Stewards of the Mysteries

How can we identify those who are truly apostles? I think this is a very important question. I see many who claim to be apostles, but they lack the fruit of apostleship. What is the primary fruit of apostleship? Here, I will present my thoughts on apostleship. And I believe apostles can be defined by one word — revelation. 

An apostle must be a revelator for them to be an apostle. Anyone who lacks revelation of Jesus Christ, the person and work of Christ, and revelation of the mysteries of God is not an apostle. The Apostle Paul described himself and other apostles this way: “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.” 1 Cor. 4:1. 

Yes, apostles can be known by the mysteries revealed to them. Apostles who lack revelation of God’s mysteries are not apostles or they are immature apostles. Apostles govern the release of God’s mysteries to the Church. They release those mysteries as we, the Church, are able to receive them. Yet that doesn’t mean they release all of the revelation they’ve been given. No, they steward mysteries. 

As such, I have to question many ministers who call themselves apostles. My questioning is based on their lack of revelation. Yes, revelation. Much of the “revelation” we have is superficial at best. Most of what we claim as revelation is actually regurgitation of what has been previously spoken by prior leaders who had revelation. How can we, as regurgitators, claim apostleship?

We can’t. No, we must be provoked by the lack of revelation in our midst and the constant regurgitation of prior revelation. Why is the lamp of revelation gone dim in the house of God? Is it possible that the fire on the altar has gone out? Yes, it’s possible. It’s happened before.

During the days of Eli, due to sin, the lamp of God went out. The Bible describes those days by its lack of revelation. In

1 Samuel 3:1, it says, “in those days the word of the LORD was rare and visions were scarce.” Revelation was rare and visions were scarce. And though we have many claiming visions and “thus saith the Lord’s”, there’s a lack of revelation. 

As I said in a prior post, the Church is built by manifested revelation. When and where the Church isn’t growing, it’s always a lack of revelation. Christ must reveal Himself to us for us to grow into Him. Unless He reveals Himself to us, we cannot and will not grow. How does He choose to release revelation into His Church: 1) By His Spirit, and 2) By His apostles. Yes, apostles are stewards of God’s mysteries.

So, the next time someone calls himself or herself an apostle, check their revelation. It’s the indicator light of apostleship. If this light is out, then it’s likely that person is not an apostle or they have not been commissioned by Christ as an apostle. Apostles are and should be known by their revelation. Lack of revelation is a sign of lack of apostleship. 

How do I know the difference between true and false revelation? That’s the question. The Apostle Paul’s primary battle was with false apostles bringing false revelation into the Church. From the Judaizers who entered the church in Galatia to the false apostles in Corinth who smacked people around to bring them into submission to their “apostleship”. Listen to the Apostle Paul describe them: “You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face.” 2 Cor. 11:20, NLT. 

Yikes!!! Yes, that’s what a false apostle is like. Yes, false apostles are all about submission. And that submission is always to them and their organization, which is always compelled. If someone forces you to do something, if they’re always taking from you, if they constantly speak evil of you, or if they willfully disregard you to bring you into submission, then they’re behaving like false apostles. 

True apostles never manipulate people to do what they should voluntarily do. True apostles don’t stop giving just because we stop giving. True apostles work to give, even to the unworthy, unfaithful, and faithless. They spend themselves on people. They invest in people. They train to release not to hold. They don’t use their apostleship to restrict those they’ve trained. No, they release them, support them, and bless them. 

Yes, there’s a big difference between true and false apostles. And we should know the difference. What I’ve shared in this post are practical ways of identifying both. Blessings.

— Scott Wallis