Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ… ~ 2 Peter 1:1

I want you to notice Peter’s tone regarding his apostleship. It is secondary to his being a servant of Jesus Christ. Peter places himself on the same level (as a servant) with those to whom he is writing, saying to his audience that they had obtained like precious faith as he and the other believers in Christ had obtained.

As an apostle of Christ, Peter viewed those to whom he was writing as his fellow servants of Christ, and not to subjects spiritually beneath him. Peter had been equipped by Jesus as a witness of authentic ministry of Jesus. As an apostle of Christ, his calling included being an example of servanthood among Christ’s servants to help their devotion to Christ.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul declares we don’t have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:24. Other translations render this as “helpers for your joy.” The ministry of the New Testament apostles included that of helping Christ’s servants continue in the joy of their service to Christ, even in difficult times of struggle and persecution.

The Apostles in the New Testament were helpers in Christ’s Kingdom in the service of Jesus Christ, the King. There are far too many in our day who like to call themselves apostles, and they do so because they want to have the preeminence and spiritual authority over the faith of others. This is completely contrary to the ministry of the first century apostles.

These modern day self promoting apostles, and that’s what many of them are, know very little if any, about the true calling of an apostle. The true calling of apostleship is to authenticate Christ’s ministry where Christ has not been preached, and to establish disciples for Christ who will continue in Christ’s service.