I think we both agree with John 14:6, Jesus is the truth. It is in knowing Him personally that we come to know the truth. The role of the church, the Apostles, the prophets is for the perfecting of the saints. Ephesians 4:11-16. A saint does not need a church, a priest, a prophet to teach them as they are taught by the Spirit of truth.... This is what I mean by free thinking.
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103)
We have liberty in Christ Jesus, not captivity to dogma of a church. Until you come to see this in your life, you will forever be captive to the Nicolaitanism of the institutional church, and never realize that you are member of the Body of Christ which is vibrant and free and alive in the Spirit.
but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16)
My Hope and prayer is that you will come to see this one day, soon. I Love the institutional churches by whatever stripe they come in so long as they are pointing to Christ Jesus as the way the truth and the life, I also know as institutions of men they are all flawed as to "err is Human", and I Know that life and liberty come with the Spirit, and dwelling in the arms of our savior, not in the walls of a building made with human hands.
Do You understand what I am saying?
Jesus is The Lord.
Matt 16:18-19 shall not prevail
Jn 8:32 truth
Jn 16:13 without error
must be taught or instructed
Lk 1:4 Matt 28:19 acts 8:31
Unity of faith can only have one arbiter of truth and the same faith!
Who is the arbiter of truth!
You can decide.
You can decide what is true.
You can decide what is truth.
You can decide right and wrong.
Not one of these are found in scripture!
Found in scripture!
Taught is found 79 times
Instructed is found 19
Instruction is found 33
Jn 14:6 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Lk 1:4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
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:
Acts 8:31 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.
Colossians 2:7
Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught…
Matt 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
1 Tim 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Truth must be revealed by God, and in its fullness in the sacred deposit of faith by Christ to his church! Eph 4:5 Jude 1:3 and must be taught by the church, or proposed for our belief by the apostles!
Matt 28:19-20 Lk 1:4 Jn 20:21 acts 8:31 Rom 1:5 col 2:7 1 Tim 3:15
matt 18:17
Christ and His church are one! acts 9:4 Acts 5:32 Jn 15:1-5
Church or communion of saints is required!
1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.