Moving in the Apostolic

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7 T HE A POSTOLIC S EAL Even if I am not considered an apostle (a special messenger) by others, at least I am one to you; for you are the seal (the certificate, the living evidence) of my apostleship in the Lord [confirming and authenticating it]. 1 C ORINTHIANS 9:2, AMPLIFIED The apostle Paul referred to those who had become believers through his ministry as "epistles of Christ." His description of these converts also applies to believers today: You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart (2 Cor. 3:2,3). All of us who believe on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are epistles of Christ. What does that mean? It means that believers and unbelievers alike look upon us and "read" the gospel by the way we live our lives. And the way we live our lives—the witness we give to those who watch us—reflects the apostolic ministry that birthed and/or discipled us. This is an awesome responsibility, not only for apostles, but for all believers. If we want to be epistles that positively affect the lives of those who "read" us, we need to reflect an apostolic dimension in our lives that will lift up the name of Jesus and draw all men to Him (see John 12:32). The apostolic seal is the visible sign, mark or symbol that serves as evidence of a true apostolic ministry. The seal of a true