is allowed to rule temporarily.
= = =
That, to me, is entirely contrary to the whole sweep of Biblical history and New Testament teachings.
God is thoroughly against hierarchical 'lording it over' religiosity, bureaucratic loftiness in any and all forms.
All examples of it in Scripture are fiercely denounced by the most Godly person involved--in the New Testament--Jesus Himself.
He was not so stupid as to set up again a worse edifice of the sort He spent so much of His earthly ministry railing against.
He was not and is not schizophrenic!
Lording it over yes. As we've said countless times on this thread, he who must lead must be the servant of the rest. But as for there being no religious authority...well, I think Numbers 16 has something to say about that:
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?What happened to Korah, Quix? For advancing the priesthood of all believers apart from the divinely instituted priesthood of Aaron?