Constitution of the Holy Apostles
TESTING THE PROPHETIC SERIES
Constitution of the Holy Apostles
The Apostolic Constitutions are a collection of eight works detailing early church life, structure, moral conduct, church discipline, and worship. The work was compiled and written between 350-400AD. It was considered a compilation of what had been handed down from the first century. Book eight begins by dealing with the nature of spiritual gifts. It drew some of its inspiration from the earlier Didache.
The Constitution lays out a series of checks and balances regarding how the church was to think about the gifts. Having seen incredibly gifted men like Anthony the Great, whose lifestyle of holiness was an example to many, and others like Arius who had used his influence to divide the church, it had become increasingly necessary to lay out how the church was to recognize a truly gifted individual.
The Constitution starts off by stating that it is not within the power of the individual to gift or call themselves. No one person gets to determine their gift, destiny, or call. We are to give our lives to God, and he determines everything else. A good marketing strategy does not a prophet make.
And further to that, the gift of salvation was the greatest gift anyone could receive. The drive of our hunger is to be united with Him and to enjoy His presence. This is the gift of God::
But, since God does give gifts, and those gifts He bestows upon men like Saul, whose insecurity doomed his success, it becomes necessary to discern between a prophet like Samuel and one like Balaam. The Constitution says the disposition of one who receives a spiritual gift ought to be humility and not exaltation, and scripture gives us our true test:
The purpose of giftedness is not for the individual’s glory, but so that God may be known to the unbeliever:
Gifts should not be a reason to elevate the individual. It is God that determine what a person receives, how can you take pride in what you did not determine or work? If the work is of your own accord, then show your power. If the work is of God, then He alone receives glory:
During the Christian life, it should be a natural expectation that the gifts of God would flow in the life of the believer. The Constitution allows no room for a conversation that assumes the gifts have somehow ceased. Rather, they are integral to the life of the church. After all, Jesus said the Father would give good things to His children:
Matthew 7:11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
The Constitution echoes these sentiments and ties the operation of gifts in with the promise Christ makes to the Apostles:
As with the Shepherd of Hermas, how might we modernize these standards? Some simple guidelines of understanding would help to balance out the excesses found with in the prophetic movement. We ought to look for people who carry themselves with humility and tenderness. Some simple guidelines following from the Constitutions:
You cannot gift or call yourself and you do not determine your destiny.
Humility ought to be born out of a recognition that God alone saves, apart from Him we are nothing.
Meekness that is pleasing to God should be a modern standard
Fostering a desire to be quiet more than that of being heard. Wisdom and profundity exist in fewer words.
There must be a reverence for the voice of God. The prophetic person should carry an immense concern for accurately conveying the heart of the Father.
The are not divisive but seek the unity of the bride of Christ.
Not self-exalting or self-aggrandizing.
May the Lord help us discern the true marks of those He has gifted and called to minister to His bride.