There are many people worshiping other people, clamoring to know those people, reading all their writings, fawning over them in the gathering while elevating them more than they elevate Christ.
When we pretend that any person is worthy of continual praise, we are worshiping that person. When we cannot see anything but what we think is the good in someone, that person is the object of our worship.
Only God the Father and Jesus Christ deserve this kind of adulation.
Sadly so many people spend more time talking about their favorite writers, their human heroes, than they speak about Christ and His Word.
There are many people I have met who will not listen to those who are not degreed, they believe that no one can know the truth of God's word if they have not been formally trained in seminaries and Bible colleges. They arrogantly give titles to these "ordained by men", calling them "Pastor" with a capitol P when God never gave anyone a title. The word pastor describes a calling not a position or title. Many men in one gathering can be a pastor as led by God not ordained of man.
God clearly said that EVERY believer has the Holy Spirit and that no one who has Him, need to have a teacher. What teacher could be greater than the author of the Bible, Jesus Christ Who lives in us.
Could it be that most Christians today do not have the faith to believe Christ when He said the following?
1 John 2:27-28 " 27 And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught. 28 And now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.…"
I was once told I could not know the truths of the Bible because I had not gone to seminary. I laughed a little and asked the question; "Oh, you mean the Holy Spirit only goes to seminary?"
How silly to think that the Holy Spirit only hangs out in Seminaries or Bible colleges. Did you know that when Christ was on earth He never established one Bible college or seminary? The Holy Spirit dwells in every born again believer, not in a seminary or Bible College.
Yes, that's right, not once did He command or instruct His apostles to establish these institutions. They began by men with good intentions but slowly over time those that ran these places began to place their trust in the instructors they chose rather than Christ.
None of the Apostles were taught by anyone but Christ in the beginning, perhaps we should return to the first century church way of operating. When those men who are filled with the Spirit, called by Christ do the teaching and each other man evaluate and interject as necessary, also filled with the Holy Spirit, that no one man or group of men have more authority than any other man.
Women are gifted too, since the Holy Spirit dwells in them as well as the men, we too have gifts that God gave to us to use. We are not to lead over men in the gathering, but we can interject into conversations, witness to unbelievers and teach women and children, as well as individual men such as was the case with Timothy, having been instructed by His mother and grandmother.
2 Timothy 1:5 " 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced is in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.…"
Timothy's father was a Greek and did not believe but his mother and grandmother did and so they taught him as a young man.
Acts 16:1-3 "1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2 Which was well reported of by the brothers that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek."
The gist of this matter is, it's time that the church stop placing their trust in titles, degrees and human training and begin to trust in the Holy Spirit that lives in every believer.
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