We had no NT church until after Jesus was crucified.
Then the blood of Jesus became the sacrifice for our sins.
And after Jesus arose from the dead and was taken into heaven, then Jesus set up HIS church from heaven, calling and naming HIS ministers from heaven.
The apostle Paul was an example of this calling of a minister by Jesus from heaven.
Acts 26, Paul says to king Agrippa:
I heard a voice (from heaven) speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue. 15 I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Jesus, from heaven, sets HIS ministers into the NT church today just as HE did from heaven in the case of the apostle Paul.
After Jesus arose into heaven, HE (Jesus) gave 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: (Eph. 4:10-11)
And the New Testament Bible was given to the church from heaven as apostles were inspired by God to speak and write the books of the New Testament.
The early church had no NT Bible. The apostles wrote on "parchments" and sent these letters to the churches in various cities and countries, and these epistles became the NT Bible as the instructions from God came to them and they sent these "epistles" (letters) to be circulated among the various churches in their areas.
So they passed these epistles, which we know today as the NT Bible, from church to church.
These writings were inspired by God just as God inspires us today to write the blog and to record the words presented on Podcasts.
Man does not appoint himself as a minister to the church.
All ministers (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers) are called by Jesus from heaven and are lead by the Spirit of God in that which they speak to the church.
*****
In my life, the call of God came to me as God chose to transport me into heaven in the night as I was sleeping.
(This happened twice on two different nights as I slept)
I was "transported" into heaven in approximately 1975.
I was with God and Christ and the Holy Spirit. (I saw no physical images. It was a spiritual experience) At that time I was "merged" into the body of Jesus, made one with the Word of God as God and the Holy Spirit witnessed.
The second time this happened was about two days after the first.
I didn't know what this meant. I thought it happened to all persons who were born again. Later I came to realize it did not happen to every member of the body of Christ.
I believe it was at this time, I was set into the ministry in the two offices appointed by Jesus: apostle & prophet
For the next 4 years God taught me spiritual things from the Bible by HIS Spirit.
I was born again in 1975. God put me on radio to exhort the church starting in January, 1980.
In between these years of 1975 and January, 1980, God was teaching me from the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, by HIS Spirit.
On the night of January 10, 1980, I was asleep in the night. A very loud trumpet like voice spoke 3 words in my ear: "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS"
KWJS was a radio station.
God told me to call the station manager. I sent audition tape and was broadcasting exhortation to the church within 5 days.
By the end of the next year, I was on radio from "Hartford" to "Seattle".
Ministers are called by Jesus from heaven and set in the church today to do the work of the ministry.
Jesus communicates with me directly by the following: thoughts brought by HIS Spirit, dreams, scriptures,
I Corinthians 12:4-6 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
God calls HIS ministers and teaches them in various ways but there is always a "call of God" on the life of that minister who is appointed by Jesus for the NT church.
But some ministers put themselves into the ministry by going to Bible college without having the call of God and these are "false teachers."
II Peter 2
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
***
Jude
4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
They deny Jesus Christ by denying certain scriptures and by setting up another Jesus, another doctrine in the churches.
12-13 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
18 How that they told you there should be mockers (imitators/copiers) in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
18 How that they told you there should be mockers (imitators/copiers) in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
***
Jesus says:
4 Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
*****