The churches today are full of unBiblical teaching that fosters an attitude that the "leaders" also known as "Pastors", tell us what to do rather than depending on the Holy Spirit to instruct and guide us.
No man should take priority over our lives, they may influence if they are correct but they should never be above God or above correction themselves.
John 14:25-26 "…25 All this I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you."
We have become lazy in our Christian walk, expecting others to seek the Holy Spirit on our behalf, sort of like the workings of the Catholic church. That system calls the Pope the advocated between us and God, he has all authority over the parishioners. This is exactly opposite of what God tells us.
Each one of us is to seek the Holy Spirit personally for our answers. The preachers share, just as we share, we are influenced and we influence, but no one "lords it over" anyone else.
1 Peter 5:2-3 "…2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock."
We listen to the preachers, the may influence us but they have no authority over us, only the Holy Spirit does. The whole hierarchy system of "religion" is not at all described in the NT for believers.
Matthew 28:18
"And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
James 4:7
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Notice the verse in James tells us to "Submit to God." We submit to one another because of our love for the brethren, but only when the brethren is obeying Christ and when the Holy Spirit guides us. We are not called to obey self or organization appointed individuals.
No one has the authority over us to command things of us such as tithing or mandatory church attendance. Such things are between us and Christ.
Romans 14:4-6 "…4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One man regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.…"
If we evaluate every action and reaction we encounter in light of the Holy Word of God with guidance from the Holy Spirit, we would soon learn that many things we do are nothing more than traditions of men that have little or no value.
The sad thing is that the more we follow the mandates of men, the less likely we are to seek the Holy Spirit for His will and purpose. When we place our trust in man, we have created an idol for ourselves, pushing away Christ in favor of being accepted by man.
Preachers of our day would rather we trust them than Christ, that way they can keep us chained to their will and paying their salary, much the same way the Catholic church did when we were there before finding Christ.
Bottom Line: TRUST IN CHRIST ALONE, not only for salvation but also for everything else. Others may influence us but never blindly, mindlessly. If we are influenced by someone, it ought to be because the Holy Spirit in them spoke truth and acted what they spoke, not because we were intimidated to obey to be accepted by men.
2 Peter 3:17
"Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard not to be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing."
You see by the following passage that Christ should be the one to tell us what to do and where to go. He never instructs us to follow a man.
Acts 16:6
"After the Holy Spirit prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia."
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