One
of the things that I find particularly annoying is when preachers refer to
themselves as prophets. Now a prophet
can be a “fore-teller” or a “forth-teller” so if the modern day preacher means
that he is a “forth-teller” then I will give him some slack. If he claims to be
a “fore-teller” he’s nothing more than a charlatan and a liar! The truth is
there are NO modern day prophets! I never want to put God in a box but I do
hold His word as authority.
The problem lies in not differentiating between the office of the prophet and the gift
of prophecy, which are two distinct things. The church was given, by our Lord, “some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work
of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” (Ephesians
4:11,12) Keep in mind that there is a reason for everything with God, and a
purpose for these gifts that are given to the church. The first two of these
offices, apostles and prophets were the foundation of the edifice (the
building, the temple, the church), and the remaining two are for the continuing
edification (building up) of the edifice (the building, which is the body of
Christ). We find in Ephesians 2 these words, “Now
therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the
saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in
the Lord: In whom ye also are builded
together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Vs.19-22) The
purpose of the Apostles and prophets is to be the foundation of the church and
the remaining two gifts are for the building upon the foundation. By the way,
our authorized version says “pastors and teachers”
but the “and “doesn’t separate the
two, rather it unites them so that we should read it pastor/teachers. Another
example of this is found in Titus 2:13 where it says, “Looking
for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ;” The “and
our” does not separate, but rather joins the two. Jesus is our great God
and Saviour!
Getting back to our subject, throughout the New Testament reference to
the gift of prophecy is found over and over again and the Apostle Paul explains
its purpose as following: “But he that prophesieth
speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.” (1
Corinthians 14:3) Edification is to build up, not to tear down, exhortation
can refer to admonishment, invitation, encouragement and comfort, and comfort
is used in the sense of consolation or persuading. So, in fact, every
good preacher prophesies but none are prophets! That is none hold the office
of a prophet, which was a foundational ministry, but he “forth-tells” the
edifying, admonishing, encouraging and comforting word of God.
Regardless of whether we have speaking
or ministry gifts, they should
all be discharged in accordance with Scripture, for the edification of the
brethren, for the evangelization of the lost, and for the glory of God. Let’s
look at what Peter writes: “As every man hath received
the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of
the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the
oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability
which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter
4:10,11) Those with speaking gifts, regardless of what they are called, are
confined to “the oracles of God” which is that
received from God, His word.
Now regarding the “office” of a Prophet,
the Apostle Paul writes, “For as we have many members
in one body, and all members have not the same office:” (Romans 12:4)
and in 1 Corinthians he asks a series of questions, all requiring a “no” answer
and among them he writes, “Are all apostles? are
all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? ” (12:29)
There were only a few apostles and there were only a few prophets, the Apostles
themselves being prophets. But when the church was established, the foundation
laid, and the New Testament written, and when the Apostles were all gone,
prophecy in the sense of “fore-telling” stopped. There are no Prophets today so
there is no “fore-telling” today. I, for one, would like preachers to stop referring
to themselves as prophets as it is too confusing to both the saved and the
unsaved alike. I hope this is helpful though I know some will still rely on
their experience, or their traditions, or some other influences instead of the
word of God.
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