He did not become the Word, he was (John 1:1-2) the Word in the beginning.
What do you make of the variety of gifts discussed in I Cor and Ephesians and of the distinction of functions. I Cor 12:29 seems to me to say that not all are teachers, and James says not all should even aspire to be teachers.
In any case I wasn’t saying trusting that God would protect the pope from teaching error was the only expression of trust in God’s fidelity. I was saying that trusting the pope as teacher is not trusting in personal attributes of the pope but trusting in God.
And likewise with denominations as individuals.
There are a variety of gifts and just because one is an ear instead of an eye, doesn’t mean they’re not part of the body.
The seven churches to which John wrote in the book of Revelation all had different strengths and weaknesses.
Different denominations often have different ministry focuses such as the Navigators (evangelism and teaching), the Salvation Army reaching the down and out on the street, Wycliff Bible translators, the Christian and Missionary Alliance, whose main focus is missions.
The only central authority we need to be under is Jesus and He is MORE THAN capable of keeping churches from going astray and keeping individuals from going astray.
Catholics in general seem to have the mentality that God is not capable of keeping people on the straight and narrow Himself.
What’s with that? He’s going to save us just to abandon us later?
Not my God. He promises to be faithful, even if I am (at times) faithless and keep me secure in Christ.
The centralized authority of the Catholic church has not prevented schism within it, nor guaranteed consistency of beliefs over the years, or guaranteed a laity which is unified in its beliefs and its adherence to church teaching and doctrine.