Prophets in the New Testament were those gifted spiritual leaders who uniquely received and communicated direct revelation from God by the Holy Spirit. One of their main concerns was the spiritual life and purity of the church. Under the new covenant, they were raised and empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring the message from God to His people.
Old Testament is foundational for understanding the prophetic ministry in the early church. Their primary task was to speak the Word of God by the Spirit to encourage God’s people to remain faithful to their covenant relationship. They also, at times, predicted the future as the Spirit revealed it to them. Christ and the Apostles serve as examples of the Old Testament ideal. Prophets functioned within the New Testament church in the following ways: they were Spirit-filled proclaimers of the Word of God, called by God to warn, exhort, comfort, and instruct. They were to exercise the gift of prophecy, were at times seers who foretold the future. Like the Old Testament prophets, the New Testament prophets are there to expose sin, proclaim righteousness, warn of judgment to come, and combat worldliness and lukewarmness among God’s people. Prophets can expect their ministry to face rejection due to righteous commitments to God during times of lukewarmness and apostasy.
The prophet’s character, burden, desire, and ability include a zeal for church purity, a deep sensitivity to evil, the capacity to identify unrighteousness, a keen understanding of the danger of false teaching, an inherent dependence on God’s Word to validate the prophet’s message, a concern for the spiritual success of God’s kingdom and sharing in God’s feelings.
The New Testament prophet’s messages and prophecy are in regard as infallible. Their prediction was subject to the evaluation of the church, other prophets, and God’s Word. The congregation requires to discern and test whether their witness was from God.
Prophets continue to be essential for the church. A church that rejects God’s prophets will decline in spiritual discernment and drift toward worldliness and the compromise of Biblical truth. If prophets are not allowed to bring words of rebuke and warning, as well as encouragement, words prompted by the Spirit, words exposing sin and unrighteousness, as well as comfort, then the church will become a place where the voice of the Spirit is stifled or muted. Ecclesiastical politics and worldly power will replace the Spirit. On the other hand, if the church with its leaders hears the voice of the prophets, it will be moved to renewed life and fellowship with Christ, sin abandoned, and the Spirit’s presence will be evident among the faithful.