People in latter times will not put up with sound doctrine, but to suit their own desires will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths (2 Tim. 4:3-4)(NIV). False teachers are not a few but exist in large numbers. Numerous false teachers were found even during the days of the apostles sent by Jesus, they warned people through their epistles. If it were so even at that time, it can be surmised that they will exist in far larger numbers today.

In king Ahab's time, when there were four hundred prophets with lying spirit, there was also a prophet of God named Micaiah (I King 22:8). Similarly it should be understood that though there are many false teachers, there are also true saints. One should identify them and heed their words. You should identify such saints.

Desirous to see:

True ministers of God and the children of God (believers) are like father and children. (I Cor. 4:14-15), Therefore they are desirous of seeing each other (I Thes. 2:17, 3:6). Is it with the aim of collecting some money? No! Only parents have to save and provide for their children. Therefore true saints seek the believers alone and not their possessions (II Cor. 12:14).

The parents who want to visit their children, do so at their own expense. They don't expect their children to meet the expenditure of their visit (II Cor. 12:15). Parents are worried about the welfare of their children and therefore are comforted on knowing the well being of their children. In the same manner, the spiritual fathers also desire to see for themselves whether the tempter has tempted the believers and affected their spiritual lives (I Thes. 3:5). They see the believers and strengthen them and without taking recourse to flattery and pleasing words, they advice and encourage them concerning their faith (I Thes. 3:2).

The vigilant guarantors of souls:

"Those who rule over you watch out for your souls as those who must give account" (Heb. 13:17). A true saint who is appointed by God as pastor remains vigilant. Therefore he is with the believers in spirit, though bodily he is seperated by the distance. He advises them according to their faith and their spiritual growth (Col. 2:5). A sleeping pastor may not know anything. As a good pastor is vigilant, however far he is from the believers, he is one with them in spirit, identifies their sinful acts and sets their lives in order (I Cor. 5:1-7; II Cor. 13:2-3).

Do you have a pastor who identifies your secret sins and corrects you? A vigilant watchman sees the enemy at a distance and prevents the enemy from doing any harm by warning in advance of his approach. In the same way, the true saint who takes care of the soul, with the grace of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), knows in advance of the things going to happen and arranges for the security of his souls (I Thes. 3:4).

Living Examples:

In today's Christian world, most of the preachers preach that one should not look at man for an example nor follow him but look at Jesus Christ alone and follow Him. Their words testify that their lives are not proper and that they don't have belief that they will be able to stand in faith till the end. Only a man sent by God will know God. Therefore a guide is the one who is sent by God in order to know Him (John 7:29).

Those who were not sent by God do not bother to join the souls with them but drop them somewhere or send them away much as the harlots abandon their children on the streets. Since they are not in fellowship with the Father and His son Jesus Christ, they are not in a position to ask others to be in fellowship with them (I John 1:3).

On the other hand the man who was sent by God entreats believers to "imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ" (I Cor. 11:1). The true minister of God says, 'the things which you learned and received and heard and seen in me, these do' (Phil. 4:9). Since one person could not oversee the large number of believers, St.Paul appointed overseers here and there. Since they all walked in the same spirit and in the same steps (II Cor. 12:17-18), their examples are to be followed (Phil. 3:17). The one who is not living as an example for his pastorate is not a true minister of God.

Beloved, do you have such minister as illustrated in the Bible? Does he possess worthy characteristics (fruits) that you can imitate? The wisdom that can be imparted to the students is limited by the level of wisdom of their teacher. A minister of God can lead the believers only up to the level of his own knowledge of God.

Identify the true minister of God.

"We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God" (II Cor. 5:20)(NKJV).