Throughout the ages many have studied the matter of the qualifications of an apostle. This morning we will give a simple conclusion based on the views held by various groups and according to the revelation in the Bible. Altogether there are four qualifications. The first of these is that an apostle must be one who has received the revelation of God’s New Testament economy concerning Christ and the church (Matt. 16:16-18; Gal. 1:11-12). The first qualification of an apostle is that he must have revelation. He must not only have read the Bible and learned the truth; he must also be one who has received revelation. In the Bible there are many kinds of revelation. There are revelations concerning prophecies and types. There are also revelations concerning the dispensations. But what is required of the apostles is not these kinds of revelation. All these are secondary. What an apostle needs is revelation concerning the central point of God’s New Testament economy, which is Christ and the church.
First, let us see how Peter received the revelation concerning Christ and the church from the Lord. One day, while the Lord Jesus was on the earth, He took the disciples to the region of Caesarea Philippi. There He asked the disciples, “Who do you think I am?” Peter answered and said that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16). Peter received the revelation concerning Christ from the Father. He saw that Jesus was the Christ. After this, the Lord gave him a further vision concerning the church. He said, “On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (v. 18). This rock is not just Christ. It also signifies the revelation Peter received from the Father concerning Christ. The church is built upon Christ and the revelation concerning Him. When Peter saw this complete revelation, it qualified him to become an apostle.
Again, let us see how Paul received the revelation concerning Christ and the church from the Lord. Paul was originally one who opposed Christ and persecuted the church. One day on his way to Damascus, a great light suddenly shone on him from above. He fell down as dead and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:3-4). Paul thought that he was persecuting the followers of Jesus, who walked in the way of the heretics. He did not realize that to persecute these people was to persecute Christ. Saul could have never imagined that to persecute those ones on earth was to touch the Lord in heaven. To Saul this was the most unique revelation in the whole universe! By this he saw that the Lord Jesus was one with His disciples. This vision certainly gave him a deep impression. It affected his future ministry concerning the great mystery of God, Christ and the church, and it established a firm foundation for his unique ministry. Although Peter received the revelation concerning Christ and the church before Paul did, what Paul saw was richer and higher than what Peter saw. In Paul’s case, we also see this one indispensable qualification of an apostle: he must receive the revelation concerning Christ and the church.
Based on the revelation that he has received, an apostle goes out to preach the gospel of Christ. Today in Christianity there are thousands of preachers. What they preach is mostly a gospel for sinners. Under this kind of gospel many of us were brought to confession, repentance, believing into Christ, and salvation. After a while, the Lord led us to see the gospel recorded in the Bible. It is not so shallow or limited; rather, it is the gospel of the all-inclusive Christ. This gospel is on a high standard; it is far-reaching, and even unlimited. Through this gospel of Christ, the apostles led to Christ the sinners who were chosen from before the foundation of the earth and who are called in this age (Gal. 1:16a; Eph. 3:8). Second Corinthians 11:2 says, “For I betrothed you to one Husband, to present a pure virgin to Christ.” Hence, the gospel that the apostles preached is not merely a gospel for saving sinners, but one that brings the saved sinners to Christ in order to satisfy Him.