What was the Psalmist's Problem in Psalm 42:3-4?

 

WHAT WAS THE PSALMIST’S PROBLEM IN PSALM 42:3-4?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

What was the psalmist's problem in Psalm 42:3-4?

Psalm 42:1-4 says "As the deer pants for the water brooks,

So pants my soul for You, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When shall I come and appear before God?

3 My tears have been my food day and night,

While they continually say to me,

“Where is your God?”

4 When I remember these things,

I pour out my soul within me.

For I used to go with the multitude;

I went with them to the house of God,

With the voice of joy and praise,

With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast." (NKJV).

To appreciate the psalmist's predicament, the Bible reader should read through the entire psalm.

The psalmist exudes hope in v.5b, saying "... Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him

For the help of His countenance."

Was the psalmist possibly in exile at this point? The NKJV aptly titles the psalm "Yearning for God in the Midst of Distresses." The psalmist was suffering some heavy distress whose details are not disclosed in Scripture. He was longing for an opportunity to appear before God in the temple. There is a hint in v.44 that the psalmist used to worship God in the gathering of His people. It appears that this experience was curtailed under unclear circumstances. The psalmist admits in v.9b that he was under the oppression of an undisclosed enemy. He had possibly been captured by enemy forces and detained or imprisoned.

The ridicule in v.11 provides a second hint. He was under a humiliating experience. The psalmist's enemies mock him all day long, saying "Where is your God?”. This could be an indication that he was under enemy captivity, far away from Israel. The mention of the territory in v.6 suggests that he was in a heathen location outside the territory of Israel:

"Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,

And from the heights of Hermon,

From the Hill Mizar."

While we may not fully understand the circumstances behind the experience of the writer at this point, Psalm 42 reveals that the psalmist as most likely a downcast covenant Jew who was possibly held by enemy captors outside the territory of Israel for an undefined period of time. His liberty was apparently curtailed and this could explain his distress. He longed for the communal temple worship which had previously shaped his religious life. 

Some Bible scholars suppose that the writer may have been a victim of a Canaanite raid into territories of Israel. This raid could be similar to the Amalekite raid on David's camp at Ziglag in the Negev which is described in 1 Samuel 30. 

This psalm teaches us that no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, our covenant relationship with God will be preserved and God's loving grace will be extended to us. God will never leave or forsake His covenant people. He preserved the children of Israel in Gentile territories, including Egypt, Babylon, and Persia.

We should therefore be encouraged that God is still with us in those difficult moments. We can commune with God and make petitions to Him and, more importantly, keep our hope on Him. At His appointed time, He will rescue us from our distress and affliction. 

Job suffered horrendous affliction under the Chaldeans. His devastation is recorded in Job 1:6-19. Job endured the painful affliction with compelling courage. Job 1:20-22 says:

"Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹ And he said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.2)
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

²² In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." (NKJV). 

God came to Job's rescue in the end (Job 41-4. We serve a faithful God who stands with us even in the worst storms of life. You could be navigating difficult terrains in life, not sure about how things would come out in the end. Place your hope in God and wait upon Him. Psalm 121:7-8 says:

"The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
⁸ The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore." (NKJV). 

Shalom

 

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This article was originally posted on ebible.com on 13^th February 2026. It was revised and posted on Listening & Doing Biblical Forum on 4th March 2026. You can access this website through ezekielkimosop.blogspot.com. 

 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

How Did Jesus Become Sin in 2 Corinthians 5:21?

HOW DID JESUS BECOME SIN IN 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

2 Corinthians 5:21 says: "For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [Christ]." (NKJV, emphasis mine).

A plain reading of the text may appear to suggest that Jesus was literally made a sinner at the cross. Nothing could be further from the truth! The writer of this text of Scripture employs metaphorical language to explain the essence and purpose of Jesus' atoning death on the cross of Calvary. This figurative language is intended to convey an overarching divine truth - that Jesus carried the weight and burden of our sin at the cross yet He was without sin. He was undeserving of the condemnation that He suffered to redeem us. Our sin in Adam could not be atoned by the blood of bulls and goats (Hebrews 10:4). Only the sinless blood of Jesus Christ could atone for our sin and our alienation from the holy and righteous God of Scripture. 

If Jesus was truly made sin, and hence became sinful even by a speck of it, He could not have satisfied God's divine purposes for the atonement. Only a sinless Lamb of God could qualify to be slain at Calvary.

Elsewhere in Scripture, we learn that Jesus voluntarily submitted Himself to the Father in order to come as God incarnate and redeem us (Philippians 2:1-10). When Scripture speaks of Jesus being made sin, it underscores the theological paradox in His redemption work. It was inconceivable that a member of the divinity could come down to take on the role that Jesus accepted as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). This truth underscores the essence of the substitutionary atonement that Christ accomplished for us - dying in the place of condemned sinners to free them from God's divine wrath.  

In His incarnation, Jesus came to us as our kinsman Redeemer. He took on flesh and was in every essence human except for His divinity and His is sinlessness. This was a significant feature in His incarnate coming and atoning death. Scripture attests that there was no one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth who could have taken the place of Christ in redeeming humanity. This is the reason that Jesus is celebrated in heaven as the Christus Victor - the one by whom a decisive victory over Satan was resoundingly achieved to the glory of God. Jesus took our place on the cross and suffered the condemnation that was meant for us. He redeemed us from the bondage of sin to which our transgression in Adam consigned us.  Any sinner that looks to the cross in faith will receive his atonement for sin and will adorn the righteousness of God in Christ.  Isaiah 53:6, speaking of our disobedience and Christ's atonement, says: 

"All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned every one to his own way;

And the LORD has laid on Him the inequity of us all" (NKJV). 

Revelation 5:2-5 says "2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. 

4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” (NKJV).

Revelation 5:9-10 celebrates Christ's triumphant mission at the cross, saying:

"And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll,

And to open its seals;

For You were slain,

And have redeemed us to God by Your blood

Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;

And we shall reign on the earth.” (NKJV).

Jesus was therefore not literally made a sinner. He took on our burden of sin on the cross and by His death and resurrection, He defeated Satan and freed us from sinful depravity. Colossians 2:13-15 says of Christ's redemption: “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴ having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (NKJV).

Keep it Christ!

 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

What Does it Mean That He Who Abides in Him (Jesus) Does Not Sin - 1 John 3:6?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT HE WHO ABIDES IN HIM (JESUS) DOES NOT SIN - 1 JOHN 3:6? 

By Ezekiel Kimosop

1 John 2:28-29 says "And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him." (NKJV). 

1 John 3:4-6 says "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him." (NKJV). 

John does not teach that believers are sinless or immune to sin. The two texts of Scripture are therefore not contradictory. 

Earlier in the same Epistle, John taught that believers are not immune to sin. 1 John 1:8-10 says “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (NKJV). 

The Greek verb for “confess” in v. 9 above is in the present tense, meaning that we should keep on confessing our sins. This is a continuing duty for the believer while under the sun. David Guzik rightly observes that this text refutes the misguided notion of a “once-for-all” forgiveness for sin at our conversion. 

Notice that God's forgiveness in this context is conditional and is tied to the offender's action. Our confession of sin is informed by the sanctity of our covenant relationship with God. Confession is therefore a natural response from the believer under the leading of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 14:26). 

Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 6:9-15 reveals that we are daily predisposed to sin. He teaches us to petition God to forgive us our trespasses even as we forgive those who trespass against us (v. 12). Jesus’s statement in Matthew 7:11 is instructive of our sinful nature. 

Jesus alone was without sin in His incarnation (2 Corinthians 5:21). He was fully God and fully Man at the same time. His divinity was therefore not extinguished by His humanity. No other person, not even Mary the mother of Jesus, was born sinless or led a sinless life on earth. 

Habitual sinfulness or a lifestyle of sin and disobedience is however condemned in Scripture by the same author. 1 John 3:9 says “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” (NKJV). This Scripture text does not teach or imply that a born-again Christian dwells in sinless perfection or that they cannot commit sin. It has been theologically understood as a condemnation of habitual sinfulness. 

A life of perpetual sinfulness is incubated by a seared conscience which has been described as state of moral desensitization caused by repeatedly ignoring God's truth, resulting in a heart numb to sin, conviction, and guilt (1 Timothy 4:2). It grieves the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). 

Notice the grim implication of the statement of Hebrews 10:26-27 which says: "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgement, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries" (NKJV).

My view is that 1 John 2:28-29 does not contradict 1 John 3:4-6. Instead, the two texts of Scripture compliment each other in outlining the nature of the believer's life Christ. We dwell in a sinful world and are predisposed to sin. The latter text condemns habitual sinfulness or a lifestyle of ingrained sinful disobedience. To practice righteousness is to walk in obedience to God's word and under the leading of the Holy Spirit (John 14:25-26). 

John therefore never asserted that believers are without sin. Such an assertion would contradict 2 Corinthians 5:21. 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026 

What Are The Things That Timothy Was Exhorted to Commit To Faithful Men?

WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT TIMOTHY WAS EXHORTED TO COMMIT TO FAITHFUL MEN?

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

2 Timothy 2:1-2 says "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." (NKJV). 

Which "things" does this Scripture contemplate in context? 

My view is that the answer to this question is found in the preceding passage of 2 Timothy 1:8-12. Paul exhorted Timothy not to shy away from proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ for which Paul had suffered and was now imprisoned. 

Notice Paul's unwavering convictions in v. 12 where he says "For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." (NKJV). 

2 Timothy 2:13-14 is an apostolic charge on Timothy. Paul exhorts Timothy saying:

"Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us." (NKJV). 

In the succeeding passage of 2 Timothy 2, which is our passage of context, Paul continues to encourage Timothy to stand firm for the gospel and to raise men who will teach the word of God in truth. He instructs: "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." (NKJV). 

So what were these things? 

Adam Clarke observes that Paul's mention of "these things" could be in reference to some doctrines delivered to Timothy during his pastoral ordination. Matthew Henry adds that Paul's exhortation implied that Timothy must not deliver anything besides what he had received from Paul. He should not add or remove anything therefrom. The gospel should be bequeathed to faithful men in its pristine form in order to preserve the credibility of its doctrines. 

Some scholars believe Paul was making a direct reference to a specific set of doctrines that he had entrusted to Timothy rather than the whole of the evangelical doctrine. 

However, given the perpetuity contemplated in the text, it is difficult to rule out Paul's reference to the entire gospel truths that he had taught Timothy. In 2 Timothy 3:10, Paul affirms Timothy's mentorship saying: "But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance" (NKJV). 

My view is that "these things" is a reference to the fundamental truths and doctrines of Scripture which lie at the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ that Paul proclaimed and wrote in his epistles. Paul was legitimately concerned that these truths may be compromised or misrepresented by people who had no knowledge of Christ or the theological foundation underlying the gospel ministry. 

This is perhaps most profoundly demonstrated in Acts 18:24-28 where a faithful Jewish Christian couple took Apollos, an Alexandrian Jew, and instructed him in the way of Christ. The couple had heard Apollos preach in the Ephesus synagogue and observed his doctrinal deficiency. 

We should bear in mind that during his last visit to Ephesus, Paul had warned the Ephesus church elders of coming apostasy (Acts 20:17-38). 

Notice further that Paul's epistle to the Ephesians lays considerable emphasis on doctrinal grounding of believers so that they are not tossed about by every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting (Ephesians 4:12-16). 

In all church ages, God's word is preserved through faithful men who revere God's word and proclaim it in truth. These men should be trained and equipped with theological skills by which they can rightly expound the word of God with the diligence that it deserves (2 Timothy 2:15). 

This is the only way to preserve the sanctity of Scripture from the ferocious fangs of false teachers. 

Who are these false teachers?

False teachers are diverse. They are the wolves in sheepskin contemplated by Jesus in Matthew 7:15. They are the men who have a form of godliness but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:5). They are the false teachers mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:1-5. They are the men who will spread destructive heresies (2 Peter 2:1-3). They are further described as teachers who "have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness." (2 Peter 2:15). 

It is against these evil men that Scripture exhorts us to earnestly contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). 

In contemporary Christianity, the revelation and authority of Scripture has come under heavy distortion by false teachers who purport to speak the mind of God. Millions of Christians are trapped under the manipulation and brainwashing of these self appointed prophets who twist Scripture for selfish benefit. 

The word of God should be proclaimed and defended by men and women who cherish the purity of its eternal truths and are prepared to stand out for the sanctity of Scripture. 

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

Why Did Jacob Switch the Blessings to Ephraim?

WHY DID JACOB SWITCH THE BLESSING TO EPHRAIM?

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

Genesis 48:10-19 recounts Jacob's blessing on Joseph's two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, in Egypt. Hebrew tradition required that the right hand should be placed on the head of the first-born son, Manasseh. Jacob however chose to depart from this tradition. 

In what some have described as the crossed-blessing phenomenon, Jacob conferred the birthright blessing on Ephraim, the second son. Joseph's attempt at correcting the old man was legitimate given his poor eyesight (v.10). Joseph's action was however resisted by Jacob. 

This confirmed that Jacob had made a deliberate decision to change the blessings matrix, having convinced Joseph that the two sons would fall under Jacob's inheritance and any other sons born to Joseph would fall to Joseph (Genesis 48:5). Joseph's silence before his aged father is perhaps evidence that he submitted to his father's wisdom. 

Jacob's response in Genesis 48:19 affirms this fact. It reveals that Jacob had knowingly placed his hands on the two sons of Joseph! He knew that Joseph had set them before him in the traditional order but he nevertheless switched the hands. 

As to whether Jacob had deliberately schemed to withhold the birthright blessings from Manasseh, this is difficult to tell. The fact that the two sons had fallen into Jacob's personal heritage at this point is perhaps evidence that Jacob was entitled to act as he wished. Did he perhaps have any prior knowledge of the characters of the two boys at this point? This is difficult to tell. 

It is perhaps easy to relate Jacob's action to the scheming by his mother Rebecca to have him receive the birthright blessing meant for his elder brother Esau (Genesis 27). It is however difficult to tell what exactly motivated Jacob's decision in Joseph's context. Some have speculated that God had revealed to Jacob in a dream which between the two sons would be more prominent. Scripture is however silent on this question. 

The blessing recorded in Genesis 48:15-16 however reveals that Jacob proclaimed God's blessings on the two boys without distinction and preference. He prays to God saying: 

"Bless the lads;

Let my name be named upon them,

And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;

And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” (NKJV). 

Jacob's act of switching his hands on the two sons has however been understood by some as a tacit elevation for Ephraim in the pecking order rather than an open displeasure with Manasseh. 

The tribe of Ephraim has historically assumed greater prominence than the tribe of Manasseh. Joshua the son of Nun who led Israel into the Promised Land was from the tribe of Ephraim (1 Chronicles 7:20-29). Jeroboam I who became the first king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel was also an Ephraimite (1 Kings 11:26). 

@ Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

What Do We Learn From Genesis 39 On Fighting Temptations?

WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM GENESIS 39 ON FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS? 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

Genesis 39:11-18 describes Joseph's encounter with Potiphar's wife who sought to draw him into adultery. 

Joseph's compelling faithfulness as a steward in his master's house is recorded in Genesis 39:1-10. His master had full trust and confidence in him and had assigned his domestic affairs into Joseph's hands. 

Interestingly, Joseph's Egyptian master had also discerned that God was with Joseph. How did this stand? 

This is perhaps the most significant reflection on Joseph's life that his pagan master captured. It was the fruit of godly diligence that stood out for Joseph. This is what stands out a faithful believer from a corrupt world. 

The story is told of a customer who asked the counter salesperson if he was a Christian! The brief conversation that followed revealed that the salesman was a church elder. He had noticed that the customer had mistakenly overpaid for an item by a colossal sum of money. He quickly rushed and called her back from across the street to collect the money. Few people would perhaps have bothered to do what this honest man had done since there would be no paper-trail evidence for any counterclaim. The salesman confessed that his moral convictions would not permit him to defraud his customers. 

During his temptation by his Egyptian master's wife, Joseph demonstrated his moral integrity which was founded on his covenant faithfulness with God. He was a man driven by his moral convictions on godly prudence. He was not ready to compromise on his covenant relationship with God even where the exigencies of convenience stood out for him. 

Joseph's statement in Genesis 39:9 affirms his unwavering moral standing. His rhetorical question is equally unparalleled. He candidly responded to his master's wife, saying: "There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (NKJV). 

Joseph was resolute that he would not fall for the woman's seduction. He was compelled to flee from his master's wife when she attempted to physically draw him into sexual sin. The woman later lied to her husband that Joseph had attempted to rape her! 

Joseph was eventually thrown into an Egyptian dungeon for a crime that he had never committed. God however stood with Joseph through his suffering and vindicated him in end. By God's grace, Joseph was finally released from prison. He rose to become the highest ranked officer in Pharaoh's court. 

MORAL LESSONS 

Joseph's encounter with his Egyptian master's wife teaches us a number of moral lessons on dealing with temptations in our Christian lives. 

First, we learn that a believer should stand by the convictions of God's word at all times. We should never give room to compromise. The Bible exhorts us to flee from every appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). 

Secondly, we learn that Satan is always seeking the downfall of God's covenant people. He can even use people close to us to tempt us into disobedience. We should therefore stay alert at all times so that we do not fall into the hands of Satan and his agents. 

Scripture proclaims in 1 Peter 5:8 that our adversary walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. This calls for diligence and fortitude among God's people in their daily walk of life. Scripture elsewhere exhorts us to resist the devil and he will flee from us.

Thirdly, we discover that no matter how many false accusations are filed against us, God will vindicate us in the end. Joseph suffered the humiliation of a life in the dungeon but his fellowship with the God of Israel was preserved. 

James 1:2-4 says "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (NKJV). 

Fourthly, we learn that we should not seek vengeance against those who persecute us. There is no record in Scripture that Joseph carried any bitterness against his master. He could perhaps have used his high office to repay Potiphar in kind! He chose to endure it all to the glory of God. In Romans 12:9 God proclaims "Vengeance is mine, I will repay" (NKJV). Leave it to God!

Joseph later demonstrated compelling moral fortitude when he forgave his brothers who had sold him to an Ishmaelite slave Caravan for twenty shekels of silver (Genesis 37:28). His brothers lived in guilt until their father Jacob passed away. They feared that Joseph would revenge against them and sought forgiveness from him. 

Despite the agony he had suffered in their hands, Joseph chose to forgive his brothers even when he could have been justified in repaying them for their evil. He was overcome by godly emotion and wept in their presence! His love for his brothers towered above any trace of pain or bitterness. 

In Genesis 50:20, Joseph answered his brothers saying "You meant it for evil; but God meant it for good." This statement reveals the wisdom of a man who had undergone affliction and learnt to submit to God in humility. 

Finally, we learn that God honors our faithfulness whenever we undergo afflictions in life. He will vindicate us at His appointed time. He restored great men of God such as Job, Joseph, and David who had endured harrowing afflictions. He rewards our diligence in His divine ways in this life and in the life to come. He will fulfill His divine purposes for our lives no matter what circumstances we go through in life. 

Keep it Christ!

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

Do We Have Apostolic Continuity and Spiritual Gifts in the Church?

Q & A WITH A READER ON APOSTOLIC AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

Q.

1. Is there a difference between apostolic gift and apostolic office?

EK 

The office of apostle was instituted by Jesus Christ and assigned to specific persons appointed by Him. I have not found any evidence in Scripture to suggest that a specific spiritual gift accompanies the appointment to apostolic office. However, the proclamation of the gospel is a continuing apostolic mandate for the church. 

My reading of Ephesians 4:11 reveals that the apostolic office is itself a divine gift to the church. God used it to lay the foundation on which the church has been built through the ages. Most of the New Testament Scriptures were written by the apostles. 

Q.

2. Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12 mention the gifts for the equipping of the church

3. If apostle means "the sent", commissioned by Jesus. How could the 12 accomplish the assignment of the ends of the world (great commission). Doesn't this presuppose continuity? Work that is still going on

EK 

The Greek plural noun "apostoloi" means "the sent or those sent". This title has been assigned to missionaries and evangelists in its broader context. The twelve apostles were meant to constitute the ecclesial foundation of the New Testament church. 

Paul was later added by Jesus in person and assigned to the Gentile church.

Yes, the apostolic mission has been an active ministry throughout the church ages, thanks to the missionaries and evangelists that took the gospel across the world in succeeding periods. The New Testament apostles had teams of missionaries working with them too. 

This does not however imply that the apostles appointed by Jesus in person had perpetual successors through the church ages. Scripture rules out this possibility. Acts 1:21-22 says: 

"Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” (NKJV).

This text is explicit on the qualifications for the apostolic office being restricted to those who served with Christ and witnessed His resurrection. In Evangelical tradition, we recognize the authority of this Scripture as infallible. Accordingly therefore, we unequivocally hold that there can be no living apostle after the New Testament church period. 

Q.

4. Is the theological conclusion made directly stated in scripture? Cessationism argue that the canon is complete but that doesn't necessarily equate to the gifts themselves ending

EK 

This question has been addressed in my closing statement above. Yes, there cannot be apostolic continuity in the context of the primary apostolic office contemplated in Acts 1:21-22 and Ephesians 4:11-12.

Q.

5. If the prophecy ended, why did Paul deliberately explain and give instructions on how the church should handle prophecy? See 1 Cor 12-14. 

Will it be more balanced to look at this that there may be gifted sent ones and prophetic functions today that don't establish doctrine or add revelation beyond scripture? 

Paul's guidance of 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21, 1 Cor 12:10, Acts 17:11, 1 John 4:1, 1 Corinthians 14:29 presupposes operations of these gifts and the call to be discerning. 

In 1 Corinthians 14:1 Paul encourages that we desire spiritual gifts especially prophesy. What did he mean?

EK 

I have extensively delved into these questions in the following articles whose links I shared with you:

1. Does God speak through Prophets Today?

2. Do we have Apostles in the Church Today? 

These articles appear on my website teaching blog LISTENING AND DOING BIBLICAL FORUM on ezekielkimosop@blogspot.com

My view is that some spiritual gifts were specific to the period coinciding with the Acts of the Apostles and have therefore ceased. These include the gift of prophecy and the gift of tongues. The gift of discernment is definitely active and so is the gift of teaching, evangelism, among others. Under Evangelical tradition, we believe that the gift of raising the dead was specifically assigned to Peter under the raising of Tabitha (Acts 9:36-43), and to Paul during the raising of Eutychus (Acts 20:7-12). We believe that the two incidents were intended for the authentication of the gospel on the two occasions described in Scripture and that this gift ceased forthwith. It was never replicated in the New Testament church or during the patristic periods. 

We believe that the biblical Scriptures indelibly convey the mind of God to the church in all church ages since the canonization and that they are complete, prophetic, authoritative, and final. 

I hope this response is helpful. 

Thanks for the engagement. 

  

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026