The True Apostle
The true apostle chooses servanthood, gentleness and self-giving love
๐ก๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ ๐ด๐น๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ, ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐, ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐. (๐ญ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ:๐ฒ)
1 Thessalonians is possibly the first book written by Paul; if so, then this is the very first use of the word โapostleโ in his writings โ in the context of ๐ป๐ผ๐ using his apostolic authority!
The true apostle has authority but chooses not to use it unless absolutely necessary (e.g., 2 Cor. 13:10). Instead, he chooses servanthood, gentleness and self-giving love.
Paulโs understanding of the โFivefold Ministryโ is very different from the current popular understanding. To Paul, having one of the five ministry offices of Ephesians 4:11 did not mean entitlement, platform, power or status. It meant responsibility to do a particular kind of work in a particular way.
Those who truly have one of these five offices will do the same. Instead of seeking โplatforms,โ prominence and acclaim, they will do the hard work of serving Godโs people with integrity and a self-giving spirit of humility and sacrifice, not caring about the praise of men.
Help me to always know that the call is to serve, the gifts are all for service. That I may serve faithfully without wanting attention or men's applause.
Eph 4:12 is such a good reminder of the wonderful truth you shared and the significant servant leadership role of apostles and other gifted people given to the Body by the Lord Jesus -"12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service (/ministry), to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ."