romans 1:5 he said, “Through Him (Christ) we have grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name’s sake…”

In I. Co. 15:9,10, he says, “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. BUT, by the grace of God I AM WHAT I AM, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, BUT THE GRACE OF GOD WHICH WAS WITH ME…”

IN 2 Co. 4:1 he wrote,”Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.” He was talking about the ministry of the Spirit, the ministry of the New Covenant to which he had been called to be an apostle by the Lord Jesus Himself. In 2 Co. 4:5- For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.

In Gal. 1:11,12, 15,16a, he said, “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
“But when it pleased God, who separated (set apart) me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, TO REVEAL HIS SON IN ME, that I might preach Him among the gentiles, immediately I conferred not with flesh or blood…”

Apostle Paul then summed up in Eph. 3:8-12 His “administration of his apostleship”: “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and an to make all see what is the “fellowship (stewardship) of the mystery”, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might by made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly realms THROUGH THE CHURCH, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.”

We see, therefore, that Christ is the “Chief Apostle” to the church, which is His house and Christ served AS A SON OVER HIS OWN HOUSE, WHOSE HOUSE WE ARE IF WE HOLD THE CONFIDENCE AND THE REJOICING FIRM UNTO THE END. (HEB. 3:1-6) Paul’s apostleship, given by the Lord Jesus Christ through the Spirit, acknowledged that his calling to be an apostle and setting apart, was “TO REVEAL HIS SON IN ME….” it is through sonship that we receive the apostleship because we must first “be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN.” (Romans 8:29)

Romans 8:30, 31- Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What shall we say to these things? IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?

Blessings,
JB