Ardent American Patriot and Lover of Israel
Who do we listen to? God or mere men?
"But the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true and no lie, and as He has taught you, abide in Him." I John 2:27
As close family members and friends gathered together during the most recent Thanksgiving holiday season, a discussion about the "reformers" broke out. All agreed that we should be thankful for their contributions to the true church in proclaiming sound doctrine – even when faced with the specter of death at the hands of religious heretics.
Of all the statements declared that day, one stood out. A learned gentleman stated, "Reformers were to us as the Redwood trees, towering over today’s believer. They were the giants in the land and should be heard and learned. We though, are smaller in size, trying to rise above those same giant Redwoods. We cannot. Instead, we should be instructed by their examples."
A thought came to me. The great men of the reformation age were NOT inspired by the Holy Spirit to write the doctrines we are to adhere to today – the Apostles writings are the doctrines we are to follow!"
I am more concerned what Paul, Peter, James and John has to say by the Holy Spirit on the various subjects of the Bible than what men have declared after them! This is not to refute the reformers work in presenting the Gospel of the Good News of Jesus Christ – but, to rightly place their writings below that of the teachings of the Apostles, prophets and teachers God used to establish His Will and instruction and Word for all of mankind!
I say, "Those Redwood Trees died a long time ago and it is time to cut them down so the Holy Spirit can rightly claim His position as author and teacher of Christian men and women today! Thus, we can grow in His grace, knowledge and instruction – as we lay careful foundations of doctrine for those coming after us!"
The Apostle Paul taught this example plainly enough:
"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom every building having been fitly framed together, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a dwelling place of God through the Spirit." Ephesians 2:18-22
For you are yet carnal. For in that there is among you envyings and strife and divisions, are you not carnal, and do you not walk according to men? For while one says, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to each? I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he who plants anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. So he planting, and he watering, are one, and each one shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. For of God we are fellow-workers, a field of God, and you are a building of God. According to the grace of God which is given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let every man be careful how he builds on it. For any other foundation can no one lay than the one being laid, who is Jesus Christ." I Corinthians 3:3-11
"God, who at many times and in many ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds, who being the shining splendor of His glory, and the express image of His essence, and upholding all things by the word of His power, through Himself cleansing of our sins, He sat down on the right of the Majesty on high, being made so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." Hebrews 1:1-4
IceRocket Tags: God,reformation,reformers,religion,Bible,Jesus Christ,Holy Spirit,angels,doctrine,teach,truth,prophets,fathers
