I shared this with a believer who expressed fawning adoration of several of her spiritual role models. “God has no grandchildren.” There is no such thing as being “grandfathered” in to the Kingdom of God. Each person is adopted as a child and is a co-heir with Christ. So be sure you are connected by first-degree relationship to the Triune God……Not through clinging to the coat tail or pedestal or hanging on every word of a pastor, teacher, friend, family member, mentor, or televangelist whom you have made your spiritual parent, trusting that their knowledge of and relationship to God and experience in the Word will be sufficient for your salvation and abundant life. Each one has to accept the invitation personally and begin to follow Christ herself.
1 Corinthians 1:11-13 (NIV)
My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?
People enamored of a particular preacher, teacher, spiritual mentor or even a Christian institution to the point that they think that authority is absolutely sacrosanct….can make no mistake, and has all wisdom risk being disappointed greatly. They also risk being deceived.