What should God’s people do when an apostle dies? Does his death give anyone the right—evangelists, pastors, elders, deacons or members—to add to, change from or delete what he taught (2 Tim. 1:13)? What does the Bible teach us on this subject?
Peter's second letter is an intense and passionate farewell speech. The apostle writes, “Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover, I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease” (2 Peter 1:13-15). The epistle cannily declares that it is written shortly before his death. Peter’s purpose is to remind the brethren of the specific things Christ delivered through him—DON'T FORGET! God used this book to address those in the first century, but also to help preserve the church down through to our time today (Matt. 16:17-19)—he tells us: “...we have the prophetic word confirmed…” (2 Peter 1:19).
The truth did not originate with Peter, but with Christ. Thereby, it is Christ who set out to preserve those within His church—following the death of His apostle. How? By sharing a more clear and consistent hold on scripture through the inspiration, which Peter was about to leave them. This is indicated by his statement: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). Just as the scriptures were originally written by the action of a single Spirit (Eph. 4:5-6), so they are to be understood in one way, and one way alone. To correctly understand “the faith” requires the gift from the identical same Spirit of God that inspired the written Word in the first place. That unique gift can only come from God’s grace.
God deliberately chooses not to reveal His will to every “Tom, Dick and Harry,” but has chosen to reveal His doctrines in a structured and unified way—through apostles who possess this “more sure word of prophecy” (Eph. 4:11-16)). Take heed, Peter warns us, “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed” (2 Peter 2:1-2). Notice the apt description of these false individuals—they “despise God’s government”—they “speak evil of dignities” (including the apostles themselves)—and it is going to be a common problem (2 Peter 2:2).
Unlike God’s true servants, Balaam was more interested in the “filthy lucre” than in truly following God’s Way. He wanted to give the impression of following God, but he went his own way—the way that seems right to a man—ultimately, he undermined God’s purpose by alluring Israel to sin (Num. 31:14-16). Therefore, we are warned: “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them” (2 Peter 2:21) in order to gather a following for themselves—especially off the “coat-tails” of HWA. What is the source of the “commandment” from which they turn—“…the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior” (2 Peter 3:1-2)?
The twelve apostles were sent by Christ to teach His people. They brought light into the darkness for the first time by properly interpreting the scriptures written by the prophets of old. It’s the same process today. God is the same yesterday, today and forever—He leads His church via His Spirit within an apostle. However, following that apostle’s death, the very same leadership—from the “One” Spirit—must continue unbroken within the Church if it is to remain the true Church of God. 2 Peter teaches us that God’s Government must always uphold the spiritual heritage left by the apostle. It is vital for the human leaders within the church to have the humility to submit to what God has placed over us all. Leadership within the true “body of Christ” is never from any man down, but always from God down. True leaders must lead by placing themselves clearly and decidedly beneath the spiritual heritage left after an apostle’s death. The death of the “one sent” should have absolutely no effect on this aspect. The source does not change!
Peter wrote his second epistle when he was about to die. He grasped that it was imperative for brethren to keep the original truths in mind after he was gone. Especially, in the midst of false teachers. God knew we would need this inspired letter today—and how right God is! We must always remember from whom we learned the truth. To be God’s truth it came from the Father—to His Son—and delivered to a man—an apostle— “one sent” with the truth to His people. It behooves each of us to study this second epistle, as it shows we must uphold that spiritual legacy if we are to remain the true people of God.
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