''Paul, an apostle--not from men nor through man
(Galatians 1:1).''
Many false teachers in Galatia said that Paul made
himself an Apostle. That he wasn't a true Apostle. But Paul says that his
Apostleship is not '''FROM''' men. He didn't make himself an Apostle. His
Apostleship is not '''THROUGH''' men. He didn't need someone else to make him
an Apostle.
Many people today who call themselves Apostles. But
they are not. They have appointed themselves so that they might gain a larger
following. They weren't there with Jesus, but they claim that they were.
There are entire churches that base their pastoral
authority completely on an unbroken succession of ordinations from the Twelve
Apostles. Can I trace my ordination back to one of the Twelve? No. Maybe it's
there, but it doesn't matter. Even St. Paul wrote to St. Timothy not "to
devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations
rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith" (1 Timothy 1:4).
No one could claim to bring Paul into his Apostolic
office. Jesus did it all Himself. Jesus called Paul so that He might be
glorified to all the nations. Including the Galatians. Amen.
