[Cletus.D.Yokel]

The sheep know the sound of The Shepherd’s voice.
They come to His voice when he calls.
He knows His sheep and His sheep know him.

Do we now say that the sheep must verify the shepherds?

[Bishop_Malachi]

Do we now say that the sheep must verify the shepherds?

_______________________________________________

At one time they answered this question with an emphatic “Yes!”. Paul’s acceptance as a teacher of Christian doctrine hinged upon his claim that he had encountered the Risen Christ. There’s a reason the Gospels were written by the Apostles or close associates of the Apostle’s (as in the case of Mark). No?

Put another way, what happened when some Joe-schmoe who “felt the Spirit” started preaching things not agreed upon by the Apostle’s? In some cases their beliefs were embraced by huge numbers of adherents (like Arius and Marcion). Ultimately, the Church HAD to have some source of authority BEYOND what different groups of Christians felt in their hearts. That’s where the need to appeal to Apostolic guidance occurred. Even the Bible itself was constructed and edited under the rubric of which books were authentically written under Apostolic supervision.

[rollo tomasi]

Yes, especially when us humans have a hard time “seeing” wolves dressed as sheep confusing other would-be sheep and leading them astray. Are you saying humans have the same perceptions/peering power as God?

[Repent and Believe]

“...the sheep must verify the shepherds?”

Do you have an alternative in mind? What sheep doesn’t have to verify the shepherds?

“BEWARE the leaven of the Pharisees.” “YOU shall tell the tree by its fruit.” (paraphrasing)

[NorthStarOkie]

Do we now say that the sheep must verify the shepherds?

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Yes! Absolutely!
Gal 1:8,9 If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned. — The gospel preached by Paul to the Galatians was the “true” gospel. He is telling them, “Check it out!”

Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. — They even double-checked Paul.

One of the threads throughout the New Testament is “Be sure you can discern the true Gospel.” If the sheep know the Shepherd’s voice, they will be able to avoid being led astray. This is especially important today when there are hundreds of varieties of Christian churches, some of which have great variations in doctrine.

Matt 7:22,23 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evil-doers!’

[imardmd1]

Do we now say that the sheep must verify the shepherds?

The constituents do in a Constitutional democratic republic. And in the one I live in, the representatives are re-validated and/or replaced on a regular free-will basis.

Think that out as regarding its advantages in a world of fallen humans.

Respectfully submitted.