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That is one of the great pieces of temporal evidence that the Church is meant to be the guide. Without the Church, all else is anarchy, with every Tom Dick and Harry claiming Spiritual Guidance as the rationale behind their clearly distinctive directions.

I disagree.

In my experience, His Authentic Sheep . . . KNOW HIM AND tend to know one another . . .

REGARDLESS OF ORGANIZATION; DOCTRINAL DISTINCTIVES; ECCLESIASTICAL PONTIFICATIONS; MAGICSTERICALS; TRADITIONS . . . whatever.

God often seems to . . . be messy.

Of course we have the Tabernacle in the wilderness and the Temple . . . very precise and absolute dimensions and directions. No doubt.

Yet, that is OT, fulfilled etc. . . . a type of the Heavenly pattern, model.

IN the New Testament . . . what a raucus group. Roman authoritarianism; slavery; mayhem often enough; grand-standing pontificators after their own power mongering etc. etc. etc.

THROUGH IT ALL . . . GOD HAD A PEOPLE WHO KNEW HIM AND EACH OTHER.

And, it wasn't because of a particular set of hoop jumping and absent foreskin inspections that resulted in that knowing.

Holy Spirit made the arrangements. Holy Spirit confirmed His operations and those who were Christ's authentically.

He's actually quite sufficient.

We are compelled in our fears and insecurities to always attempt to insist that it HAS TO BE

HOLY SPIRIT plus.

Whatever the "plus" is,

IS AN AFFRONT to HIM.

He's patient in our childishness most of the time. I think, perhaps, increasingly, less so because He knows what we have to be ready for.

But He's been managing people a lot longer than the distinctive MAGICSTERICALS have.

He also just happens to be better at it.

God forbid . . . the angel appears at the door--COME!

And the Believer begs . . . OH, DEAR! Wait--I have to phone the MAGICSTERICAL--they have to vet your command . . . oh, dear, I hope they are on speed-dial . . .

Or maybe the believer leaves immediately with the angel, wisely not hesitating to gather some knick nacks . . . only to travel 15 feet and pause, beg a delay--to turn and call their neighborhood representative of the MAGICSTERICAL. I wonder how many pillars of salt will result.