“ I say it again, The Church is the Body of Christ and it is composed of his believers. Not a brick building or a man made institution”
What are you quoting there?
That was a statement from me directly and I added the verses from which I refer to in holding that belief.
I agree with what you said about people acting outside the Church ( as denoted by the Church being the actual Body of believers in Christ).
My struggle is the perception continually promoted that somehow the leadership actions or inactions within a religious body must be overlook yet the same body continues to claim sole authority in the faith, vested specifically in that leadership. So much as to insist individuals must always accept the leaderships interpretations of scripture as opposed to seeking for themselves.
God / Jesus wants a personal relationship with each of us, not an intermediary relationship. We must ultimately decide for ourselves to follow Christ and learn His teaching. I must add I am not saying to to exclude inspired men of faith helping us along the way. Just that being a priest doe snot automatically make one an inspired man of faith, nor even a man of faith.
Yet some religions vest sole authority in their priests for the interpretation of the scriptures