The Impact of the New Age Movement

What are the characteristics of the New Age Movement? Learn how this deception has infiltrated the Church with guest Warren Smith on the show Christ in Prophecy

How can we equip ourselves to discern
For what does the Bible tells us :
"Beloved,  do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  1 John 4:1

Proverbs 29:21

He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child  shall have him become his son at the length.

Proverbs 29:21

"Here is good advice for managers. Wise and careful treatment of an employee can lead to a relationship with him similar to a family member. There is a great distance in the Bible between masters and servants, approximating employers and employees today. This significant difference in ability and position is to be preserved. But prudent managers also win affectionate loyalty, in addition to diligent obedience, from their employees.

 

The Bible teaches, defends, and promotes authority more than any other philosophy or religion, for the foundation of all human relationships is the sovereign authority of a creator God. Jehovah ordained the five spheres of human authority – husband, parent, master, magistrate, and pastor. Therefore their offices are not to be compromised (Eccl 10:5-7; Rom 13:1-7; I Cor 11:9; Eph 6:1-9; Col 3:18-25; Heb 13:7,17; I Pet 2:13 – 3:7).

But the Bible also restricts and penalizes abuse of this God-ordained authority (Ps 12:5; Eccl 5:8). Masters are limited in their authority over servants, and they are bound to treat them with a minimum level of fairness, kindness, and consistency (Lev 19:13; 25:39-46; Deut 15:12-18; 24:14-15; Eph 6:9; Col 4:1). And the doctrine of God further teaches love of neighbor, including servants, by the standard you seek to be loved (Luke 6:31; 10:27).

The older conservative and evangelical commentators understood this proverb very differently. They believed it condemned treating a servant too well in his youth, for he would be spoiled by the luxury, forget his proper place, and later presume to be equal to the heir. Since most commentators generally follow one another, they agreed with each other here. Their interpretation and application are wrong for the following reasons.

First, an ironical or sarcastic use of words should be obvious to the reader, which is not obvious here. A straightforward reading of the proverb indicates positive instruction for the wise management of servants. To take the words in the opposite sense of a sarcastic rebuke is difficult indeed, for there are no words or contextual hints to do so.

 

Second, “delicately” does not require a definition of pampering luxury, for it also means careful and tactful treatment, as in Agag coming delicately to Samuel (I Sam 15:32).

 

Third, Solomon taught elsewhere in Proverbs that a wise servant would, and therefore should, be promoted over foolish sons and given an interest in the family inheritance (Pr 17:2). And he taught that kings recognize and promote wise servants (Pr 14:35). Jesus taught that a wise and faithful servant would be highly promoted (Luke 12:41-48).

 

Fourth, Scripture warns against abusive treatment of servants and requires kind treatment of them. Moses commanded regarding servants, “Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God” (Lev 25:43). Maidservants were to be treated as daughters and given food, clothing, and the duty of marriage – regular lovemaking, or be set free (Ex 21:9-11). Moses allowed for servants loving their masters and staying with them for life (Ex 21:1-6). And Solomon admitted masters and servants ate the same (Pr 27:27).

Consider Job’s holy and perfect attitude toward servants. He said, “If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me; What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?” (Job 31:13-15). Though slaves had no legal rights, Job granted them the right to appeal to him!

 

Abraham had such a close relationship with one of his servants – Eliezer of Damascus – he planned on making him his heir (Gen 15:2-3). He later entrusted another servant to pick a bride for his son Isaac, which resulted in Rebekah being the mother of Israel (Gen 24:1-67). And Paul told Philemon to receive Onesimus as a brother-servant (Phile 1:16)!

 

Fifth, Daniel, though a captive eunuch from Israel, was affectionately treated by Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, and Cyrus. Even Belshazzar promoted him to third in the kingdom (Dan 5:29). Though a war captive, he was promoted to the inner circle of several kings. Joseph was promoted over all Potiphar’s house and then over the land of Egypt by the wise management of Potiphar and Pharaoh (Gen 39:1-6; 41:38-45).

Sixth, the history of slavery in America and other nations includes examples of servants being treated like family members with deep and abiding affection and loyalty running in both directions. Paul did not admit much difference between young sons and servants (Gal 4:1-2). There were clearly masters that practiced the gentle wisdom of this proverb.

Seventh, those holding the other interpretation were a slave-owning generation that lost sight of this merciful possibility and gracious principle. Due to the outcry against slavery in 18th century England and 19th century America, greater rigor was required to keep servants in their place, so pulpit and pen were slanted to preserve domestic tranquility.

 

Beyond the proverb’s interpretation, what is the lesson for us? Considerate and tactful treatment of employees can result in a relationship with the affection and loyalty of a family member. A common proverb declares, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” You can attract greater devotion and effort with kindness than with meanness. Christian employers should conscientiously treat their employees with discreet and prudent care at all times. They should redress all grievances in a fair and equitable way, and they should communicate openly and honestly with those in their service.

 

“Might makes right” is a foolish invention of God-haters. Wise business owners and managers win the affection and loyalty of employees with careful and tactful treatment. Service from the heart is better than service from fear or a paycheck. Husbands, parents, magistrates, and pastors will also grasp that the principle applies to them as well. Right conduct is determined and defined by scripture, not by the might of those in authority.

 

You tempt the Lord your God, a very serious offence, if you seek to enforce your authority by power and privilege alone (Eccl 5:8; Eph 6:9; Col 3:19,21; 4:1). Let every Christian reader apply the same benevolent kindness to those under their authority as their heavenly Father does to even His enemies (Matt 5:43-48; Acts 14:17). Though He is Lord of all, He is also good to all and satisfies their desires (Ps 145:9-16).

**  Quote from : Let God be True –

Naming Names

Stand Firm in the Faith has been given permission to reproduce the article titled:  Naming Names by Martin and Deidre Bobgan, PsychoHeresy Awareness Letter -Issue - March-April 2015.  Visit the ministry website at: http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/mainpage.html   PsychoHeresy Awareness Letter is a free, bimonthly publication of PsychoHeresy Awareness Ministries. 

Naming Names 

By Martin and Deidre Bobgan 

Some people have wondered why we don’t just expose the spiritual dangers of clinical psychology and its psychotherapies without naming names.  They evidently think that simply describing the unbiblical teachings would suffice.  But, would that be enough?  Why do we name names? 

We began naming names shortly after 1979, when our first of 21 books, The Psychological Way/The Spiritual Way, was published.(1) In that book we described how psychological counseling theories and therapies were coming into the church, but did not identify by name those Christian leaders who were guilty of what we later called “psychoheresy.” We mistakenly thought that Christian readers would make the applications.(2)   However, without names attached to what we  saw happening in the church, very few Christians seemed to be able to connect what we were saying to the many pastors and church leaders who were guilty of replacing or supplementing the soul care ministry of the saints to one another with counseling psychology.  

As clear as we thought we were and as much as we naively believed that our book would stem the rising tide of counseling psychology in the church, it didn’t happen.  On the contrary, the problem grew rapidly and those whom we did not identify became more popular.  What puzzled us at the time was how some Christians could express agreement with us and yet support Gary Collins, Larry Crabb, James Dobson, Paul Meier, Frank Minirth, and other integrationists.  Therefore, we began naming Christian leaders who were guilty of psychoheresy and who were spiritually seducing those in the church with their false teachings. 

We do not take lightly the responsibility for naming names, but do so out of deep concern that psychoheresy has eroded a central belief of the church that existed until the rise of the psychological counseling movement less than 60 years ago. In their book The Practice of Psychology:  The Battle for Professionalism, the authors trace the history of the recent rise of the practice of psychotherapy.  They report: “The independent provision of psychological services was virtually nonexistent prior to and during World War II.” (3)  This is confirmed in the book The Romance of American Psychology, in which the author says, “Before World War II, professional healers and counselors were few; most individuals allied with psychology did work unrelated to “helping’” The author reveals: “Throughout the entire post war era, the United States has trained and employed more psychological experts, per capita, than any other country in the world.” (4)

Prior to this modern phenomenon of professional counseling and prevalent throughout church history, there was a ministry to suffering souls within the church.  John T. McNeill traces this history in his book  A History of the Cure of Souls.(5)  Then during the last century, the basis for the care of souls shifted from faith in the sufficiency of Scripture to faith in secular notions posing as science.  Like the proverbial camel’s nose in the tent, the clinical psychology that existed in the universities nosed itself into the church and shortly thereafter the whole camel came in and eclipsed a biblically-based care of souls. 

While one can read about what happened, there is almost no concern about the fact that it did happen and especially that there was no identifying by name those involved in the wholesale substitution of talk therapy for the almost 2000-year-old ministry of soul care. As we have often said and repeatedly demonstrated: The present-day church has strained at many theological gnats but swallowed the camel of psychotherapy to such an extent that the sufficiency of Scripture for the issues of life has been overlooked for “profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called” (1Tim. 6:20), which is an apt description of psychoheresy. 

When we wrote the original edition of our book Psychoheresy: The Psychological Seduction of Christianity over 25 years ago we named many popular Christian leaders.  Dr. Jay Adams endorsed the book and said: 

Some people will say the Bobgans are hitting too hard--naming names and all that--but I don’t think so. Whenever someone writes for the Christian public he sets forth his views to the scrutiny of others, but if others think what he says is dangerous to the church they, like Paul (who named names too), have an obligation to say so. (6) 

In another place Adams said: 

Any Christian who sets himself up as a teacher in the church of Christ and publicly teaches anything thereby opens himself up for criticism by others (cf. James 3:1).  If they think what he is teaching is harmful to the church, they have an obligation to point it out just as widely as it was taught.  Such public warning or debate on a topic should not be considered a personal attack at all….  What a critic of a public teaching does in pointing out his disagreement with that teaching has nothing to do with personal affronts or lack of reconciliation;  he is simply disagreeing at the same public level as that on which the teaching was given in the first place. (7) 

Both in church history and in the Bible names were named, for example: Arius, Pelagius, Sabellius, and Socinius.  All were named publicly and extensively.  History reveals that public critiquing was always part of the church.  In fact, the various church councils often included fiery debates between various men.  During the Reformation there was much public naming of names and open debates.  That’s what the 95 theses on the Wittenberg door were all about.  Luther named and debated men publicly so that others could judge. 

In the Bible itself we read that Jesus (Rev.2:20), Paul (Gal. 2:11-14; 1 Tim. 1:19-20;  2 Tim. 1:15, 2:17, 4:10, 4:14),  and John (3 John 1:9-10) all named names.  In Acts 7 the Bereans checked the apostle Paul’s teachings with the Scriptures.  In Galatians we read how the apostle Paul faced off with the apostle Peter.  Paul says,  “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed” (Gal. 2:11) and  “I said unto Peter before them all,  If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compelest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?”  (Gal. 2:14).  

These naysayers on naming names, who say such things as “touch not God’s anointed” and “judge not that ye be judged,” need to learn a lesson from this one biblical interchange, unless they believe that the apostle Peter was not God’s anointed and that Paul was not judging!  What the Bible does speak out against, however, is division caused by elevating personalities (1 Corinthians 1); infighting not having to do with essential doctrine, but motivated by selfish desires--having one’s own way (3 John); and division caused by heresy (Galatians 1 and 2 Peter 2).  

Following biblical examples and church history, one should name names publicly regarding public teachings and examples when they are in serious conflict with Scripture. Moreover, Scripture directs us to name names: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them”  (Romans 16:17).  How else can one mark those whose teachings and practices are “offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned” without naming names?  And, how serious are these psychological counseling theories and therapies as “offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned”?  The denial of the sufficiency of Scripture for living the Christian life is a serious violation of both Scripture and the historic care of souls that is based upon the Word of God!  Psychotherapy is not based upon the Word of God; psychotherapy is based upon the fallen and failing words of men after the flesh.  Thus, we need to heed Paul’s final instruction in Romans 16:17: “avoid them”!  Have nothing to do with them!  Quit looking for something that might appear to be useful in their teaching.  

Some have suggested, on the basis of Matthew 18, that all criticism of teachings should be done on a one to one basis.  However, Matthew 18 applies to personal offenses rather than important doctrinal problems that affect the lives of many believers.  Matthew 18 does not apply to warning the sheep of serious doctrinal error.  For us there was no personal offense.  Moreover, pointing out doctrinal error privately will not protect the sheep if the perpetrator of that teaching does not repent publicly and effectually.

Instead of questioning those of us who name names, one should question why there is not more questioning by name those popular pastors and organizations that are in serious violation of the very Word of God that they claim to follow.  The most loving thing to do for the Body of Christ is to warn believers of those who propagate false teachings, and the most loving thing to do for the perpetrators of psychoheresy is to continue to speak forth in hopes that they will repent.  As we often say, we should never replace the God of the anointing with the present-day “anointed of God” by showering them with unwholesome adoration and unnecessary protection.  

While some Christian leaders are speaking out and condemning what we call psychoheresy, they typically refrain from speaking out specifically by naming names.  Rarely do we hear even those Christian leaders who agree with us name the names of individuals or organizations that are guilty. Where are the pastors, theologians, and church leaders who are willing to speak out against psychoheresy specifically by naming names? 

Not only must we name the names of leaders and organizations that condone and promote psycho heresy, we need to examine ourselves to see if we are allowing psycho heresy to creep into our thinking and living. The more secularly minded Christians are in their day-to-day thoughts and activities, the more apt they will be to succumb to the psychological wisdom of men.  Therefore we challenge our readers to examine themselves, for if you believe that the clinical psychological wisdom of man and its resulting psychotherapies can complement or augment the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives, you are guilty of psychoheresy! 

© Copyright 2015 Martin and Deidre Bobgan 

PsychoHeresy Awareness Letter 

Endnotes
1. Martin and Deidre Bobgan. The Psychological Way/The Spiritual Way, Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1979.
2. We coined the term psychoheresy later to describe what we saw happening in the church at the time of our first book.
3. Roger Wright and Nicholas Cummings, eds. The practice of Psychology : The Battle for Professionalism.  Phoenix, AZ : Zieg, Tucker & Theisen, Inc, 2001, p.2
4.  Ellen Herman. The Romance of American Psychology. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press 1996, p.3
5. John T. McNeill, A History of the Cure of Souls. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers 1951.
6. Jay E. Adams, “About this book…,” Psychoheresy: The Psychological Seduction of Christianity, Santa Barbara, CA. : EastGate Publishers, 1987, endorsement page.
7. Jay E. Adams. Grist from Adams’ Mill. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1983,p. 69.

Beware the Greed Mongers / 2015 Bible Conference Globe...

Spiritual Formation - An Interview with Dr. Gary Gilley

Have you heard of Spiritual Formation?  Do you know what it is?  Chances are  in some way this movement has affected you.  Recently, Stand up for the Truth radio program did an interview with Dr. Gary Gilley on his new book:  Out of Formation.  Please go to the ministry webpage (Click here).  Near the bottom of the article  you will find a audio link to listen or download the program to hear the interview. Hear the program interview here.  This movement has taken the modern church by storm in the last decade. It has affected just about every denomination - from seeker-driven churches to those considered to be conservative. 

The book “ Out of Formation”  by Gary Gilley can be purchased at these website and ministries: (click link below). 

Personal Freedom Outreach:  

P.O. Box 26062 • Saint Louis, MO 63136-0062

(314) 921-9800

Southern View Chapel: 

Amazon 

We at Stand Firm in the Faith have recently posted a book review of Dr. Gary Gilley’s new book “Out of Formation”.  Here is part of that review: 

“Gary Gilley’s new book: Out of Formation deals with the Spiritual Formation Movement.  This movement is re-introducing ancient and mystical spiritual practices to the modern Church and Evangelicals are jumping on the bandwagon to be a part of this movement.  Popular Christian and Evangelical publishers have made it easy for Christians to access these Spiritual Formation practices, and have recently in the last decade produced volumes and series of books promoting it.  Current popular Evangelical authors quote christian mystics in their books and recommend ancient practices as a fresh means of spiritual growth. (See pg 9)  

Gilley cautions Christians to be aware and concern about the drift away from proper biblical discipleship which is given to us from the Bible on spiritual discipline and growing in Christ. Gilley cautions early in the book “It is absolutely essential to get this connection early in our study. Many if not most, of the disciplines and instructions found within spiritual formation are not drawn from Scripture; they are drawn from imaginations of men and women  passed along as tradition.”  (pg. 25). “ 

Some of the practices that are covered in the interview and are covered at length in Gary Gilley’s book are: Contemplative Prayer, Sacred Reading (Lectio Divina), Solitude and Silence, Journaling, spiritual mentoring, pilgrimage, Sabbath keeping, fasting and discernment and revelation to name a few, and are explains. 

Casting a vision or commandeering control?

This is a program that must be heard. Please go to the ministry webpage (Click here).  There you will find a link for the Podcast or download near the end of the Article to hear the program with Chris Rosebrough on Stand up for the Truth radio program.


From the Stand Up For The Truth radio program:

"What is Vision Casting? Where does it come from? And is Vision Casting Biblical? There is a way that is biblical, as our guest explains. And unfortunately, there is a broad way that a growing number of church leaders cast vision that is nowhere to be found in Scripture – but is often used to control and manipulate. Today we’re going to explore those methods with our guest.

Chris Rosebrough is the host of the daily radio programFighting For The Faith, heard around the world on Pirate Christian Radio, a broadcast group he founded to help Christians discern God’s Word by taking a look at what people say and teach in the name of Jesus and holding it up to the light of Scripture.

Stand Up For The Truth is a radio and online ministry that covers news of the day, trends in the church and theological issues that Christians deal with and talk about every day, and we give you a place to be educated, equipped and connected to help you discern along the way."

This is a program that needs to be heard, especially by those who are involved in a purpose-driven church. Abuses suffered by Christians by this kind of leadership abound. Finally, someone is speaking out for the sheep, Praise God. This practice of "vision casting" by Church leadership is not condoned by scripture and needs to be corrected. Christians are told to leave their church when they discern the error, and strong arm tactics are used to force them out of  fellowship.

 

 

Has Beth Moore Become a False Teacher?

Has Beth Moore Become a False Teacher?  Brannon Howse and Justin Peters discuss this topic in light of Beth Moore's own words.   Brannon plays video clips of Beth Moore that you must see if you want to know if Beth Moore should be called a false teacher

See the video program at the Link below:

Has Beth Moore Become a False Teacher?

Hope For Christians Who Have Been Spiritually Abused.

Please see full article at the link below.

 

"According to authors David Johnson and Jeff VanVonderen (The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse), spiritual abuse occurs when those in spiritual leadership "twist Scripture to give more authority to the leadership and keep the members under their control. One example is the use of Hebrews 13:17 as a basis for demanding unquestioning loyalty and obedience to the leaders." Johnson and VanVonderen also make the compelling case that those who are being spiritually abused are often unaware of what is happening while the abuse is occurring. Why is this so? I'm not sure why, but if I had to guess, I would say that we sheep can be so desirous of solid teaching, and aware of the value of solid teaching, that we don't recognize spiritual abuse, if it is present or if it develops. Thus, spiritual abuse doesn't occur only among the weak-minded, the undiscerning, or in cults: it can also take place inside of doctrinally solid churches, and oftentimes those experiencing it are not even aware that it is taking place."

Sola Sisters: Hope For Christians Who Have Been Spiritually Abus...: Posted by Sola Sisters  What Is Spiritual Abuse?  According to authors David Johnson and Jeff VanVonderen ( The Subtle Power of Spirit...

Book Review on Stand Firm in the Faith:

Subtle Power
of Spiritual Abuse

http://standfirmbookreviews.blogspot.com/2011/09/helpful-resource-on-spiritual-abuse.html

How Satan's Rebellion Serves God's Purposes - Erwin Lutzer

Erwin Lutzer: False Prophets

The 4 characteristic of False Prophets

1. They diminish the holiness of God

2. They exaggerate human ability

3. They have various sources - Jeremiah 14:13,14 / 2 Cor. 11:12-14

4. They hide their true motives (They are trained in greed) and Pride

Discernment and Opposing Evil

“True biblical discernment is grounded in the knowledge and love of the truth—as Paul said in

1 Thessalonians 5:21, every discerning believer must “hold fast to that which is good.” But that’s not the only ingredient. Too many pastors and church leaders today believe that if they just preach the truth, their people will be able to avoid error by osmosis. True discernment doesn’t work that way, as Paul made clear in his very next line to the Thessalonians: “Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

The word translated “abstain” is a very strong verb, apech

ō, meaning “hold oneself back,” “keep away from,” “shun.” It is the same word used in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “abstain from sexual immorality,” and 1 Peter 2:11, “abstain from fleshly lusts.” It calls for a radical separation from “every form of evil.” This would include evil behavior, of course. But in this context, the primary reference seems to be evil teaching—false doctrine. Having examined everything in light of God’s Word, when you identify something that does not measure up—something that is evil, untrue, erroneous, or contrary to sound doctrine—shun it.”

Read the Full article here:

http://www.gty.org/blog/B140507

A CURRENT EXAMPLE OF THE PROPHETIC MADNESS

Stand Firm in the Faith has been given permission to reproduce the Article below by Discernment Ministries International. Please see DMI’s website for more information http://discernmentministriesinternational.wordpress.com

A CURRENT EXAMPLE OF THE

PROPHETIC MADNESS

This deluded soul, David E. Taylor told his congregation and the world that “God” had revealed to him the winner of the Super Bowl. Even with a fifty-fifty chance he guessed wrong and ended up (1) lying in the name of the Lord he says he serves, (2) embarrassing the Church which he represents as a public minister by being exposed as one deceived and deceiving others.

 

For whatever reason he decided to promote this specific revelation from “God” on a global basis. One can only surmise that he did so in the hopes of expanding his influence among the hugely competitive prophetic marketplace. Here is a statement from his website:
 

David E. Taylor is first and foremost, a friend of Jesus Christ, which allows him to serve in all the five-fold ministry offices, in which the offices of apostle, prophet and healing evangelist are the most notable. These offices enable him to conquer spiritual territories and dethrone demonic princes and their principalities in different cities and regions he goes to on behalf of a breakthrough for God’s church the Body of Christ. They serve to equip, empower and launch sons and daughters into God’s vineyard, to minister Jesus Christ and demonstrate His Latter Rain Glory to this generation.

This man, who was completely wrong about his word from “God” would have people believe that he is an Omni-competent healing evangelist! Folks, it is people like this who bring shame and ridicule upon the Body of Christ and rightly so in cases like these if we, the Church, do not do all we can to rebuke this man in love and bring correction to him.

 Much of the foolishness taking place in the Church today is due to the tolerant attitude and silence on that part of those who are orthodox Bible believing Christian leaders. Many solid pastors vacillate between one of the following three men:

Wonderfully pious words to try to live by if you are an ostrich. The love of God compels us to warn our brothers and sisters of the grave spiritual danger they are facing by listening to the myriad of false teachers and false prophets.

Pastors especially are charged with guarding their portion of His flock by feeding them the pure Word of God. It is only through a steady diet of sound teaching that we will become equipped to discern truth from error. This implies first that pastors must teach sound doctrine and secondly, that the flock will be faithful not only to hear but to act upon the glorious truths shared!

 

 

DMI currently receives no financial support from any congregation or church body, although many pastors read our newsletters and benefit from our materials. If you are one of our “pastor” readers won’t you please consider donating to DMI on a monthly basis?

There is a desperate need to educate our members regarding the spiritual dangers posed by cults, sects, and false SINistries today. As a former pastor I recognize how difficult it is to prepare for weekly sermons, deal with congregational life, family life, personal life, etc. This is why I make myself available to come along side and assist you in educating your people about many of the spiritual dangers and flakes you may not even be aware of yourself. Certainly I am always available by phone or online to answer any specific questions you may have about a group or ministry affecting the lives of any members, family or friends.

 

　

Copyright © 2014 Robert Liichow

 

More Bible Answers

This radio program can be heard at the Olive Tree Ministries Radio archives page.  Listen to the Radio program at this Link:
http://www.olivetreeviews.org/radio/complete-archives/817-more-bible-answers

 
Dr. Ron Rhodes returns for the entire hour to interact with hosts Jan Markell, Eric Barger and Jill Martin Rische. The three hosts fire Bible questions at him including angelology, fallen angels, end-times, Heaven and related eternity issues, and even suicide. Rhodes was the "Bible Answerman" on radio for a number of years sponsored by CRI. Find Rhodes' book, "The Big Book of Bible Answers: A Guide to Understanding the Most Challenging Questions," here

STAND FIRM - OVERCOME AND RESIST

As we stand firm in the Faith we must take up the full armor of God. Below is quoted from Charles Spurgeon. Here he instructs us with the verse from 1 Peter 5:9 : But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”   

HOW WE MAY OVERCOME THIS ADVERSARY

“Whom resist steadfast in the faith.” This is our first means of defense. When Satan attacks us as an angel of light, we need not so much resist by open antagonism as by flight. There are some temptations that are to be overcome only by running away from them, but when Satan roars, we must raise the shout and the war cry. To run then would be cowardice and must entail certain destruction.

 

Suppose now that Satan roars with persecution, or suppose you are slandered, vilified, abused---will you give way? Then are you undone. Will you say, “No, never. By Him who called me to this work, I will see this battle out.” You have done well: you have resisted, and you will win the day. Has he assailed you with some temptation obnoxious to your spirit? Yield an inch, and you are undone, but become more watchful and vigilant over yourself in that particular sin, and resistance must certainly bring victory. Or has he injected blasphemy? Resist. Be more prayerful every time he is more active. He will soon give it up if you find that his attacks drive you to Christ. Often has Satan been nothing but a big black dog to drive Christ’s sheep nearer to the Master. Match Satan by turning his temptations to good account, and he will soon give up that method of warfare.

Resist him. But how? “Steadfast in the faith” Seek to obtain a clear knowledge of the doctrines of the gospel and then get a good grip of them. Be ready to die rather than give up a particle of God’s revealed truth. This will make you strong. Then take hold of the promises of God which are yea and amen in Christ Jesus. Know that to every doctrine there is some opposite promise. Have ready for every attack some strong word commencing with “It is written.”

All the water outside a ship cannot sink it. It is the water inside that perils the ship’s safety. So if your faith can keep its hold and you can say, “Though he slay me yet will I trust in him,” Satan may batter your shield, but he has not wounded your flesh. The conflict may be long, but the victory is absolutely sure. Keep near to the cross, and you are safe. Throw your arms around the dying Savior. Let the droppings of His blood fall on your sins, and even if you cannot see Him, still believe in Him. Then let Satan roar, he cannot hurt; let him rage, his fury is vain; he may only show his teeth, for he certainly cannot bite. “Whom resist, steadfast in the faith.”

 

 

Going against God "Just for fun" by Marsha West

Stand Firm in the Faith has been given permission from Marsha West to reproduce this article below. Please be sure to check out the links and resources within the article as well for further study. As the landscape of Christianity becomes ever increasingly mystical, we must be discerning and stand firm in the faith (Eph 6:10-17) putting on the full armor of God that we do not become deceived.

May 2, 2013
Going against God "just for fun"
By Marsha West
　
Today we're hearing a lot about Spiritism or Spiritualism, not to be confused with spiritual or spirituality, as in "I'm not religious, I'm spiritual," or "I'm into spirituality." The term Spiritism has replaced what was once called animism and other religious practices involving the invocation of spiritual beings.

Some religions meld Spiritualism with Christianity. For example, a blend of Christian and African folk beliefs that originated in Brazil is now practiced in the U.S. Spiritualism is much the same as Spiritism only it has adopted Christian rites and prayers. People visiting Spiritualistic services can be misled into thinking they're Christian churches. The problem is Christianity cannot be melded with any other religion or practice.

One of the major tenets of Spiritism is reincarnation. The classic form of reincarnation originated in India in the 9th century BC. Reincarnation has become a hot topic in our post-modern culture.

There are a whole host of beliefs about reincarnation. The most widely touted belief is that upon death one's spirit exits the body in search of another body to inhabit. Believing in reincarnation gives hope for continuing one's existence in further lives to work off one's karma. Karma is broadly defined as the consequences of one's actions.

Ask professing Christians as they flow through the doors of a Sunday worship service if they believe in reincarnation, some will give you a cavalier "Yes," as if it's no big deal for believers to mix Christianity with mystical beliefs. However, believing in reincarnation is a very big deal for the serious Christian. For example, reincarnation is a central tenet within Hinduism, not Christianity!

The thing Christians need to come to terms with is that belief in reincarnation goes against what the Bible teaches regarding the soul's final judgment by a holy God. What Jesus Christ clearly taught is that unrepentant sinners are condemned to an eternity in hell. Jesus never mentioned reincarnation – not once!

Hebrews 9:27 reveals what occurs when human beings die:

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

Listen to what Paul says happens when we die:

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:8)

It is imperative that serious Christians view mysticism as evil. When Paul came face to face with the Jewish mystic Elymas, he charged him with being a child of the devil and an enemy of righteousness. Moreover, he accused the mystic of perverting the right ways of the Lord. (Acts 13:10) Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul caused him to go blind. Not only did he put out the sorcerer's eyes, he also put him out of a job! When it came to confronting evil, Paul never backed down, never hesitated, wavered or vacillated. He had all the subtlety of a sledgehammer when it came to evildoers.

God forbids any sort of participation in paganism for our own protection. His reason is simple: its roots are steeped in pagan idolatry and drug use. The occult world is an open door to Satan's world. Those who enter find themselves on a quest for 'hidden wisdom' or 'deeper truth.' And, not surprisingly, the sought after 'hidden wisdom' is not meant for everyone, it's meant for a select few such as New Age disciples and gurus.

We call those who possess supernatural power (power's what it's all about) shamans, witchdoctors, clairvoyants, trance channelers, spiritists, and the list goes on. So, how does a spiritist go about getting in contact with the spirit world? By receiving radiation, frequencies or vibrations from the dead. "Communication from the spirit world manifests itself in psychical phenomena (e.g., telepathy, clairvoyance, trance speaking, and apparitions) and in physical phenomena (e.g., levitation, automatic writing, and poltergeist and ectoplasmic activities)." (Source)

The Bible tells us that it is God who instigates communication, not man. Generally the Lord will use angels as His envoys to humans. We know very little about angels, either the elect or the fallen. However, the scriptures inform us that on occasion the Lord sent a holy elect angel to Earth to deliver messages. And He also sent angles to minister to people, to protect them, and also to execute His judgment. The angels have one purpose: to glorify God's holy Name and to carry out His will.

There are also fallen angels – the rebellious ones! The most notorious of the lot is Lucifer aka Satan. The Bible refers to the fallen angels as demons, spirits of darkness and evil spirits. The ones that rebelled against God fell from grace. Consequently, they were hurled out of heaven, lock stock and barrel. Bible expositor John MacArthur elucidates what happened next:

At that point, Satan gained the rulership of the world, and the term world took on a third meaning: the evil system opposed to God that now dominates this planet. The system that Satan began will continue to develop up to the time period known as the Great Tribulation.

As I have made clear, Christianity and Spiritism have nothing in common whatsoever. I mean, think about it. Can you trust God and Satan at the same time? Here's what Paul said:

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Cor. 6:14-18)

Satan is known as the "father of lies." Even those who are guided by an "inner voice" can be deceived, warns occultist Nicholas Weeks:

Channels such as [Alice] Bailey are sincere and convinced that their inner voices and visions are real Masters. Unhappily, sincerity is no protection from delusion. In 1884 Master KH wrote to a psychic of that time, giving an explanation for the befuddling of a channel or seer. 'Since you have scarcely learned the elements of self-control, in psychism, you must suffer bad consequences. You draw to yourself the nearest and strongest influences "often evil" and absorb them, and are psychically stifled or narcotised by them. The airs become peopled with resuscitated phantoms. They give you false tokens, misleading revelations, deceptive images. Your vivid creative fancy evokes illusive Gurus and chelas [disciples], and puts into their mouths words coined the instant before in the mint of your mind, unknown to yourself. The false appear as real, as the true, and you have no exact method of detection since you are yet prone to force your communications to agree with your preconceptions. (Source)

And to think, many Christians are now engaged in magical mystical practices such as contemplative prayer that can give the practitioner misleading revelations and deceptive images, where the false may appear real. (See a column I wrote on contemplative prayer here.)

Keep in mind that the spirits that speak through the mouths of the willing are demons. People who get themselves into a mind-altering trance with the purpose being to channel a benevolent spirit may end up becoming demon possessed! Granted, some channelers are really nothing more than convincing actors who write the script as they go along. These are the charlatans who do it for money or fame – or both. However, there are many dupes that allow their bodies to be used by spirit entities that use the occasion to spew anti-Christian propaganda!

The Bible tells us to, "Prove [test] all things; hold fast that which is good." (1 John 4:1). We're also told to flee (run like a maniac) from the devil who "walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8) Now, picture a lion hiding in the brush to pounce on an unsuspecting wildebeest. The devil's like the hungry lion, only he's waiting to pounce on Christ's sheep! Unfortunately many Christians fail to obey God's command to resist the devil, which is one of the reasons Christianity's in the sorry state it's in today.

Far too many followers of Jesus Christ are unaware that our Lord quite literally detests all forms of sorcery. There are no exceptions! Sorry to be a wet blanket, but even astrology is banned. And it doesn't matter if it's done "just for fun." One cannot be a Presbyterian on Sunday and a spiritist the other six days of the week.

This brings me to two blogs I stumbled on. Both male bloggers declare their love for Christ and state that the Bible is the standard by which they live their lives. One studies apologetics; the other is a youth pastor. They both have their Zodiac signs on display. That way if you land on aspiring apologist's blog, you'll know that he's a Gemini; likewise, if you land on youth pastor's blog, you'll discover that he's a Virgo. One can only assume that these young men have not yet read Leviticus 19:26, Deuteronomy 18:9-12, Exodus 22:18 and other similar passages where God commands His people to steer clear of sorcery. And yet these so-called Bible believers find time to read up on astrology?

Christians who are confronted with an evil practice must lace up their trusty running shoes and high tail it out of there, pronto! Keep away from horoscopes (astrology), numerology, séances, tarot cards, tealeaves, palm reading, crystal balls, talking boards, omens or signs. Moreover, do not get involved in wizardry, witchcraft, the study of Kabbalah, nature religion (Wicca), and the practice of yoga (its sole purpose is purely spiritual). Believers must flee from any and all pagan customs and practices. Those who are currently involved in any of the above must bring it to an end today!

Since dabbling in sorcery is a sin against God, repentance is of paramount importance. So if you've been dabbling, repent! And never return to any sort of evil practice – even if it's "just for fun."

Bear in mind that the demonic powers operating in the realm of the occult are very real. These spirits are stronger and more dangerous than people realize. The Bible warns us to "regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God." (Lev. 19:31).

The Apostle Paul understood all too well that evil forces are ever present in the "heavenlies." Hence, he admonished followers of Christ to wear the "armor of God" to protect against familiar spirits that prey on gullible humans. He even gave specific instructions to the Church in Ephesus:

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (Ephesians 6:1-12).

Christian – take Paul's instructions to heart and daily put on the full armor of God to protect against the rulers of the darkness of this world.

Recommended:
The Old Serpent and the Slacker – an allegory on the "Armor of God" By Marsha West

Are You Armed for Battle? By Marsha West

Occult – On Solid Rock Resources

Angels – On Solid Rock Resources

New Age Movement – On Solid Rock Resources

Contemplative Prayer – On Solid Rock Resources

Christian Yoga? – On Solid Rock Resources

© Marsha West


Marsha West is a religious/political writer and owner of EmailBrigade.com. She is also the founder and editor of the Email Brigade News Report, a biweekly news resource for people of faith that is chock-full of critical news and information. Marsha is dedicated to restoring a more common sense approach to our nation's governance by encouraging people to thoroughly understand the issues that impact American lives... (more)

Discernment and Revelation

Stand Firm in the Faith has been given permission by Pastor Gary E. Gilley to reproduce this article below: Discernment and Revelation from the Feb/March 2013 - Think on these things Newsletter. He is pastor of Southern View Chapel, in Springfield, IL. Please refer to the links below to visit the website.

Dr. Gary E. Gilley has been pastoring at Southern View Chapel for more than 37 years. He is author of five books, and has also contributed to four other books, including Dispensationalism Tomorrow & Beyond, a Tribute to Charles Ryrie.

Pastor Gilley received his B. A. from Moody Bible Institute and his M.B.S and Th.D from Cambridge Graduate School. He is a frequent speaker at Bible conferences and writes the monthly study paper, Think on These Things and is the Book Review Editor for the Journal of Dispensational Theology. He is also a board member of Brazil Gospel Fellowship Mission, Personal Freedom Outreach and New Tribes Missions.


Think on These Things Articles
Discernment and Revelation February/March 2013 - Volume 19, Issue 6

Discernment, one would think, is an extremely positive quality. In a world in which there are incalculable numbers of voices calling us to travel many different directions, discernment is invaluable. However, when used by those involved in spiritual formation, discernment is defined as the discipline that enables one to know when a person has supposedly heard the voice of God. Spiritual formation leaders do not question that God speaks to us today apart from Scripture, but they do believe that since God is speaking there has to be a means whereby we can discern the voice of God from our own thoughts. Adele Ahlberg Calhoun writes in her Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, “Discernment opens us up to listen to and recognize the voice and patterns of God’s direction in our lives.” [1] Ruth Barton further explains,

Discernment is a quality of attentiveness to God that is so intimate that over time we develop an intuitive sense of God’s heart and purpose in any given moment. We become familiar with God’s voice – the tone, quality and content—just as we become familiar with the voice of a human being we know well. [2]

Christian psychologist Larry Crabb believes he has learned the art of listening to God and proposes to let us in on what he has discovered in his book The Papa Prayer, “Sometime, though never audibly, I hear the Father speak more clearly than I hear the voice of a human friend.” [3] And influential pastor John Ortberg adds, “It is one thing to speak to God. It is another thing to listen. When we listen to God, we receive guidance from the Holy Spirit.” [4]

As we contemplate the subject of discernment it is important that we determine whether or not God does speak to Christians today outside of the Scriptures themselves. This is hardly an issue pertinent only to the Spiritual Formation Movement. As a matter of fact modern day revelations (or lack thereof) from God are one of the most hotly debated topics within evangelicalism today.
 

Despite the fact that the majority of conservative evangelical Christians since the Reformation have held to a cessationist (that present day revelations from God no longer take place) position with regard to Divine revelation, true cessationists are rapidly disappearing. In the articles and books I have written nothing has evoked as much criticism and anger as my position that God is speaking to His people today exclusively through Scripture. Due to the influence of a multitude of popular authors, theologians and conference speakers, cessationism is barely treading water, even within the most biblically solid churches and organizations. As a matter of fact, among those who claim to be evangelicals there are five identifiable views prevalent today on the matter of revelation:

Identifiable views:

Pentecostal/Charismatic/Thirdwave: All miraculous gifts exist today, including the gift of prophecy. God speaks through prophets and to His people both audibly (through dreams, visions, words of knowledge), and inwardly (inaudibly in the mind or heart). Representatives of this position are Jack Deere, John Wimber, the Kansas City Prophets, the Assemblies of God and the Word of Faith movement. Charismatic author Tommy Tenney, in his popular book The God Chasers, writes, “God chasers…are not interested in camping out on some dusty truth known to everyone. They are after the fresh presence of the Almighty…A true God chaser is not happy with just past truth; he must have present truth. God chasers don’t want to just study the moldy pages of what God has done; they are anxious to see what God is doing.” [5]

Classical Mysticism/Spiritual Formation: Through the use of various disciplines and spiritual exercises, God will speak to us both audibly and inaudibly. Dallas Willard and Richard Foster are two such examples. Willard, a leader within the Spiritual Formation Movement, recently updated a previous book renaming it Hearing God, Developing a Conversational Relationship with God. The thrust of his book is that we can live “the kind of life where hearing God is not an uncommon occurrence, [for] hearing God is but one dimension of a richly interactive relationship and obtaining guidance is but one facet of hearing God.” [6] In other words, the maturing Christian should expect to hear the voice of God on a regular basis, independent from Scripture, and that voice will reveal God’s individual, specific will for his life. Such personal communication from the Lord, we are told, is absolutely essential because without it there can be no intimate walk with God. [7] And it is those who are hearing from God today, in this way, who will redefine “Christian spirituality for our time.” [8]

　

Evangelical Mysticism: God is speaking to Christians regularly, mostly inaudibly through inner voices, hunches, promptings, feelings and circumstances (examples: Henry Blackaby and Beth Moore). Southern Baptists ministers Henry and Richard Blackaby wrote Hearing God’s Voice to “teach God’s people not only to recognize his voice but also immediately to obey his voice when they heard it.” [9] They promise that “as you spend time with Jesus, you will gradually come to recognize his voice more readily than you did at first…You won’t be fooled by other voices because you know your Lord’s voice so well.” [10] And, once you have figured out when God is speaking to you, “write it down in a journal so you can refer back to it as you follow him.” [11]

In this category could be placed the New Calvinists or Calvinistic Charismatics such as John Piper, Wayne Grudem, Mark Driscoll and C. J. Mahaney. Their followers are sometimes called the young, restless, and Reformed. Mark Driscoll, who often claims extra-biblical revelation, dreams, and visions from the Lord, documented four such events in his recent book Real Marriage. He writes, “…when God spoke to me, I had never experienced anything like that moment. God told me to devote my life to four things. He told me to marry Grace, preach the Bible, train men, and plant churches. Since that day in 1990, that’s what I have been pursuing by God’s grace.” [12] Matt Chandler would be on page with this idea. In his popular book The Explicit Gospel Chandler writes, “He [God] speaks to us in dreams and in visions and in words of knowledge—but in no way that runs contrary to Scripture.” [13] Long time Southern Baptist pastor, Charles Stanley is of the same opinion. In a recent interview with Christianity Today he is asked about his frequent references to God speaking to Him. He responded by mentioning a time that very week when God said to him, “Don’t do that.” He claims that he does not hear an audible voice “but it’s so crystal sharp and clear to me, I know not to disobey that.” [14]

Cessationist: All miraculous gifts, including prophecy, have ceased (examples: the IFCA International, John MacArthur and Charles Ryrie). The Westminster Confession states well the historic cessationist position,
　 The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. [15]
 

Cautious, but Open: Those holding this position are skeptical of prophetic claims and the majority of inaudible experiences. But they do not want to “put God in a box” and therefore are cautiously open to the possibility of additional revelation from the Lord today, although they are not certain how this works or how to identify God’s voice. Nevertheless, they are afraid to limit the power of God and fear that they might be missing out on a close personal relationship with the Lord if they do not allow for the possibility of God speaking today apart from Scripture (examples: most Christians).

Modern Revelations

Continuationists, those who believe that the miraculous sign gifts, including prophecy, are still available to believers today, define their supposed revelations in different ways. There are two broad categories that could be acknowledged, the first of which claims prophetic messages from the Lord. Such messages would be direct, clear words from God or angels, perhaps in dreams or visions or through audible voices. Such claims have long been common in Pentecostal and charismatic circles and are increasing among non-charismatic evangelicals. Extremely popular conference speaker and author Beth Moore is well known for her claims of hearing from God. In a DVD she states, "Boy, this is the heart of our study. This is the heart of our study. Listen carefully. What God began to say to me about five years ago, and I'm telling you it sent me on such a trek with Him, that my head is still whirling over it. He began to say to me, 'I'm going to tell you something right now, Beth, and boy you write this one down and you say it as often as I give you utterance to say it.” [16] Such statements coming from evangelicals are far too common to need much documentation. Moore is claiming a direct word from the Lord that sets the future agenda for her ministry. The source of authority is her own experience.

From a more doctrinal base we turn to theologian Wayne Grudem, who has had a massive impact on the evangelical world concerning modern prophecies. Grudem has written the definitive book on the subject, The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today, in which he claims that church age prophecy is different than Old Testament prophecy. While the Old Testament prophet was held to the standard of infallibility when speaking a word from the Lord (Deut 18:20-24), prophecies beginning with Pentecost are fallible and imperfect. He writes, “Prophecy in ordinary New Testament churches was not equal to Scripture in authority, but simply a very human—and sometimes partially mistaken—report of something the Holy Spirit brought to someone’s mind.” [17]  Modern prophecy then is impure and imperfect. By way of example and documentation Grudem quotes the Anglican charismatic leaders Dennis and Rita Bennet who claim
　

We are not expected to accept every word spoken through the gifts of utterance…but we are only to accept what is quickened to us by the Holy Spirit and is in agreement with the Bible…one manifestation may be 75% God, but 25% the person’s own thoughts. We must discern between the two. [18]

One of the most disconcerting aspects of Grudem’s position is his uncertainty as to how we can distinguish between our own thoughts and those supposedly from God. This is such an important and disturbing feature of the conservative continuationist’s system that I will quote Grudem at length.

But how would a person know if what came to mind was a “revelation” from the Holy Spirit? Paul did not write specific instructions; nonetheless, we may suppose that in practice such a decision would include both an objective and subjective element. Objectively, did the revelation conform with what the prophet knew of the Old Testament Scriptures and with apostolic teaching? [19]

With this quote cessationists partially agree. The Holy Spirit cannot contradict Himself and anything allegedly spoken by the Holy Spirit which is in disagreement with Scripture is naturally spurious. The continuationists, however, are rarely claiming new doctrines that supplement Scripture; they are claiming specific, personal words that guide them in decision making or knowledge of the future. It should be mentioned in passing that contrary to what is often stated by continuationists, many espousing modern prophecies do in fact add numerous doctrines not found or taught in the Bible such as specific demonic warfare techniques, insights on heaven or hell, “word of faith” authority that releases the power of God, dominion theology, novel views on the atonement, inspiration and ecclesiology. While more conservative continuationists such as Grudem, Piper, and Mahaney would not be guilty of such theological additions, many others are.

Turning back to Grudem we read of his subjective element of prophecy
　

But there was no doubt also a subjective element of personal judgment: did the revelation “seem like” something from the Holy Spirit; did it seem to be similar to other experiences of the Holy Spirit which he had known previously in worship…Beyond this it is difficult to specify much further, except to say that over time a congregation would probably become more adept at making evaluations of prophecies, and individual prophets would also benefit from those evaluations and become more adept at recognizing a genuine revelation from the Holy Spirit and distinguishing it from their own thoughts. [20]

When we contrast Grudem’s view of prophecy with Scripture we find nothing remotely resembling what Grudem teaches. Nowhere in the Bible is one receiving a message from God left to wonder if God is speaking to him (with the temporary exception of the young boy Samuel). No one had to ask if what they were hearing “seemed like” the Holy Spirit or matched previous subjective experiences that also “seemed like” the Holy Spirit. They knew without question when God was speaking to them. This is essentially the same teaching that Dallas Willard exerts in Hearing God: “How can you be sure God is speaking to you? The answer is that we learn by experience.” [21] Therefore subjective experience becomes the test of authority concerning revelation from God. This is a far cry from what we find in Scripture.
 

The second half of Grudem’s quote moves into the realm of the incredible. After 2000 years of church history, the best this world-class theologian can offer is that “over time a congregation would probably become more adept at making evaluations of prophecies…” This is a statement of speculation and hope that at some point the church will begin to figure out when a word of revelation is actually coming from the Holy Spirit and when it is the imagination of the speaker.

 

Let’s put Grudem’s hypothesis to a test. Sister Sally stands up in church and says the Holy Spirit has just revealed to her that an earthquake will flatten much of the city sometime within the next eight weeks. The congregation needs to add earthquake insurance to their properties, pack all their belongings, leave their jobs behind and head to the countryside. What is to be done? Given Grudem’s theory, the congregation knows that at best this prophecy is impure and most likely contains elements that are not from God. The people are then left to evaluate the validity of the revelation just received based on their own experience or other purely subjective means. In the Bible, if a true prophet of God warned of an impending earthquake there would be no doubt as to what to do, but Grudem’s New Testament prophet is unreliable. I have to ask, of what value is such a prophecy? It has no authority or certainty, and may actually lead to bad and even disastrous decisions. These modern prophecies do not have the ring of “thus says the Lord.”

When the different views on modern revelation and prophecies collide, continuationists attempt to pacify cessationists by assuring them that their messages from the Lord are not on par with Scripture. Grudem quotes George Mallone saying,
　
Prophecy today, although it may be helpful and on occasion overwhelmingly specific, is not in the category of the revelation given to us in the Holy Scripture…A person may hear the voice of the Lord and be compelled to speak, but there is no assurance that it is pollutant-free. There will be a mixture of flesh and spirit. [22]
　

Since almost no one within Christianity (save the cults) is claiming revelation that is equivalent to the Bible, we are left with a dilemma. Is it possible for God to speak in a non-authoritative way? Is it possible for Him to speak something less than His inspired word? The continuationists seem to have invented a novel type of divine revelation; one that contradicts Scripture and defies reason. In the Bible, and logically, either God is speaking or He is not. There is no such thing as partially inspired revelation or the true words from the Lord polluted by the misunderstanding or imagination of the prophet. This is not to say that all of God’s divine words are found in Scripture. John is careful to inform us that Jesus did many things, and certainly said many things, that are not recorded in his Gospel (John 20:30) , or the other New Testament books for that matter. Yet all that Jesus said were the words of God. He never expressed an impure or untruthful thought. He spoke with authority. Undoubtedly the Spirit also spoke through various men and women in biblical times whose words were not recorded in the Bible. The point, however, is that, while the Holy Spirit has not included every prophecy that He spoke through humans in Scripture, everything that He inspired people to say carries with it the infallible authority of the Word of God. Nothing that He said through people is less than God’s word. A polluted or partial revelation from the Holy Spirit has never been uttered.

This means that modern prophecies, words of knowledge, and other claims to hearing the voice of the Lord, if they are truly from the Holy Spirit, must be equal to the Scriptures in both inspiration and authority. God cannot speak with other than purity and inerrancy. Modern claims of the Lord speaking but with a “mixture of flesh and spirit” simply are not possible and are never attested to in Scripture. Those who are claiming divine revelation today must wrestle with the fact that what they are supposedly hearing must carry the same authority of the divinely inspired authors of Scripture.

　

A Case for Cessationism

 

With all of this as a backdrop, the question is reduced to this: Is God giving authoritative revelation on par with that which He has given in the past, much of which has been inscripturated, or is He not? If He is, then the church of Christ needs to take note and come into compliance with the modern prophecy movement, following its revelations as it would Scripture. But if the Lord is not revealing His inspired word today, then we need to reject the claims of the modern prophets and expose these supposed revelations for what they are. This means the position taken by most on prophecy – cautious but open – is untenable. The cautious but open crowd is skeptical of the claims coming from the prophetic movement and they are suspicious of the many “words from God” that so many evangelicals are claiming. Still they hesitate to embrace cessationism. They are concerned about limiting God or, as it was mentioned above, “putting God in a box.” To this let me make two replies:

It is okay to put God in a box if God, in fact, is the One who put Himself in that box. In other words, God can do anything He wants to do, but we expect God to do what He says He will do. If God has put Himself in the cessationist box we can embrace and proclaim it.

 

 Taking the open but cautious view really does not hold up. Either God is speaking today apart from His Word or He is not. If He is speaking, how do we determine which of the multitude of messages people claim are from Him and which are bogus? If, with Grudem, we have eliminated the tests of Deuteronomy 13 and 18, how are we to evaluate all these revelations? How do we know to whom we should listen and whom we should ignore?

On such an important area as divine revelation it is indefensible to believe that God’s people cannot know with certainty whether such is taking place. Surely we should expect that the Scriptures themselves would lay out the guidelines for us to determine if divine, authoritative, inspired revelation is being given today. I believe it does and that we can be confident, from the witness of Scripture itself, that God has ceased speaking to mankind during this age apart from the Bible. Let’s take a quick look at what the Word has to say.

 

A cessationist view begins with a careful look at what God actually did in Scripture. We find, when we search carefully, that God was not speaking to everyone all the time. His revelation, even in biblical times, was rare and when He did speak it was always supernaturally with an audible voice, never through inner voices or impressions. The assumption held by many that God spoke to most of His children in biblical times is simply not true. The average believer in either Testament never received a personal word from God and even the majority of key players never heard the voice of God personally. When God did speak in Scripture it almost always dealt with the big picture of what He was doing in the outworking of His redemptive program or the life of His people in general. You will search in vain to find God instructing someone to take a job, purchase a number of donkeys, or buy a house – except as it related to the bigger issue of God’s dealings with His people. Beyond a few individuals, finding a non-prophetic person in Scripture who heard directly from God becomes a difficult task. The contention that God spoke to almost everyone all the time, leading, guiding and directing, simply does not stand the test of careful examination of the Scriptures. Even those to whom God spoke in the Old Testament, to only Noah, Abraham, Moses (considered to be a prophet), Jacob, Aaron, Joshua, David and Solomon, did He speak more than twice in their lifetimes.

But what about the New Testament? We find that most records of God speaking to individuals after Pentecost are found in the book of Acts. But even here we find only thirteen distinct times in which God spoke directly to individuals (two of these through angels), (8:26-29; 9:4, 10; 10:3, 11-16; 12:7-8; 13:2-4; 16:6,9-10; 18:9; 21:4, 11; 22:17-21; 23:11). Eight of these occasions were to Paul or Peter, leaving a total of five other individuals or groups to whom God spoke directly in the first 30 years of church history.

 

So far, we have examined what might be called negative evidence. That is, if we are looking for a pattern of how God spoke to individuals in scriptural times, that pattern reveals a scarcity of individual revelations. The Lord chose to speak primarily through His prophets and the apostles. Following that pattern we should expect the same today. Let’s now move to more positive evidence that the Lord has ceased speaking today apart from Scripture.

Beginning with Ephesians 2:20, we find that the church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” Since Christ is the cornerstone of the church, this verse has to be speaking of the witness concerning Christ that the apostles and prophets provided to the church. It is only to be expected that this witness would be passed along to the future generations of believers via the instrument of Scriptures that those men were inspired to write. As Ephesians 3:5 tells us, the “mystery of Christ” has been “made known to the sons of men through the revelation given to Christ’s holy apostles and prophets.” In the next chapter, Paul teaches that the Lord has provided gifted men to the church for its perfection or maturity. The apostles’ and prophets’ role in that process was laying the foundation of the church, as we have seen (Eph. 2:20; 3:5) . How? Through the teaching of New Testament truth, the apostles’ doctrine. The early church gathered together to devote “themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42) , for it was the apostles who would provide New Testament revelation.

The book of Hebrews enhances our understanding by detailing two periods in human history in which the Lord has spoken to mankind. Hebrews 1:1 proclaims that the first period was “long ago to the fathers and prophets in many portions and in many ways.” This is an obvious reference to the revelations given during the times of the Old Testament. In verse two the author of Hebrews cites the second period of divine revelation by simply saying that “in these last days [God] has spoken through His Son.” But as we know Jesus Himself did not write down anything that He said. That was left to His followers and so, the author of Hebrews adds: “After it was first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard” (Heb 2:3) i.e. the apostles. This however raises a practical problem. How did the people know that the communication they were receiving from the apostles was true? After all, many individuals made claim to being an apostle during the first century. The Lord would authenticate His true apostles by giving them the ability to perform “signs and wonders, and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit” (Heb 2:4). When the Corinthians challenged Paul’s apostleship and authority, he pointed them to the “signs of a true apostle…[which were] signs and wonders and miracles” (2 Cor. 12:12 ), just as the author of Hebrews confirmed. The book of Acts verifies repeatedly that miraculous gifts were taking place through the apostles for this very reason (Acts 2:42; 5:12,13; 9:38-41; 14:3, 8-9; 15:12; 19:11; 20:10; 28:8,9) . The only exceptions were Stephen (6:8), Philip (8:6-7) and possibly Barnabas (15:12), all very closely associated with the apostles. We find no examples of the average Christian in the New Testament either performing miracles or receiving authoritative revelation. Miracles were for the purpose of authenticating the office of the men who would lay the foundation of the church. Once the foundation of the church was in place, the role of the apostles was no longer needed. With the death of John, the last of the apostles, gifts authenticating the apostles were no longer necessary and they ceased.

　

But did that necessarily mean revelation ceased as well? I believe the evidence of Scripture would indicate that it did. We start with 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, which clearly tells us that the day comes when prophecy and supernatural knowledge will be done away, and tongues will cease. Specifically Paul writes that “when the perfect comes the partial will be done away.” All Bible believers are ultimately cessationists for this passage is clear that revelatory knowledge will cease at some point; that point being when the perfect comes. Many believe that the “perfect” refers to the coming of Christ or the eternal kingdom. That is a possible interpretation but the context is contrasting partial knowledge and revelatory gifts with that which is perfect. The best explanation in such a context would be that the perfect (or complete) would be the completion of Scripture. In other words, when the revelation for this dispensation as recorded in the New Testament is completed the need for partial words of knowledge and prophecies would cease. That is, because the final, full revelation of the Lord for this dispensation has arrived, there is no need for additional messages from God. This seems reasonable, but did it happen?

 

This understanding of the perfect in 1 Corinthians 13 is reinforced later in the New Testament by Peter, Jude, Paul and John. When the apostle Peter pens the inspired epistle we call Second Peter, he is desirous of reminding them of many things, especially that they “remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles” (3:2). Peter did not point his readers to new or fresh revelation but to the words spoken previously by the prophets and apostles. Jude offers similar understanding when in verse three he urges his readers to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.” A message had been given, a foundation laid once for all that had to be defended. How did they know what that message was? In verse 17 Jude answers, “But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The faith in verse three that was handed down to them, the faith that was to be defended and proclaimed, had been given to them by none other than the apostles.

　

As the apostle Paul writes virtually his last inspired words to his friend Timothy he points him to the Scriptures that are able to make the people of God “adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16,17). In light of this lofty claim for the God-breathed Scriptures, Paul gives Timothy a final charge – “to preach the word…” (4:1-5). There is no hint in Paul’s charge that Timothy is to seek additional revelation, listen to the prophecies or words of knowledge of fellow believers or preach his own dreams or visions. He is to preach the Word handed down to the saints through the apostles. As the New Testament canon nears its close the divinely inspired authors unite in pointing their readers to the apostles as the inspired human source of New Testament truth.

The apostle John joins the chorus as he closes down the New Testament with a solemn warning against adding to or subtracting from this final revelation from God. He writes, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book” (Rev 22:18,19). Since this is the last chapter in the last book of the last Testament it is only reasonable to deduce that from that point on any addition of any prophecy would be adding to Scripture. With the death of John shortly thereafter, the last of the apostles had faded from the scene and with him the final word of revelation for this age. In addition there is no indication either the twelve apostles or the New Testament prophets were ever replaced (Rev 21:14).

 

The witness emerging from the Scriptures themselves is that God has chosen to communicate with mankind throughout history in specific and unique ways. He has chosen certain men at certain times to be prophets and apostles to speak and record divine revelation (Heb 1:1-2; 2:3-4). When God’s revelation was complete for this age, the ministry of the prophets and apostles was finished and we would expect no further communication at this time. This expectation is verified through the statements found in the Bible itself. What we are seeing today is not new revelation from God but subjective experiences and, at times, deception. Let us cling tenaciously to “the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 3) rather than chasing the inferior, inadequate imaginations of those who claim a new word from the Lord today.

Copyright © 2013 Gary E. Gilley

　

[1] Adele Ahleberg Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, Practices That Transform Us, (Downer Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2005), p. 99 (emphasis mine).

[2] Ruth Haley Barton, Sacred Rhythms, Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006), p. 111.

[3] Larry Crabb, The Papa Prayer, the Prayer You’ve Never Prayed, (Brentwood, TN: Integrity Publisher, 2006), p. 8.

[4] John Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002), p. 140.

[5] Tommy Tenney, The God Chasers (Shippensburg, Pa: Destiny Image, 2000), unnumbered pages in introduction (emphasis his).

[6] Dallas Willard, Hearing God, Developing a Conversational Relationship With God, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012), pp. 12, 13.

[7] Ibid., pp. 26, 31, 67.

[8] Ibid., p. 15.

[9] Henry and Richard Blackaby, Hearing God’s Voice (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers), 2002, p. 234.

[10] Ibid., p. 235.

[11] Ibid., p. 236.

[12] Mark and Grace Driscoll, Real Marriage, the Truth about Sex, Friendship and Life Together (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2012), p. 8. For more of Mark Driscoll’s claims of extrabiblical revelations see his book Confessions of a Reformission Rev, Hard Lesson from an Emerging Missional Church (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006), pp. 39, 74-75, 97, 99, 128, 130.

[13] Matt Chandler, The Explicit Gospel (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012), p. 30.

[14] Mark Galli, “The Mystic Baptist,” Christianity Today, Nov 2012, p. 54.

[15] The Westminster Confession , chapter 1, section 6.

[16] Quoted from Beth Moore's DVD “Believing God.”

[17] Wayne Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today, (Wheaton: Crossway, 1988), p. 14.

[18] Ibid., p. 110.

[19] Ibid., p. 120.

[20] Ibid., pp. 120, 121 (emphasis mine).

[21] Dallas Willard, p. 9 (emphasis mine).

[22] Wayne Grudem., p. 111.