The New Apostolic faith is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. There is nothing unclear about that. But what exactly is the teaching of Jesus? The Chief Apostle names seven aspects and invites us to test ourselves.
Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider based his divine service in Conakry in Guinea in November 2024 on 1 John 2: 24: “Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.” He chose a practical approach by way of introduction.
The prayer test
A look at our own prayers reveals if they are in line with God’s will, he said. Prayer works when it corresponds to the teachings of Jesus. “The Lord Jesus said, ‘If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you’ (John 15: 7). This shows us: it is important that what we ask of God corresponds to the teaching of Christ so that our prayers are answered,” Chief Apostle Schneider explained.
Because if there is no agreement, there is a risk that our prayers will not be answered by God. And that ultimately has existential implications for our faith. We might think that God does not exist at all and begin to doubt in God’s love. Ultimately, this may lead us to call into question the entire gospel. The Chief Apostle asked that we question and analyse ourselves. This is by no means easy, he said, because evil has always tried to falsify the teachings of Jesus. Let us stick to the true teachings of Jesus.
He went on to cite seven core aspects of the gospel:
- eternal life: “Unfortunately, there are still many Christians today who come to Christ not because of their salvation, but only because of earthly concerns. But that is not the purpose of faith. The important thing is eternal life! And for everything else, let us put our trust in God” (cf. Matthew 6: 32, 33).
- faith in God’s word: “Jesus said that people must believe in His word, not just in His signs. Jesus taught: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20: 29).
- afflictions: “Jesus was the Son of God, but He had to suffer and so must those who follow Him. However, He also said that they should not be afraid; He would help them to remain faithful in tribulation. This also applies to us, this is the teaching of Jesus,” as recorded in Luke 21: 12–18.
- motivation: “Anyone who serves Jesus in order to be admired by others or to receive a reward will be disappointed in the end. Our motivation to do good must be our love for God, and nothing else,” the Chief Apostle said with reference to Matthew 6: 2–4: “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”
- grace: “Your reward, salvation, is a favour that God bestows on you. You cannot earn it through good works. And therefore you must accept that your neighbour will receive the same,” he said with reference to Luke 17: 10.
- our relationship with our neighbour: “Even if people do unbelievable evil, Jesus still wants them to find redemption—and He expects us to help Him. This too is a teaching of Jesus that we should not forget (cf. John 12: 47). In addition to this, He tells us: If you love Me, you must also love your neighbour. Your love for God can never be greater than your love for your neighbour.”
- the church and the future: “Jesus said that His church will always be a small flock. Sometimes we forget that. Brother, sister, the Lord Jesus never said that the whole world must become New Apostolic. The truth of the Apostles’ teaching cannot be measured by the number of believers who follow them. What is important is that the flock follows the shepherd Jesus Christ” (Luke 12: 32).
In his closing words, Chief Apostle Schneider had some encouraging words for the congregation: “Let us build our faith on this foundation. And let us make sure that our prayers are in harmony with the teachings of Christ. Then we can be sure that God will answer them!”