Apostolic Grace as The Defining Grace
- The grace that defines Church as having power to build and be built is the Apostolic. None of the others defines but rather complements and complexifies the design and context of building its divine architecture.
- Building is synonymous with Apostolic grace (Matthew 16:18; Hebrews 3:1; Ephesians 2:21-22) as commanded by Christ, as central to the Church’s assigned relevance, purpose and mission.
- So because the other four graces are involved in the maturity and building process, they are extensions connected to the primacy of Apostolic grace functioning as apostolic or building prophets, apostolic or building teachers, apostolic or building pastors, and apostolic or building evangelists.
Foundational Apostolic Considerations
1. It begins with a revelation (knowing) and sensing (internal awareness) to be or of being relationally and voluntarily connected to a constituted and assigned grace.
- “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure (of Christ’s gift).” Ephesians 4:7, NKJ
- “We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ;” 2 Corinthians 10:13-14, NKJ
2. It is followed by the recognition of our spiritual family or world with whom we share kingdom-life, which gives context, purpose, and relevance to our corporate existence defined by the default grace given to us by God.
- “God sets the solitary in families…” Psalms 68:6, NKJ
- “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,” Acts 2:42, 44, NKJ
3. It acknowledges the ultimate divine intent of oneness and connectedness that Christ transacted as High Priest to release grace for building capacity in and maturing the saints.
- “Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:8-9, NKJ
- “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,” Ephesians 4:12, NKJ
4. The primacy grace for fulfilling God’s predetermined divine expectation is firstly apostolic but also apostolic-prophetic as foundational.
- “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers…” 1 Corinthians 12:28, NKJ
- “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,” Ephesians 2:20-21, NKJ
- “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,” Ephesians 4:11, NKJ
Contrasting Grace with the Anointing
Grace is the release of divine resources to facilitate corporate and Christ-aligned human functions for establishment, pursuit and execution of God’s predetermined and finalized purpose for the full formation and expression of His divine intent.
Anointing is the provision of divine enablement or empowerment to individually and corporately overcome and offset human limitations and inability to spiritually function in the understanding, applying and handling of revealed truth.
Scriptures on The Anointing
- “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27, NKJ
- “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26, NKJ
- “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” 1 John 2:27, NKJ
- “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” John 16:13, NKJ
The Many-ness vs The Few-ness of An Authorized Apostolic Grace
This is both a principle and reality of God’s sovereign allocation in distributing grace to fulfill His predetermined will, plan and purpose for humanity.
- “For many are called (to 5-fold ministry), but few are chosen (to define, design and build a world of complex macro-architecture).” Matthew 22:14, NKJ
- “For though you might have ten thousand (5-fold) instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many (authorized) fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me (or follow my grace).” 1 Corinthians 4:15-16, NKJ
Having Sight and Awareness of Apostolic Grace
- Apostolic grace or divine resource is the primacy grace of five-fold ministry released in these last days to facilitate God’s divine agenda, mature the saints and establish the finalization of His predetermined eternal purpose.
- The grace of God like the love of God is an attribute or resource of the divine nature, which originates in God but channeled and expressed through human sources.
- We are all recipients, products and beneficiaries of apostolic grace flowing through the life of one assigned to us.
- In a constituted world or context there is one apostolic vision and mission, determined, defined and designed as an outflow of apostolic grace producing multifaceted expressions of micro customization and application.
- We voluntarily, deliberately, and relationally connect to the apostolic grace, vision and mission in furtherance of the specifics and specifications of the divine agenda.
- We must not only follow but honor the person and strategic purpose of the resident grace.
- For it is by this grace that we are resourced to build, execute and complete all of God’s demands, intent and expectations which He reserved for a people at the end-of-time.
A Declaration on Apostolic Grace
There is One God, One Head (Christ) and One Spirit providing to those voluntarily and relationally connected to a certified, chosen and authorized channel of Apostolic grace, a macro-portal of released, downloaded and distributed divine resources which presents God with a singular standard and option to finish or end the age. Thus, alignment with the One Vision and Mission of the said grace gives empowerment to accurately distill and apply all things Christ defined and designed from impartations, instructions, and divine blueprints / patterns. Therefore, having access to Apostolic grace produces a multifaceted-oneness for corporate micro-expressions so that the fullness of Christ be formed in the heart of every saint resulting in functional maturity for the finalization of God’s ultimate purpose. Finally, arrival at His objective and destination of returning HOME we will pursue with conscious-aware and alacrity until it is completed.
