Jeepers kosta, why does this have to be an "either/or situation?" It seems to me one needs the Bible; otherwide one's "inner knowledge" might tend to the Gnostic....
The Holy Spirit leads us; He does not contradict the Holy Scriptures, nor the revelation of Christ Incarnate, nor (I imagine) the Book of Creation. The Holy Spirit Himself is the fourth Revelation of God, one given to us subsequent to the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God's Revelations to us are four in number; and Truth cannot contradict Truth. In these Revelations, He tells us of Himself "truly, but not exhaustively." It is by the leading of the Holy Spirit that we are drawn into a fuller, more personal understanding of God's Revelations and their meaning for our life, now and eternally....
Good point... functionally illerate people might tend to get Gnostified.. Claiming "to know" when their knowing is limited.. Maybe we all are a bit Gnostified.. since none of us knows everything.. We know things but in varing amounts.. The old "observer problem"..
The poor old Gnostics sought after God as best they could probably..
I would say caution is advised when one crosses the path of someone that knows everything.. all truth.. i.e. the way to God without the Holy Spirit..
Just as I wrote to A-G, you need to take that up with hosepipe who wrote re my comment that for 2,000 years most people could not read or afford the Bible but could hear it only in the Church: "Lucky for them that Jesus left the Holy Spirit to handle all that(literacy stuff).."
It seems to me he doesn't think e need the Bible...take it up with him.
Bumping your loveliness!
Thank you so very much for all of your insights, dearest sister in Christ!