Paul an Apostle

Bible Text: Romans 1:1 | Preacher: Alan Conner | Series: 2002, Romans

May 12, 2001                                                                                                   Northwest Bible Church

 

Rom. 1:1

Paul an Apostle

 

 

INTRO

Paul now describes his authority, “called as an apostle.”   The authority issue was crucial to Paul’s ministry.  The gospel was at stake for if the opponents of Christ were successful in undermining Paul’s authority, then they would be successful in undermining Christ’s gospel.

Paul will build his authority on three things:

1. called as an apostle

2. set apart for the gospel of God

3. this gospel is rooted in the OT prophets

 

 

I.  CALLED AS AN APOSTLE

 

A.  His call came from God not man.

 

1) A description of this call.

 

a) A powerful call (Jn. 11:43).

 

b) A holy call (2 Tim. 1:9).

 

c) A heavenly call (Heb. 3:1).

 

d) An Irresistible call (Jn. 10:3-4; Rom. 8:28-30).

 

e) An Irrevocable call (Rom. 11:29).

 

 

2) The two-fold goal of this call (Acts 9:15):  Salvation and service.

 

 

B.  Paul an apostle.

 

1) The meaning of “apostle”.   Literally, “a sent one, messenger.”   “An apostle is one chosen and sent with a special mission as the fully authorized representative of the sender,”  Martin Lloyd-Jones.       Used of Christ in Heb. 3:1.

2) The qualifications of an “apostle”.

 

a) SEEN THE RISEN CHRIST.

Acts 1:22 beginning with the baptism of John, until the day that He was taken up from us — one of these should become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

1Cor. 9:1  Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?

 

b) OFFICE GIVEN BY CHRIST.

Gal. 1:1  Paul, an apostle (not sent from men, nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),

Acts 26:16  ‘But arise, and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;

 

c) GENUINE SIGNS.

2Cor. 12:12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles.

2 Cor. 11:13  For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

 

d) GOSPEL DIRECT FROM CHRIST.

Gal. 1:11  For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.

Gal. 1:12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

Thus, the authority of Paul is that he is an apostle and as an apostle his teaching came directly from Jesus Christ and infallibly represents the truth of our Lord.

 

 

II.  WHAT IS YOUR AUTHORITY?

 

The authority issue in the church today is under attack.  Evangelicalism no longer is “standing on the promises of God.”   Instead we are standing and building on sinking sands.

 

To overcome this, we must be people of the Book. Sola Scriptura.   If the apostolic word is our authority, then it must be our authority in practice and not just in theory which means that we must all make a personal commitment to the Word of God.

 

If the Bible is your authority, then you must learn to feed yourself also.