The Uniqueness and the Importance of the Apostle Paul

[AVBunyan]

 Paul is NOT one of the 12, your doctrine is false. Am I right Black?

Brother Love

Can I pitch in?  Paul is not one of the 12 - that was settled in Acts1 -  

[I_Believe]

(Mat 18:1-4 NKJV)  At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" {2} Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, {3} and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. {4} "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Paul helped spread the gospel more than most because that is what Jesus asked of him.  Paul fulfilled the calling that Jesus gave him.  Paul was not a great Apostle because of his labor for the gospel he labored for the gospel greatly because he was called as an Apostle of Christ.  He had no merit without the Lord's favor.

(Luke 1:28-30 NKJV)  And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" {29} But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. {30} Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Mary was not blessed and thus earned the right to be favored.  She was favored (selected to be privileged) by God and thus received a blessing.  She had no merit without the Lord's favor.

To make more of an individuals obedience to their call from the Lord is not supported in scripture.  Their relevance comes only from their obedience to the Lord's call.

Any time an  Apostle or disciple acts outside their call they are on their own and subject to errors and sin.  

(Gal 2:11-12 NKJV)  Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; {12} for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.

It is the Lord's work and his timing.  He is the head.

(1 Cor 15:1-11 NKJV)  Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, {2} by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you; unless you believed in vain. {3} For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, {4} and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, {5} and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. {6} After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. {7} After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. {8} Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. {9} For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. {10} But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. {11} Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

[Sower]

Does anyone hvae any Biblical support for who the 12th Apostle will be on the thrones (assuming it is not Judas)?

SOME SOLID REASONS WHY PAUL IS THE 12TH APOSTLE

1. THE MESSAGE OF THE MESSENGER
The best "biblical" support for believing that Paul replaced Judas is the Bible itself. Almost half the New Testament is either about Paul or written by Paul (meanings Acts and the Pauline Epistles, including Hebrews). Peter's endorsement of Paul's epistles as Scripture is highly significant, since Peter does not say the same thing for any other apostle, including James, who was the leader of the church at Jerusalem (2 Pet. 3:15,16).

2. THE CHOOSING OF THE MESSENGER
Christ chose each and every one of His apostles PERSONALLY, including the traitor Judas. But, in the case of Paul, both God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are spoken of as having chosen him:

"But the Lord [Jesus] said unto him [Ananias], Go thy way; FOR HE IS A CHOSEN VESSEL UNTO ME, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings and the children Israel" (Acts. 9:15).

"And he [Ananias] said, THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS HATH CHOSEN THEE, that thou shouldest know His will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear THE VOICE OF HIS MOUTH. For thou shalt be His witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard" (Acts 22:14,15).

3. THE PRIVILEGES OF THE MESSENGER
When Paul speaks of "the twelve" (1 Cor. 15:5) he is giving us a chronological account of Christ's appearances after His resurrection, not necessary clarifying God's ultimate plan. Technically there were 12 apostles at Pentecost, yet Matthias is virtually absent from the Bible record other than in Acts 1:26.

However, when the Holy Spirit speaks of "the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb" (Rev. 21:13) CARVED INTO THE HEAVENLY CITY, He directs our attention to the extraordinary ministry of Paul and his future place is God's eternal government (12 being the biblical number of Divine government). This was the ONLY apostle who literally entered Paradise, saw and heard things which were unspeakable, and then returned to earth (2 Cor. 12:1-10) to suffer more than any other apostle in his daily sufferings. Those were priveleges given only to Paul.

4. THE ASSURANCE OF THE MESSENGER
In his epistLes, Paul is always "AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST BY THE WILL OF GOD" (2 Cor. 1:1) and "Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, AND GOD THE FATHER, who raised Him from the dead" (Gal.1:1). There is therefore no question about his eternal position before God as one of the 12 whole will sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel in the Millenial Kingdom, and beyond.

[Evangelist]

Does anyone hvae any Biblical support for who the 12th Apostle will be on the thrones (assuming it is not Judas)?

As you've already noted, Michael, it would most probably be Mathias, selected by lot to fill the empty slot. It is interesting to note, also, that Mathias (who most people think we never heard from again) spent almost all of his time with.....Paul. He was jailed with him, sent out from Antioch with him, and finally parted company from him over John Mark.

Who was he? Other than being a Levite from Cyprus?

The winner gets a big wink!!