2 Cor 5:9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.
Rom 14:12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
No doubt - yet it is the individual that must choose to accept or reject the teaching of that denomination.
thank you for your honest answer. Do you see that what you have said is that you are beholden to no man?
That text says only God Himself will be our judge in heaven and no human will stand in for us - we must each one give an account - God accepts no substitute. There is only "One Mediator between God and man" 1 Tim 2:5
5 "For there is one God,
and one mediator also between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,
So even in these examples each has a hierarchy above them telling them that wrong is right -- they ignored it
There was indeed a hierarchy at the top in Acts 17:11 instructing them to reject the teaching of Paul as heresy.
There was indeed a hierarchy at the top in Mark 7:6-13 telling them that Jesus was not the Messiah.
Notice in these texts no "hierarchy" is to stand in our place and defend us for the doctrines/traditions we accepted and promoted
You have your own opinions about what you think the Word of God should say and no one can convince you otherwise.
Your statement has you saying that when you read the scriptures, the Holy Spirit guides you
Which is what the Jewish magesterium could have said to people in Acts 17:11 and what Saul could say to the Christians in Jerusalem... and yet be wrong in saying that. How is this not obvious.
In any case we each one belong to a denomination and the church in each case tells us all we are right. Your solution solves nothing even if we ignore the fact it would not have worked at all in the two examples you are responding to.
Your statement has you saying that when you read the scriptures, the Holy Spirit guides you, and that would make you an Apostle. Is that what you want to say?
No text says that. Are you trying out creative writing? you only quote 'you' as your source.
As Christians we can quote scripture for who the Holy Spirit speaks to.
John 16 - "
the Holy Spirit convicts the WORLD of sin and righteousness and judgment " - not "just Apostles".
1 John 2 - the Holy Spirit TEACHES each person.
25 This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him remains in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you remain in Him.
Rom 8:16 "
the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we ARE the children of God" - does not say that the Holy Spirit only does that for "the Apostles".
Is there no one else that you go to for spiritual counsel? Anyone whose opinion you value, or do you rely on your understanding of scripture alone?
Sure there is -- the Church leaders, scholars etc in the church I attend. But in the end none of them will answer to God in my place - I alone will be called to answer according to the scripture above that you are opposing.
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The Bible says in Ephesians 4 that not everyone is an Apostle. It says He gave some Apostles, some prophets, some pastors and teachers. It appears that there is a rank order among the spiritual leaders of the Church.
I am an SDA - we have a prophet with direct message from God and 10's of thousands of pages of manuscript - messages directly guiding the church in these last days. I don't see how that argument you make above is helping you.
But STILL I am accountable to God for what I choose to accept or reject according to these scriptures.
The Bereans, that you use as an example, were not sola scripturists. They searched the scriptures sure,
Yes they are -- because their own magisterium had already passed judgment on Paul saying he was a heretic and his doctrine heresy. If they followed your suggestion they would have rejected Christianity.
Paul was not "their apostle" he was "their heretic" according to their own church magesterium.
How is this not obvious?