The twelve disciples were to be the foundations of the Church – their apostolic doctrines would form the basis of all that the Church would believe and build its faith upon. And these doctrines would judge the world in the end.

Nowhere do we find mention of Mathias after his election to the apostleship. This clearly points to the fact that he was not the choice of the Lord. In fact, the Lord never instructed His disciples to choose the twelfth man – he asked them to tarry in Jerusalem for the Promise of the Holy Spirit to be fulfilled. This Holy Spirit would lead them in all truth. Practice of throwing lots would cease once the Holy Spirit would indwell His Church and the hearts of His believers.

Paul was used mightily by God to pen down most of the new testament content. A lot of doctrines that pave way for godly decision-making and Christian pursuit are contained in his epistles and a major part of the Acts of the apostles. Would not he be the twelfth? In fact, Paul says about himself that he was one as if born out of time and was called to be an apostle by the Lord himself – an apostle to the gentiles – without whom the gospel of Jesus Christ could not have reached a large part of the world and me!