Why Apostolic Succession is a Myth and is Only Supported by Those Churches and Denominations That Want to Show Their Special Exclusivity?
Let us turn to the Holy Scriptures and see how people became ministers who were chosen, subsequently supported, and guided by God Himself.
1. God Himself appoints all ministers to service. It is He who chooses a person for ministry and gives him the anointing of the Holy Spirit and gifts so that the person becomes capable of fulfilling God's will in the ministry to which God has appointed him.
1 Corinthians 12:4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ... 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. ... 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.
1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.
2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.
Hebrews 5:1 Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ... 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.
The Apostle Paul, a great spiritual authority in the Christian world and one of the pillars of the church, unequivocally teaches believers that true ministers are chosen for service and made capable of performing it by God Himself, and it is through God's true servant that the Spirit of God speaks and acts.
2. The laying on of hands by ministers (ordination) is not a mandatory action when appointing a person to ministry, because ministers are not appointed by people, and the anointing of the Spirit and gifts for ministry cannot be given by people. The laying on of hands with prayer when appointing a person to ministry can only be done if you are convinced that it is God's will, as was the case in the life of Timothy, to whom God first declared His will concerning his ministry through prophecy, and only then were hands laid on Timothy with prayer for him.
1 Timothy 4:13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
We see the same situation when Paul and Silas entered their ministry: they were not called by people and did not act by human will, but they were called, empowered, gifted, and sent into ministry by God Himself. The laying on of hands occurred only after God had spoken about their calling.
Acts 13:2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. 4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit...
Can a person willfully take upon himself a ministry, and can a religious Christian organization willfully appoint a person to ministry by observing the ordination ritual? Of course, all this can happen, but the ritual does not guarantee that God supports this human choice and will give the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit to the person chosen by people.
You can ordain a person as much as you want, but if God has not chosen him for ministry, he will not receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit to perform it. Such ministry would be a willful act against God's will and would constitute a sin.
Colossians 2:23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship...
Jeremiah 14:15 ...they are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them...
Jeremiah 23:21 I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message...
Jeremiah 23:32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them...
Jeremiah 27:15 ‘I have not sent them,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are prophesying lies in my name...’
Jeremiah 29:31 “Send this message to all the exiles: ‘This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I did not send him...
That is, as we see, people can assume certain ministries on their own, and religious organizations can also ordain ministers willfully, without having a command from God. Such people will carry out a willful ministry without God's power and the action of His Spirit, relying only on their fleshly abilities. It is precisely through such ministries that heresies and errors often infiltrate the church, because these people are not led by the Spirit of God, are deceived, and are led by Satan.
2 Corinthians 11:13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
3. One can distinguish a minister chosen and anointed by the Holy Spirit from one performing a willful ministry by the signs that the true minister possesses: namely, by the action of the Holy Spirit through him, by the manifestation of God's power, and by the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 12:12 I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.
An apostle is one sent by God, and if God sent him, then God equipped him and gave him power for ministry.
1 Timothy 4:14 Do not neglect your gift...
Romans 15:17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
Thus, miracles, signs, and power which the Holy Spirit produces through a minister are a sure sign that God is involved in that ministry. Although, of course, the minister himself may prove weak in some situation or temptation and fall into sin, but that does not mean that the power of the Spirit he possessed or possesses was not from God.
If we are to speak of apostolic succession in the understanding that currently exists in the Christian world, then as a very vivid example of apostolic succession, we can examine the example of the seven churches shown in the book of Revelation.
No one can deny the fact that all these seven churches had apostolic succession, since Jesus Christ Himself is among them and holds their angels in His hand. Their ministers were 100% ordained and had the calling and anointing of the Holy Spirit given by God.
Revelation 1:12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. ... 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Using the example of these seven churches, we see that so-called apostolic succession did not make them perfect and true. God pronounces His judgment on some of them and delivers a verdict: some are afflicted with the heresies of the Nicolaitans; in one of them the false prophetess Jezebel holds sway, among other problems.
Revelation 2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: ... 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Revelation 2:12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword: ... 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Revelation 2:18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze: 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. ... 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
Revelation 3:1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Revelation 3:14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
The conclusion from all this is only one: the apostolic succession of the seven churches did not make them perfect in God's eyes and did not preserve them from problems and falling. The same applies to those churches that now boast of their apostolic succession: it is possible that in God's eyes they are dead, and God's judgment is already at their door.
A chain of ordinations from the apostles does not guarantee that God's judgment will not come upon a church if it does not stand in truth and love for God.
Revelation 3:12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.
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