Having explored what “apostle” meant in the first century—both in Scripture and in the wider world—we’re now standing at the hinge point of the conversation. If the early church tested those who claimed to be apostles, and if the title carried such specific requirements, then what do we make of the people today who speak with spiritual authority, influence, or divine commission? Part 2 steps into that tension. It asks what a modern functional equivalent might look like, why discernment still matters, and how ordinary believers inevitably step into forms of teaching whether they intend to or not.
A modern-day functional equivalent to an apostle?
When I chose this image, I had to decide what to call the modern figure standing beside the first‑century apostle. “Disciple” didn’t quite work—because in the New Testament, disciples were learners, followers, apprentices. But as this study will show, we’re called to more than simply learning from Jesus.
Every believer, in one way or another, ends up teaching, influencing, and bearing witness to what we’ve received.
At the same time, I couldn’t simply label the modern figure an “apostle,” because that word carries historical and theological meanings that can’t be reproduced today.
So I chose a middle path—a coined term, a “modern‑day apostle.”
Not to blur the unique role of the original apostles, but to acknowledge something real: because we have the Holy Spirit, we carry forward aspects of their mission. Even the first disciples didn’t have that until Pentecost.
The term helps capture the tension this post explores—how we stand between learning and leading, receiving and sending, following Jesus and representing Him to others.
Now that the stage is set for looking at a modern-day apostle, let’s do a quick recap from Part 1: What “Apostle” Meant Back Then.
Potential Apostles from early church days
Let’s take a look at the passages we saw earlier about some people who might be considered as apostles.
Mary Magdalene: No, not under the early church requirements. The Greek word for “go”, or in some way sending someone, is oftetn used in the New Testament. By itself though, it doesn’t designate any of the other characteristics/requirements for an apostle. The context of the event and what she was told to do don’t rise to the level of her being named as an apostle under the early church definitions that we have in scripture.
The Twelve: Yes. They did meet all of the requirements listed to be apostles.
10:2-4 pp — Mk 3:16-19; Lk 6:14-16; Ac 1:13
10:9-15 pp — Mk 6:8-11; Lk 9:3-5; 10:4-12
10:19-22 pp — Mk 13:11-13; Lk 21:12-17
10:26-33 pp — Lk 12:2-9
10:34, 35 pp — Lk 12:51-53
Mt 10:1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
Mt 10:2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Mt 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; 10 take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.
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The Great Commission:
Mt 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
This one’s interesting. The initial Great Commission was to the eleven disciples. At this point, they already met the requirements for being considered an apostle. In a way, it was an expansion of the original sending out the twelve.
However, when we perform any act of The Great Commission today, we do not meet those requirements.
But – the message is the same. Sort of. The baptism part is a bit sticky. And teaching depends on whether it’s a formal class and on the denomination’s practice.
✏️ Whether or not a lay person can baptize someone depends significantly on the Christian tradition you’re interested in, as churches differ substantially in their stance.
Mainstream Christian practice has traditionally reserved baptism for ordained clergy1, yet in urgent circumstances, any Christian may perform a valid baptism if it follows Christ’s instructions in Matthew 28:191. The key distinction centers on necessity—the principle that God’s grace flows directly through baptism rather than depending on the administrator’s authority, which exists primarily for church order1.
Different traditions interpret this principle differently. Roman Catholic teaching permits even unbelievers or heretics to administer baptism validly during emergencies, provided they use the correct formula2. Lutheran churches similarly recognize lay baptism as permissible in cases of necessity2. However, Reformed churches, which deny baptism’s absolute necessity for salvation, generally forbid lay baptism as an unauthorized exercise of ministerial authority2.
Within Baptist traditions, perspectives vary considerably. Some Baptists historically insisted only true churches could perform valid baptisms, while others accepted baptisms from other gospel-preaching churches when the candidate professed genuine faith3.
The critical factors determining acceptance are: (1) whether genuine necessity exists (no ordained minister available), (2) proper baptismal formula (invoking the Trinity), and (3) the candidate’s profession of faith. While lay baptism under necessity isn’t considered as regular as ministerial baptism, many churches find it difficult to declare such baptisms invalid when clergy cannot be obtained1. Your specific denomination’s stance will ultimately determine whether a lay-administered baptism would be recognized within that tradition.
1 John M’Clintock and James Strong, “Baptism, Lay,” in Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1880), 1:651.
2 Samuel Macauley Jackson, ed., in The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (New York; London: Funk & Wagnalls, 1908–1914), 1:445.
3 Thomas R. Schreiner and Shawn D. Wright, Believer’s Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2006), 343.
So – if you’re ever in an emergency life-death situation, and someone wants to be baptized, I’d say don’t worry about what a church says. Do it – in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – Amen.
The other part of The Great Commission has to do with teaching.
The thing about teaching is that there are, let’s call them, levels of teaching.
Teaching in the Bible
Probably the most memorable passage about teaching is the one from James. It has what may seem like a rather odd Passage Title in the NIV – “Taming the Tongue”. It’s got one sentence that specifically mentions teaching. That’s followed by 11 verses on the tongue – and what we say.
Taming the Tongue 🔍
Jas 3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
Jas 3:3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Jas 3:7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
Jas 3:9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
I was curious about the single verse on teaching, followed by all the statements on “the tongue” – the things we say. Plus, I was especially curious about the stricter judgment for those who teach.
To that end, I used the AI agent that comes with Faithlife/LOGOS to do a directed search through their library to ask: “What is James’ conclusion from James 3:1-12 about who should be a teacher?”
“Who should be a teacher?” Insight
✨ James opens by discouraging many from pursuing teaching roles, noting that teachers face stricter judgment (James 3:1–12). However, his reasoning extends beyond this initial caution. Since all people stumble in various ways, and only someone who never errs in speech achieves perfection and complete self-control (James 3:1–12), the implication is that teaching demands a level of mastery over one’s words that is impossible to attain.
The passage then illustrates why speech matters so profoundly for teachers. Though the tongue is small, it makes grand claims and functions as a destructive fire that corrupts the entire body and sets one’s life ablaze (James 3:1–12). While humans have tamed every kind of animal, no one can tame the tongue—it remains a restless, poisonous evil (James 3:1–12). This uncontrollability becomes especially problematic for teachers, whose words carry amplified influence over others.
The passage highlights the tongue’s fundamental contradiction: from the same mouth come both praise of God and curses against people made in God’s image, which James declares should not occur (James 3:1–12). He reinforces this impossibility through rhetorical questions—a spring cannot produce both fresh and salt water, nor can a fig tree bear olives or a grapevine produce figs (James 3:1–12).
James’s conclusion, then, is not that no one should teach, but that the role demands extraordinary spiritual maturity. Teachers face especially strict judgment because they carry greater responsibility in conveying God’s word to others1. The passage suggests that those who aspire to teach should first demonstrate they possess the self-mastery—particularly over their speech—that the role demands, recognizing that their words will shape their students’ spiritual formation and accountability before God.
1 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016). [See here.]
Well – this is concerning, at least at first glance: Teachers face especially strict judgment because they carry greater responsibility in conveying God’s word to others. The passage suggests that those who aspire to teach should first demonstrate they possess the self-mastery—particularly over their speech—that the role demands, recognizing that their words will shape their students’ spiritual formation and accountability before God.
But, what about grace and forgiveness? Are teachers really at risk of losing forgiveness because of what we teach? To see what’s written about that, I asked this follow-up question: “What is the more strict judgment teachers will face, especially in light of grace and forgiveness for believers?”
“Grace and forgiveness for teachers “Insight
✨ The stricter judgment teachers face operates within the framework of God’s accountability for those entrusted with greater responsibility. Since teachers have been given much spiritual authority and knowledge, much will be demanded of them, and from those entrusted with teaching, even more will be asked. (Luke 12:47–48) This principle doesn’t contradict grace for believers—rather, it reflects a different category of evaluation.
The judgment James describes involves greater strictness for teachers and corresponds to the Judgment Seat of Christ, where believers face assessment not for eternal salvation but for the temporal, psychological, and spiritual consequences of a lifestyle lacking in faithful works.1 This is a future judgment before God, where false teachers will be judged for inaccurate teachings, while believers will be rewarded for accurately handling God’s Word.2
The severity stems from teachers’ unique influence and responsibility. A teacher constantly instructs others in living rightly and bears responsibility for the spiritual growth of those under their care; God holds teachers responsible, and if they fail to live what they teach, they incur greater judgment and condemnation.3 Because biblical teachers communicate God’s Word as truth—whether accurately or falsely—their students will receive and transmit that teaching; therefore, God takes seriously the accurate communication of His Word and judges teachers more harshly than non-teachers.2
This doesn’t negate grace but rather clarifies its scope. James challenges believers to act as those who have been forgiven and freed from guilt, evaluated under the “law of liberty” that frees those who know the truth.1 Grace secures salvation; the stricter judgment concerns the quality of one’s stewardship and the reward or loss believers experience at Christ’s evaluation seat—a distinction Paul also emphasizes regarding believers’ future assessment.
1 Joseph Dillow, “Can That Faith Save Him?,” in A Defense of Free Grace Theology: With Respect to Saving Faith, Perseverance, and Assurance, ed. Fred Chay (Houston, TX: Grace Theology Press, 2017), 162–163.
2 LaRosa M. Johnson Jr., James, Trailblazin Ministries Devotional Commentary (Trailblazin Ministries, n.d.). [See here, here.]
3 Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Hebrews-James, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1996), 252
Why look so much at teachers?
You may be wondering why we’re looking so much into teachers. Well, the most obvious reason is the lack of apostles in this day and age. But there’s more to it. There are certain people who tend to either claim or be given some sort of spiritual authority today. Some of them include:
- Teachers
- Prophets
- Leaders
- religious leaders, such as pastors and priests
- leaders for religious organizations
- political leaders in today’s world also claim and/or are given this status
- Influencers
- “Apostles” in modern movements – although not in the early church sense
- Anyone claiming to speak for God
Note – sometimes people claim spiritual authority. Other times people give them authority they don’t claim. Plus, sometimes people claim spiritual authority was given by God to someone else in the hopes it will give that person greater credibility and/or following.
The thing is though – of all the positions listed above, the one that the Bible speaks to, that’s most relevant to us today, is that of the teacher.
As for the others in today’s list, we can approximate where they fit in relation to teachers.
Whether it be someone performing the Great Commission, someone acting as a light on a hill, a social media influencer, or someone with a level of authority from a church or religious organization, there’s a “spectrum” of some sort of teaching going on.
Most are obvious. Some, like social media influencers, are maybe dependent on their following. And then there’s the not so obvious “light on a hill”.
Is every believer a “teacher”?
Salt and Light 🔍
Mt 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
Mt 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Yes, given the overall context of the New Testament, I can’t help but believe there’s some element of teaching, even in living our lives as followers of Jesus.
And here’s how it works: When we become believers, whether we choose to actively perform it or not, we are “living” The Great Commission to some extent – from 0% to something approaching 100%. To that end, when we’re Christians, we have a light that’s reflecting God’s light. Of course, that assumes we transform ourselves by actually becoming disciples of Christ. It also then depends on the extent to which we allow the transformed version of ourselves to be seen by others. They will, regardless of what we say, come to conclusions about the God we claim to believe in, based on what they see in us.
So you have a lot of choices to make in all that. However, as soon as we become believers, there are expectations of us from God. If we can become believers but not transform – if that’s really possible, then we’re like those Paul wrote about in the passage below:
On Divisions in the Church 🔍
1Co 3:1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men?
1Co 3:5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
1Co 3:10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
1Co 3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
1Co 3:18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” 21 So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
Paul wasn’t addressing only the leaders or teachers of the church in Corinth.
1Co 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
1Co 1:2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
1Co 1:3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
So, we see that the letter wasn’t even restricted to just the church in Corinth. It was to all believers – everywhere. And it in, he wrote about the ones who will be in this situation at the end of their life:
If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
🔍 Reflective Insight
This brings us full circle back to something we read earlier about teachers:
Grace secures salvation; the stricter judgment concerns the quality of one’s stewardship and the reward or loss believers experience at Christ’s evaluation seat—a distinction Paul also emphasizes regarding believers’ future assessment.
With that in mind, let’s get back to teachers. This time, looking at responsibility. Back then, there was clear responsibility for teachers to their students. And also, expectations for the students from their teachers.
Teacher-Student responsibilities and expectations
Now that we have an idea of the varying levels of “teaching” going on with even what should be within the normal, everyday life of a Christian, let’s look at the responsibilities and expectations involved. As we do so, keep in mind that these aren’t set by governments, school boards, individuals, but by God’s word for the context within which they’re developed.
“Teacher-Student responsibilities and expectations” Insight
✨ Teachers bear multifaceted responsibilities that extend far beyond content delivery. A teacher’s attitude toward students fthundamentally shapes the learning that occurs1, making relational competence as critical as subject matter expertise. Teachers should listen carefully to understand student needs, provide support as students reflect on their backgrounds, and encourage them as they attempt new challenges1. Rather than functioning solely as information dispensers, teachers should act as facilitators of learning and—given that students are holistic beings—serve as pastors, mentors, and coaches who build healthy relationships1.
Beyond relational responsibilities, teachers must demonstrate operational competence. They should organize content into the available timeframe and prepare adequately so that scheduled material is covered1. Student evaluations should be thorough and impartial1, and teachers should arrive early and remain through the full class period1.
Students should expect teachers to hold genuinely high expectations for them. Teacher expectations and assumptions about student potential have measurable effects on achievement, with research confirming that expectations significantly influence how much students learn2. Students tend to “rise or fall to the level of expectation of their teachers,” and when teachers believe in students, students believe in themselves2. Critically, highly effective teachers maintain uniformly high expectations regardless of students’ race, ethnicity, background, or circumstances2.
1 Steve Hardy, “Using Evaluation to Help Teachers Grow,” in Leadership in Theological Education: Foundations for Faculty Development, ed. Fritz Deininger, Orbelina Eguizabal, and Riad Kassis, ICETE Series (Carlisle, Cumbria: Langham Global Library, 2018), 3:136–137.
2 Chuck D. Pierce, “The Domino Effect,” in A Time to Prosper: Finding and Entering God’s Realm of Blessings (Ventura, CA: Regal, 2013), 44.
So we see, it’s a two-way street. It’s also worthwhile to note, for those afraid of how much of this applies to the “light on the hill” example – there are responsibilities for a teacher that cannot possibly be met, or expected, by someone who’s only living out their life and reflecting God’s light back for others to see. But then, it doesn’t mean to ignore all this either. As is so often the case, the path is in the middle for many.
For me, being both a writer and a teacher – I have a lot to consider on both sides of the relationship. But, much more so as a teacher than as a writer publishing to the web. Publishing to the web is largely a one-sided “relationship”. Teaching is, or should be, more interactive. This gives more opportunity, more of a relationship, and reasonably more responsibility than is possible between a writer and the readers.
Where do you fit? That’s between you and God. But if you’re a believer, it’s there – somewhere.
Let’s look at something Dallas Willard wrote in “The Great Omission: Rediscovering Jesus’ Essential Teachings On Discipleship” to wrap this up and draw some conclusions about where we fit on that spectrum of “teacher” in our life as a follower of Christ.
Conclusion: Not apostles – but teachers at varying levels
We began looking at testing apostles in the Ephesus church. And to be sure, testing is still necessary today. Not for apostles. But definitely for anyone we look to as a source for learning about our faith. And just as surely, for our own lives if we’re believers. Why? Not because we set out to be teachers. However, we become teachers as soon as we become Christians. Even the testimony that we give when we get baptized is a form of teaching. It’s a message we deliver to all in attendance as to why we decided to follow Jesus and be baptized.
No, it’s not being an apostle. And for the most part, it’s not as dangerous as being a believer in the early church – although it is in some parts of the world today.
Living as a disciple of Jesus
So let’s check out what Dallas Willard wrote:
Though costly, discipleship once had a very clear, straightforward meaning. The mechanics are not the same today. We cannot literally be with him in the same way as his first disciples could. But the priorities and intentions—the heart or inner attitudes—of disciples are forever the same. In the heart of a disciple there is a desire, and there is a decision or settled intent. Having come to some understanding of what it means, and thus having “counted up the costs,” the disciple of Christ desires above all else to be like him. Thus, “it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher” (Matthew 10:25). And moreover, “everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher” (Luke 6:40).
Given this desire, usually produced by the lives and words of those already in the Way, there is still a decision to be made: the decision to devote oneself to becoming like Christ. The disciple is one who, intent upon becoming Christ-like and so dwelling in his “faith and practice,” systematically and progressively rearranges his affairs to that end. By these decisions and actions, even today, one enrolls in Christ’s training, becomes his pupil or disciple. There is no other way. We must keep this in mind should we, as disciples, decide to make disciples.
Let’s continue that thought with a look into the excerpt from Luke. It’s in the middle of a passage the NIV titles “Judging Others”. Most believers are probably familiar with the verses before and after verse 40. But verse 40 – maybe not so much.
Judging Others 🔍
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Lk 6:39 He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
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Did you catch that? Do you remember it?
everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher
I read that in a way I never did before, writing about it for this topic. When I first led a Bible Study, I was asked to do it – and said I didn’t feel like I should. Wasn’t ready. It was at a Chinese church. Mostly for the college kids who came to the U.S. to attend a school here. But their English wasn’t all that good. So, the church provided some level of Bible study and helped with English. I was already long out of college, but since I was invited by friends who went there, I was in the English group. Since I was the only native English speaker, I guess that made me the ideal candidate.
Several years after that, I started a Christian blog. A far cry from what you’ll read here today. But it was a beginning with a few people reading.
That got me asked again to lead a Bible Study at a church that had two congregations – one of them being English. Again – I didn’t want to do it. But this time – because I didn’t want to be a teacher. I was unable to successfully turn it down. I was told I could use what I wrote for the class. That it’d be fine for those who were attending at that time. Over the years, it progressed. Now, we still use what I write. But we’ll take many hours across several sessions – just to cover what you’re reading now. It’s like God wouldn’t let me violate the responsibilities / expectations you just read.
Now, I spend lots of time researching, writing, learning, making it as suitable as I can for others to learn. And always growing. After preparing this one – I know it’s always a challenge to get it together properly. I can also tell when I’m out there on my own without the Holy Spirit – and so I don’t do research or write at those times. If I’m “off” a bit on a Sunday – the group’s always there to either get something going or to pick up if needed. It’s so different. So awesome to be a part of. It’s a highlight of the week when we get together.
You may have noticed something in what I just wrote. I’ve been retired for twelve years now. This isn’t what I planned to do in retirement. I’m doing pretty much none of what I had planned. But I wouldn’t change it. And therein lies the “cost”. It’s known as “dying to self”. Giving up what I wanted to do – so I could do what it feels like God wants me to do. And realizing that His plan for my retirement was so much better than mine would’ve been.
So yes, it’s about giving up something. It’s about “counting the cost”. And then, if you really follow His plan, it’s about finding out the “cost” is joy and peace that would never have come without the giving up of my own ideas for the rest of my life.
🔍 Reflective Insight
What about you? How does what I wrote for my own life resonate with what’s happening in your life? Or what you’d like to have happen in your life? How do the desires, the “costs”, and your experience as a follower of Jesus make you feel? Are you in a good place? Or do you want more of the joy and peace that God offers us?
Living as a non-disciple of Jesus
Let’s continue with Dallas Willard.
In contrast, the nondisciple, whether inside or outside the church, has something “more important” to do or undertake than to become like Jesus Christ. He or she has “bought a piece of ground,” perhaps, or even five yoke of oxen, or has taken a spouse (Luke 14:18, 19). Such lame excuses only reveal that something on that dreary list of security, reputation, wealth, power, sensual indulgence, or mere distraction and numbness, still retains his or her ultimate allegiance. Or if someone has seen through these, he or she may not know the alternative—not know, especially, that it is possible to live under the care and governance of God, working and living with Him as Jesus did, always “seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”
Well, that was pretty blunt. But it was also right on target for so many people. I dare say it’s more a matter of degree of correctness than of whether it applies.
Let’s take a look at this Luke reference. It’s a parable, so we’ll need to read it, then bring it into today’s world. But also, it’s linked to the passage prior to it in Luke, so we need to look at both of them.
Jesus at a Pharisee’s House 🔍
14:8-10 Ref—Pr 25:6, 7
Lk 14:1 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2 There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” 4 But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away.
Lk 14:5 Then he asked them, “If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?” 6 And they had nothing to say.
Lk 14:7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Lk 14:12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
The Parable of the Great Banquet 🔍
14:16-24 Ref—Mt 22:2-14
Lk 14:15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
Lk 14:16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
Lk 14:18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
Lk 14:19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
Lk 14:20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
Lk 14:21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
Lk 14:22 “ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
Lk 14:23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ”
So, Jesus got the Pharisee and others at his house upset at him. And all Jesus did was point out the obvious. Oh – and pointed out the equally obvious reality that the people present weren’t doing the things that people obviously should do.
But then Jesus goes one step further to talk about those God would invite to the ultimate banquet – in His Kingdom in the next life. Furthermore, that they were invited, but because of the priorities they had in place for their lives, they were effectively telling God – “sorry, but I can’t make it”. Ouch!!
And, to put it short and maybe not so sweet – that’s what Dallas Willard just said. That non-believers won’t be invited to the banquet in Heaven, or into Heaven at all, shouldn’t be a surprise. Even though to many, it will be.
But the stronger message is to those who claim to believe, claim to be Christians, but make no effort and don’t truly believe – God knows that their priorities are such that He never truly entered their hearts at all.
And it’s not like most of us are being asked to do the things Jesus’ disciples did back then. And while life isn’t easy for most people in the world, actually being a disciple of Christ today seems to be hardest for those who live in western/developed countries. Life is easier. Choices to follow Jesus involve giving up more. The Good News sounds like bad news. But for those who have little to nothing – the Good News is still Good News.
Finally, our Dallas Willard excerpt closes with this.
A mind cluttered by excuses may make a mystery of discipleship, or it may see it as something to be dreaded. But there is no mystery about desiring and intending to be like someone—that is a very common thing. And if we really do intend to be like Christ, that will be obvious to every thoughtful person around us, as well as to ourselves. Of course, attitudes that define the disciple cannot be realized today by leaving family and business to accompany Jesus on his travels about the countryside. But discipleship can be made concrete by actively learning how to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, walk the second mile with an oppressor—in general, living out the gracious inward transformations of faith, hope, and love. Such acts—carried out by the disciplined person with manifest grace, peace, and joy—make discipleship no less tangible and shocking today than were those desertions of long ago. Anyone who will enter into the Way can verify this, and he or she will at the same time prove that discipleship is far from dreadful.
Final Thoughts on What “Apostle” Meant Back Then
We began by looking into what the word apostle meant in the days of the early church. We wanted to learn about testing them, as Jesus commended the Ephesus church for testing them. But we found out, there aren’t any early church type apostles today.
However, that didn’t mean testing went by the wayside. Indeed, there are many people in positions that should be tested by all believers. Teachers were our example to look at, because the Bible has more to say on teachers than on most of the other positions that exist today – like social media influencer.
From the teacher position, we can then extrapolate to the various other positions of influence that we have today. They still need to be tested, even if to a different degree and in different ways. Why? Because of the very word to describe so many people today – influencers. If someone influences our beliefs about God – they need to be tested.
Then we switched to looking in the mirror. To realizing that every single disciple of Christ is, to use the modern word, an influencer. Even if it’s only from the point of view of other people watching us – and we never claimed any kind of spiritual authority – we are Jesus’ messengers, His representatives who are on earth now, with the commission to make disciples of others. And one such way of doing so is by being that light on a hill.
So – ultimately, no – we aren’t apostles. Not in the early church sense of the word. However, testing and discernment are still required for anyone who, at any level, is involved in “teaching”. Therefore, as we live out our lives, if we claim to be followers of Jesus – everything we just read has some form of impact on how we should live our lives as a disciple of the One who created all of us.
So while we are not apostles in the early-church sense, we do carry forward a modern echo of their mission — not in authority, but in witness, influence, and the responsibility to reflect Christ faithfully.
Coming up in Part 3
The next segment in our study of false apostles will be: What it means to claim divine authority. Here’s a look at what’s coming in it.
And this raises the next issue the early church had to navigate — and one we still face today: what happens when someone claims divine authority, or when others assign it to them? Sometimes the claim is bold and explicit. Other times it’s quieter, coming from admirers, followers, or a community that insists someone has been chosen by God. And when the person at the center of it all neither confirms nor denies the claim, that silence carries weight. It shapes how people see them, and it shapes the kind of influence they’re allowed to have.
Part 3 will explore why this matters so much, and how the early church responded when spiritual authority was claimed — or quietly accepted — without being tested.
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