Christianity, Cults and Culture

COGR – End Time Apostles as Judges

January 17, 2024

Good day! I am writing a series of short reviews of abbreviated COGR video clips. I am looking for input and comments. If it makes it easier I will be glad to supply a Word document so comments can be put in the document and we can communicate directly. My email address is lattema@icloud.com. I hope you find these reviews helpful.

Transcript:

But this judgment begins before the final day. This judgment begins with Thrones on the Earth. We might say. 12, by the way, you can in your Bible 12 Thrones right there. It’s the return of those 12 Thrones in the Earth. It’s the return of that First Dominion. And those Thrones bring a judgment that goes back and judges

Commentary:

The concept of preliminary apostolic judgment is central to the theology of the COGR. According to the COGR, the 12 end-time apostles are the judges of this world. This preliminary judgment sets the return of Jesus in action.

Addison tells us:

This preliminary judgment begins with Thrones on the Earth. It’s the return of those 12 Thrones in the Earth. It’s the return of that First Dominion. And those Thrones bring a judgment that goes back and judges what this power has been doing. So, there will be a preliminary judgment by the new Apostles before God’s final judgment. This is the preliminary judgment of the seventh trumpet ministry that judges the original apostasy once and for all and will judge it thoroughly. The judgment of the apostles will judge it right into the return of the Lord Jesus. Then, he will open the books once and for all and judge the world. But even now, there are kings and priests on Thrones reigning. The judgment is sitting, and we’re consuming it with the spirit of his mouth, and we’ll do it until the Lord returns.

Before delving into the concept of 12 thrones and the return of the First Dominion, let’s first explore fundamental points. What does Scripture reveal about God’s timetable? Interestingly, there are no verses suggesting that God’s timing depends on the actions of humanity. Next, when it comes to the idea of judgment, we need to examine whether there is Scriptural evidence supporting the notion that the Apostles serve as judges. Is such evidence present in the Scriptures? I conducted a search for verses containing the word “apostle” in conjunction with any form of “judge” or “judgment.” Only one verse emerged, Revelation 18:20, which, upon examination, refers to God’s judgment, not that of the apostles.

Expanding the search to encompass any form of “judge” or “judgment” yielded 140 verses. Relevant passages include:

Acts 10:42, where it is affirmed that Jesus, appointed by God, judges the living and the dead. No indication is given that judgment authority was delegated to the apostles.

Romans 2:16 emphasizes that God, through Jesus Christ, will judge people’s secrets, not the apostles.

Hebrews 10:30 declares that the Lord will judge His people, reinforcing that divine judgment rests with God.

James 4:12 underscores that there is only one Lawgiver and Judge, discouraging human judgment.

Revelation 20:4 describes thrones occupied by those given authority to judge, sparking discussion about who these individuals might be. Various interpretations include angels, martyred believers, and Jesus with His followers.

Contrary to the COGR’s position, there is no biblical evidence supporting the notion of apostles judging during the present age or being responsible for end-time judgment. Moreover, the claim that apostles are seated on thrones and reigning is contested. While Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:30 are cited to argue for the apostles’ reign, scholars generally interpret these verses as referring to a future event following Jesus’ return, not a current reality. Interestingly, it appears that others sit on the throne with God judging.  Paul tells us in 1 Co 6:2 “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?” Likewise, John writes in Revelation 3 that Christians who overcome will sit on thrones. Re 3:21 21 “To the victorious one, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

So, while there is no Biblical evidence of End-Time Gentile Apostles or of a return of a First Dominion, there is evidence that generic Christians are in line both to judge and to sit on thrones.