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Pictured to the left is a copy of a version of the Holy Bible, known as the ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION ( ESV ). 2 Corinthians 13:1-4 read as follows:
"This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 2 I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them- 3 since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4 For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God."
The phrase "is speaking in me," in verse three ( above ), has a cross-reference to Matthew 10:20, which reads as follows: "20 'For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.'" The phrase "the Spirit of your Father speaking through you," in verse twenty, has a cross-reference to John 15:26, which reads as follows: "26 'But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.'"
The phrase "Christ is speaking in me," in verse three, indicates that Christ was speaking in the apostle Paul ( see 2 Corinthians 1:1; 10:1, for example ). In the context of Matthew, chapter ten, Jesus ( see Matthew 9:35 ) called His twelve apostles to him ( see verses one and two ), whose names are given in verses two through four: Jesus sent these twelve men out on the limited commission ( to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" - see verse six ). In the context of Him warning His apostles of the persecution that would follow ( see verses sixteen through twenty-five ), He made the statement recorded in verse twenty. Thus, we can rightly conclude that: Christ was speaking in all of the apostles, and Him speaking in the apostles was the same as the Holy Spirit ( see John 14:6, Romans 1:20 ( see Romans 1:20 ( KJV, for example; with center-column references, for example ) to get the equivalent translation for the word "Godhead" ), Colossians 2:8, 9 ( KJV, for example ), and 1 John 5:6-8 ( KJV, for example ), for example ) speaking in them. The message of Christ in His apostles had to be the same as that of the Holy Spirit in them, namely, the truth.
There are no more human apostles with miraculous powers today: the apostle John was the last one, and he died circa 100 A.D. One of the qualifications for a human apostle, in this context ( and not merely as a messenger - see 2 Corinthians 8:23, for example ), was that he witnessed the resurrected Lord Jesus ( see Acts 1:21, 22, for example ). Moreover, miracles are not occurring today ( see Mark 16:19, 20 ( especially verse 20, for example ), 1 Corinthians 13:1-10 ( especially verse 10, for example ), and cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ( especially verse 16, for example ), for example ). Therefore, any man who claims such a status today is a liar: he would have to be well nigh 2000 years old, according to the qualification given above.
Clearly, we have not seen anyone that old walking around today. The concept of apostolic succession is false doctrine. Please study the Holy Bible ( which is God's word - see 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16, 17, for example ).
If you have any questions about the Holy Bible, you can contact me by e-mail at:
<rewillis1_1@juno.com>
<Russell E. Willis>.
The phrase "is speaking in me," in verse three ( above ), has a cross-reference to Matthew 10:20, which reads as follows: "20 'For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.'" The phrase "the Spirit of your Father speaking through you," in verse twenty, has a cross-reference to John 15:26, which reads as follows: "26 'But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.'"
The phrase "Christ is speaking in me," in verse three, indicates that Christ was speaking in the apostle Paul ( see 2 Corinthians 1:1; 10:1, for example ). In the context of Matthew, chapter ten, Jesus ( see Matthew 9:35 ) called His twelve apostles to him ( see verses one and two ), whose names are given in verses two through four: Jesus sent these twelve men out on the limited commission ( to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" - see verse six ). In the context of Him warning His apostles of the persecution that would follow ( see verses sixteen through twenty-five ), He made the statement recorded in verse twenty. Thus, we can rightly conclude that: Christ was speaking in all of the apostles, and Him speaking in the apostles was the same as the Holy Spirit ( see John 14:6, Romans 1:20 ( see Romans 1:20 ( KJV, for example; with center-column references, for example ) to get the equivalent translation for the word "Godhead" ), Colossians 2:8, 9 ( KJV, for example ), and 1 John 5:6-8 ( KJV, for example ), for example ) speaking in them. The message of Christ in His apostles had to be the same as that of the Holy Spirit in them, namely, the truth.
There are no more human apostles with miraculous powers today: the apostle John was the last one, and he died circa 100 A.D. One of the qualifications for a human apostle, in this context ( and not merely as a messenger - see 2 Corinthians 8:23, for example ), was that he witnessed the resurrected Lord Jesus ( see Acts 1:21, 22, for example ). Moreover, miracles are not occurring today ( see Mark 16:19, 20 ( especially verse 20, for example ), 1 Corinthians 13:1-10 ( especially verse 10, for example ), and cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ( especially verse 16, for example ), for example ). Therefore, any man who claims such a status today is a liar: he would have to be well nigh 2000 years old, according to the qualification given above.
Clearly, we have not seen anyone that old walking around today. The concept of apostolic succession is false doctrine. Please study the Holy Bible ( which is God's word - see 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16, 17, for example ).
If you have any questions about the Holy Bible, you can contact me by e-mail at:
<rewillis1_1@juno.com>
<Russell E. Willis>.
