[Footnote G: II Tim. iv:16.]

Paul admonished Titus to hold fast to the faith, for there were many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision; who subverted whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake; and were giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men and turning from the truth.[A]

[Footnote A: Titus i:9-14.]

The Demoralization of Christians Widespread: Peter also had something to say with reference to the danger of heresies and false teachers which menaced the Church. He declared that there would be false teachers among the saints, "who privily would bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." "And many," said he, "shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you; whose judgment now for a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them unto chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgment"—he argued that the Lord would not spare these corrupters of the Gospel of Christ, who, like the dog, had turned again to his own vomit, and the sow who was washed to her wallowing in the mire.[A] He charged also that some were wresting the epistles of Paul, as they were some of the "other scriptures," unto their own destruction.[B]

[Footnote A: II Peter ii.]

[Footnote B: Ibid. iii; 16.]

John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, also bears testimony to the existence of anti-Christs, false prophets, and the depravity of many in the early Church. "It is the last time," said he, "and as ye have heard that anti-Christ shall come, even now there are many anti-Christs, whereby we know that it is the last time;" * * * * * * "They went out from us * * * * * * that they might be manifest that they were not all of us."[A] "Try the spirits," said he, in the same epistle, "whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world."[B] Again; "Many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver, an anti-Christ."[C]

[Footnote A: I John ii:18, 19.]

[Footnote B: I John iv:1.]

[Footnote C: II John vii:5.]