Now those who were reputed to be important added nothing to my message. (What sort of people they were makes no difference to me, since God pays no attention to outward appearances.) Galatians 2.6 ISV.
Paul declared that the gospel he received came directly from the Lord Jesus. None of the apostles or teachers contributed anything new to him in terms of content. He owed nothing to anyone regarding the truth. He was an apostle as much as the original group. This is a polemical text, where he is defending his equal place as apostle against accusers who are seeking to diminish his influence.
Today, we have the truth of the gospel in the Bible, specifically in the New Testament. We are blessed to have the writings of apostles, including Paul and Peter and John, and prophets who were inspired by the Holy Spirit to leave humanity the full doctrine of Christ for all time. Each person has the privilege and responsibility to read, hear, and obey it. And to proclaim it.
It’s a privilege because God wants us to hear his Word and through it come to know him and walk with him.
It’s a responsibility because no one can be our official interpreter. I have to do the work of reading and studying. You do, too.
We are all workers for Christ. We give thanks for those who helped us know the gospel and deepen our understanding of it. Every day I count my blessings for parents, teachers, elders, and other significant people who helped me come to Christ and serve him all these years.
But we should not consider anyone as the determiner of doctrine. The religious world has plenty of human authorities. Does the church of God have any? If it does, it then ceases (at some point; he knows and decides this) to be his church. No one, but no one, can stand between us and Christ and God. Christ is the only mediator. Christ is the only authority. Christ is the only voice that counts.
There are those who want to impose their ideas and discriminate against those who resist. They manipulate, isolate, and dominate.
They are the ones who need to be resisted. For they would be the new creeds, the new pope, the new head of the church, all the while feigning humility.
Let each of us do our work in the congregation and in evangelism. Let us put our heads in the Book and our hands to the tools that will reach others for Christ and edify his body.
The so-called influencers don’t matter.
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