When the Bible is read correctly, we find that none of the apostles in the New Testament made a practice of referring to themselves as “Apostle”. What we do have is references in which apostles such as Paul and Peter acknowledge their apostleship in their letters.

For example, Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians by saying, 

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus… ~ Ephesians 1:1

And Peter beings his first epistle saying, 

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia… ~ 1 Peter 1:1

Notice that neither Paul or Peter introduce themselves as Apostle Paul, or Apostle Peter. The reference to their apostleship had to do with their ministry service and not their personal identity. 

When we read through the book of Acts we never read even once where Luke (the author of Acts), refers to Peter as Apostle Peter, or Paul as Apostle Paul. He simply called them Peter or Simon and Paul or Saul, as he was previously known. He acknowledges their apostleship in ministry and calling context, but not in their identity context. In fact, after his conversion Paul no longer identified himself as Saul, but Paul.

This is important because we are living in a time when many who think they are apostles and prophets want to be called by the title Apostle, or Prophet, as their identity – Apostle Johnson, prophetess Sharon, etc.

Those in the Bible, the real apostles and prophets, did not label themselves in such a manner. Jeremiah never called himself Prophet Jeremiah, neither did other prophets in the Old Testament do likewise. They were referred to by others as prophets.

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying … ~ Matthew 2:17

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying… ~ Matthew 4:14

For those who were called as prophets in the Old Testament, The title Prophet did not become part of their proper name by which they identified themselves.

Isaiah was Isaiah the prophet, not Prophet Isaiah, I hope you get my point.

Just today I heard one person who thinks they are an apostle refer to Paul as “Apostle Paul”. This comes from the same camp that uses the titles Apostle and Prophet as part of their identities.

Again, none of God’s prophets or apostles in the Bible referred to themselves in this manner, and neither did anyone else. For example, we read in Acts about a man named Agabus, who was a prophet.

And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. ~ Acts 21:10

Notice that his name was Agabus, and not Prophet Agabus. He was Agabus, and he was a prophet by calling.

Notice the following from Acts 8.

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost… ~ Acts 8:14-15

Peter and John were part of the collective group of apostles at Jerusalem, but when Luke calls them by name he doesn’t say Apostle Peter and Apostle John, though they were apostles, he calls them Peter and John.

Moses was a prophet, but he was never called Prophet Moses. Neither was any other Old Testament prophet ever called “Prophet” before their proper name. The same is true for the apostles and prophets in the New Testament.