Then neither does the Pope, the Cardinals, the elders, the Bishops, etc. If we can't trust the Holy Spirit, then we are lost.
I look for the simplest meaning first. Then, if that is not satisfactory, I look to others who have knowledge and seek their input. I test it all to scripture. Scripture has to be the final arbitor in all things. It IS the Word of God.
Amen.
That could very well be so. You see, if the Holy Spirit leads everyone who claims it, then we would have some concordance instead of thousands of denominations. We would not be having these discussions because, for sure, the Holy Spirit would not teach us different things, would He?
Scripture has to be the final arbitor in all things Many people read the same Scripture and read different things in it. The Jews do not see in Isaiah what the Christians claim. The Protestants do not see the same as the Catholic or Orthodox. Surely, we all can't be lead by the Holy Spirit into reading things radically different or having faiths that are just about unrecognizable.
And what is Scripture? Is it not that which one believes constitutes Scripture? So, if I believe in unicorns, does that mean unicorns exist? For sure, the Jews have rejected what Christians call the NT as Scripture. And Christians only recognize Ten Commandments when God actually issued 600.
And among Christians, the Scripture is no less elusive. Protestants use the NT and the Hebrew OT. Catholics use the NT and the Hebrew-Septuagint Old Testament with deuterocanonical books. The Orthodox use the Septuagint with deuterocanonical books along with the NT. The Septuagint and the Hebrew (Pharisaical) OT are not exactly the same. At times they are quite different. Same word of God?
The Church says it always defers to the Scripture. But again the Scripture is an elusive term. Everyone, not just the Christians, alludes to 'scripture.' The Latter-Day-Saints have, in addition to the Protestant version of the Christian Bible the Book of Mormon as 'scripture'; the Jews have the Talmud; the Muslims have the Koran...the oldest written 'scripture' is the Hindu religion, exalting one God.
I don't mean any disrespect to any particular group of people or beliefs. But anyone who is making absolute statements with elusive and unprovable 'experiential' arguments is only convincing himself, and those who happen to be like-minded. That is no proof of anything, which is what my point was all along regarding self-tests.