There is only one mediator between God and man and that is Christ Jesus!
If you are looking to anyone at all for truth and counsel other than Christ you have an idol. Even though we share with one another and teach one another, as well as correct, rebuke and admonish one another daily, we do not hold someone in such high regard that they are our "go-to person" for truth. Only Christ is the One we go to for truth.
Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
When Jesus Christ lives in us He is the One we should consult before we consult with anyone else and only consult with another when Christ tells us to do so.
We are living in a world in which any person will be tainted by the culture and driven by emotions. There are those who are power-hungry, operating as narcissists enjoying power over others more than they serve Christ. We can consider what others say, while asking the Holy Spirit to expose what is not right and endorse what is from Him.
We must encourage others in the way of the Lord using Scripture. If someone is misusing scripture in false doctrine or advice we must discard it and continue obeying God.
Romans 3:3-4 "…3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? 4 Certainly not! Let God be TRUE and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”
No one is so "educated" they have all the answers, in fact, if someone is educated in the seminaries of our day they have a hindrance to their walk. Seminaries now are places where more psychology and marketing skills are taught than proper doctrine.
Preachers are taught in the seminaries to be arrogant, resisting correction from the brothers and sisters who are not "educated" in these places, to keep "their flock" under control.
Whenever there is a mentality of control over anyone there is no love and there will be false teaching. Nowhere in God's word does He teach anyone to control anyone else. We are to teach and preachers are to preach to help lead others to truth, not to control them.
We are to be Spirit-controlled, not man-controlled.
Romans 8:5-13
5 For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—
13 for if you are living in accord with the flesh, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live."
John 16:13-14 " 13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
I see no place in Scripture where God said any man will lead us into all truth. It is the Holy Spirit Who is our guide and help. Also, I see no place where God said that we should look to man as our guide. Leaders in the church should be pointing us to Christ, not to their own ideas of righteousness.
Stubborn hearts will not listen to truth from God's Word, they are influenced and controlled by their traditions of men as taught to them over the generations. It takes an Holy Spirit controlled person to break away from the traditions of men to follow Christ.
Luke 12:53-55
53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
When we expect the Scripture to be the standard for teaching we will find ourselves with few friends as well as being rejected by family. People, in general, are more dedicated to their comfort and traditions than they are to God.
Thank the Lord that we do not have to be intimidated by those who love their traditions. As we lose friends and family God brings others who are like-minded and will encourage and enhance our walk with Christ.
Philippians 2:2-8
"2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others."
What a blessing it is to find people who want to know God's mind as we walk with them. We seek the Lord together, because of this we are not easily offended by correction nor are we intimidated by those who wish to control others.
Hallelujah!!!!
