[Footnote I: Acts vi: 1-6.]
So in the case of Paul. It was not enough that he saw and spoke with the Messiah, not enough to have Ananias come and baptize him, and receive the Holy Ghost; for afterwards, when the Lord would have him engage in the work of preaching the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof, the Holy Ghost said unto certain prophets at Antioch, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."[J]
[Footnote J: Acts xiii: 1-3.]
Furthermore, as Paul went about confirming the souls of the saints, he ordained elders in every church.[K] He did not suffer men to take the authority on themselves to minister in the things of God; but warned the saints against such characters. Having assembled the elders of the church of Ephesus, he said to them: "Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed the flock of God. * * * For I know this that after my departing, shall grievous wolves enter in, not sparing the flock. And of your own selves, shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."[L]
[Footnote K: Acts, xiv: 2, 3.]
[Footnote L: Acts xx: 28, 29.]
This same thing pressed itself upon his mind when he wrote his Epistle to Timothy; for we find him exhorting that worthy man to "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering, and doctrine, for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."[M]
[Footnote M: II. Tim. iv: 2-4.]
To this also agrees the testimony of Peter. After speaking of the prophets that were in ancient Israel, he says: "But there were false prophets also among the people [then addressing the saints of his own day], even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and shall bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."[N]
[Footnote N: II Peter ii: 1, 2.]