Israel wanted a king like all the other nations, instead of God as their ruler. The problems that came from that were devastating, when God gave them what they wanted.
Christians want a "Pastor", a human leader instead of Christ. We have been misled to believe that "Pastor" capitalized, is the leader instead of Christ. "pastor" is a calling not a political or paid position. The problems that have arisen from this choice to follow men has caused the widespread apostasy that we see in the church today.
When I was in the Catholic church we were told that the priest should tell us what to believe, that we should not read the Bible, that we could not understand it.
When I became born again and left that system, I moved into another system "evangelicalism" that said nearly the same thing, that the seminary grads or "ordained Pastors" were the ones we should follow. The systems were slightly different with the same basic mentality, "read your Bibles but let the "educated ones" tell you what it all means. There was acknowledgment of the Holy Spirit but never taught as THE One to Whom we should go for all matters.
I was actually told once that I couldn't know the truth about a particular matter because I had not gone to seminary. My response was a cynical question, "oh, you mean the Holy Spirit only goes to seminary?" The person with whom I was speaking became silent. Notice that, "silent", since she had no answer for me, knowing that I had stumped her, chose not to respond rather than to admit perhaps her beliefs were unBiblical. I get this all the time, when someone does not have an answer, often they are too prideful to admit they don't know or were wrong in their thinking. This is a very big clue as to the resistance to truth and rebellion against Christ.
Christ should be the One ruling in every born again believer. If man is ruling us, then we are in rebellion and disobedience against God. We cannot have two rulers in our lives!
Those who look to their pastor first and refuse to evaluate him and his messages, in terms of the Bible, have an idol.
Those who look to Christ first and refuse to be manipulated and intimidated by human leaders, are in obedience to Christ.
Acts 5:28-30 "…28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.” 29 But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.…"
Every born again believer should be sharing the gospel, mentoring others and seeking the Holy Spirit for all of it, all the time. It is fine and good to get the input of other strong believers, but never good to make them an idol with the mentality that they are our source of wisdom. It is the Holy Spirit Who is our source!
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