These days a few people are under the impression that they are apostles sent by God eventhough they are not apostles. We can examine and know the truthfulness of their assertion.

A few others say that there are only twelve persons designated as apostles and because the election of Matthias by Ap.Peter and his companions by casting lots for filling up the position of the perished Judas Iscariot was considered improper, God appointed St.Paul as the twelth apostle. Such persons admit the truth openly that that they are not sent by God (apostles). They don't say this after a careful study of the bible. They say this because someone has told them so. However the correctness of their assertion, needs to be examined.

Is it wise to judge the act of the apostles, who were chosen by Lord Jesus Christ from a large group of disciples to be with Him and to go wherever He sends, that they have erred in selecting a replacement for the position of Judas Iscariot by casting lots. Why did they choose Matthias as the twelfth person? The reason has been clearly written in Acts 1:15-26.

St.Peter acted this way only after giving proper explanation on the basis of scriptures; "Judas was numbered with us (one among the twelve) and obtained a part in this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, and all his entrails gushed out".Peter spoke further quoating a scripture as the basis, "For it is written in the book of Psalms:"Let his habitation be desolate, And let no one live in it', and 'let another take his office'"(Acts 1:20)(NKJV).

A matter cannot be believed on the basis of a single man's word. There is a proverb in Tamil: 'What is seen is a lie. What is heard is a lie. Only what results from a thorough enquiry can be the truth'. Is it not necessary that there ought to be witnesses to the fact of resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ? As witness, God wanted to appoint , not one, but twelve persons. One among them thus appointed, perished and died. Another person should be appointed in his place. Who can be a fitting witness? Only someone who had accompanied Him from the beginning can be a fitting witness (John 15:27).

Two such persons (beside the twelve) were found among the disciples. Their names are : 1. Joseph called Barsabas who was surnamed Justus and 2. Matthias. 'Of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us , beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection' (Acts 1:21-22)(NKJV); After Peter spoke thus, they cast lots on these two names and prayed. The lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles (Acts 1:23-26).

Since they had not yet received the Holy Spirit in those days, God did not talk to them with certainty. Only after one receives the Holy Spirit, the anointing received from Him will teach him (1 John 2:27). Without receiving Holy Spirit no one can hear the voice of God explicitly and such person can not say with certainty 'God speaks thus'. Therefore they appointed a man chosen by God by casting lots in accordance with the verse, "Casting lots causes contentions to cease, and keeps the mighty apart" (Prov 18:18).

Without knowing the matter, it is wrong to say that those of the early church had done unwisely. The Lord sent Moses to deliver and bring the Israelites from Egypt. The Lord sent prophet Elijah to establish the worship of Jehovah in Israel. the Lord sent John the baptist to straighten the path for the emergence of Lord Jesus Christ as savior and to give baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. God the Father, sent Lord Jesus Christ to save sinners. Ap.Peter was sent to proclaim the gospel to the circumcised (Gal 2:8). Ap.Paul was sent to proclaim the gospel to the uncircumcised (Gal 2:8).

Only those who are sent are called apostles and not those who appear on their own. The latter kind seek their own glory, therefore they speak on their own (John 17:18). Those who are sent with God's message speak only what is told by God. They seek the glory of Him who sent them. Such persons alone are the true apostles. To say that the apostles were just twelve and the last person was St.Paul, is a deception of Satan. Anyone who accepts that there were only twelve apostles is led by Satan into deceiving himself by not acknowledging the apostles appointed by God, spurning the counsels and thus spoiling themselves. Because when Lord Jesus Christ comes as the King, as the bridegroom, is it not necessary that there ought to be an apostle to prepare the bride? (2Cor 11:2). When a person ignores an apostle thus sent by God saying that besides the twelve there are no more apostles, is it not possible for Satan to prevent such a person from preparing himself for the Lord's coming? Are not teachers necessary for children going to school till they complete the studies and graduate? Likewise we need to be made perfect till we attain perfection to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

For perfecting us, the members of the church who form the body of Christ, we need apostle, prophet, pastor and teacher (Eph 4:11-14). True, after one graduates, he may not need teachers anymore. Likewise after we attain the image of Christ, we don't need anybody. Those who say that there are only twelve apostles are prevented by Satan from becoming a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Are there only twelve apostles? No. Barnabas was an apostle (Acts 14:14). Andronicus was an apostle (Rom 16:7). Junia was a an apostle (Rom 16:7). James, the Lord's brother was an apostle (1Cor 9:5)(Gal 1:19). Silvanus was an apostle (1Thess 1:1-2, 2:6) Timothy was an apostle (1Thess 1:1-2, 2:6) .What ? Were there only twelve apostles? What is the need of police in a land without thieves? If there were only twelve apostles, what is the need of testing those who come claiming to be apostles? There were many apostles and since some liars were also claiming themselves to be apostles, it became necessary to check the truthfulness of thier claim and know if they are genuine or not (Rev 2:2).

There is apostle even today. Otherwise you can not be prepared for the coming of the Lord. Apostle is there even today. Otherwise you can not become perfect. You need an apostle.

Not Ap.Paul but Matthias was the twelfth apostle (See Acts 2:14, 6:1-2).

'Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples' (Acts 6:2)(NKJV).