I don’t know any scripture that says the people are to teach the people, the church is the kingdom of God on earth and has structure hierarchy authority and power!
matt 28:19 has the apostles teaching and baptizing the people, I suppose your going to baptize yourself too?
Jesus Christ continues HIS ministry in His new covenant church thru Peter, the apostles, and their successors with the same mission, power, and authority!
Mt 16:18 Mt 28:19 Acts 1:17 acts 8:31 & 35 Lk 10:16 Jn 8:32 Jn 13:20 Jn 16:13
Jn 20:21-22 eph 2:20
(None of the so called reformers were apostles)
We must be taught by Peter, the apostles, and their successors! Matt 28:19 Jn 21:17
Matt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Lk 1:4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
Acts 8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
The obedience of faith!
Rom 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name.
Taught the one true faith revealed by Christ to His apostles! Eph 4:5 Jude 1:3
Don't get me wrong- I am not against the office of pastor/teacher! I am very very much for it! It is a gift ministry for the church so that the church may mature.
I agree we must be taught by the apostles doctrine. And as far as their successors, as long as their teaching conforms to Scripture, I will obey! but if it veers from the plain sense of Scripture- every believer must resist it- no matter he be pastor, priest, bishop or pope!
Funny you quote Luke! He was not an apostle, or pastor or successor!
Sad you omitted the next part of Matt. 28!
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Jesus told the apostles to teach and command to observe everything Jesus taught the apostles!
And yes we can baptize another believer. Phillip was just a deacon which is not a position of authority in the church.
YOu can do the same things Phillip and the apostles did!
The church has organization, but is not an organization, but an organism. The local churches Paul planted probably had very very little communication with each other and had no presiding bishop over a region. That came much later.
Yes there is a hierarchy!
Jesus the chief cornerstone, the apostles, then pastor teachers for the maturing of the saints. Any other hierarchy like (using the catholic church as an example) Where you have the local priest, then a monsignor, then a bishop, then a cardinal then the college of cardinals then the pope!
This has never worked well in church history when we had layers of
bureaucracy.