How do we know religious authority is not absolute?

The nature of religious authority is fundamentally rooted in the sovereignty of God's Word. While church authority can provide guidance, it must align with Scripture; this is evident in Acts 17:11, where the Bereans were commended for examining the Scriptures daily to verify the truth of Paul’s teachings. Moreover, Colossians 2:8 warns against being taken captive by philosophies that do not align with the teachings of Christ. This clearly illustrates that while church authority has its place, the believer's ultimate submission is to the authority of God's Word alone.