The answer to this question is quite clear in the bible. “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes his flesh his strength….” (Jeremiah 17:5). “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.” (Psalm 146:3). Alternatively, “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him” (Psalm 32:10). “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” (Psalm 37:5) “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge before us.” (Psalm 62:8) “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.” (Psalm 91:2) Clearly, we are to trust in God alone. So, how do we do that ?
Of course, we have His Word, the Bible, written at the behest of His Spirit. But through careful study, we need to be wary of biased and poor translations, as well as following poor exegesis. We are to test all things in light of the scriptures, especially the teachings of modern – day “prophets “. As we mature and grow in Him, we can rely more and more on the Holy Spirit residing in us sent by Jesus to “teach us all things”. What about our wise Christian friends, or pastors, or government leaders? Again, we must be very discerning regarding their instruction, especially when considering the widespread deception that will be increasingly prevalent in our day. No man can be completely trusted, no matter what your relationship to him/her is. God, ultimately, must become our only source of truth and trust worthiness.
In the past God sent prophets such as Isaiah and Ezekiel to mankind to be a voice for Him. He wanted His chosen people to trust them. And, He promises to do just that again in the near future. His “two witnesses” described in Revelation chapter 11 will be filled with wisdom, warning, and instruction for His church. However, when they arrive on the scene, we’ll need clear discernment to make sure they are not imposters. Once we establish them as genuine, we can put our trust in them. To read how to determine their authenticity, scroll down to the series of seven blogs dealing with these prophets. They were published in May of 2021. I think they will be helpful to you.
Keep studying and growing in wisdom. Do not put complete trust in anyone but God.
Maranatha, Jim