There is much confusion in our world as to how God speaks to us today. The Bible shows us that God is not the author of confusion (I Corinthians14:33). One must search somewhere else to find the cause. Some would claim that they hear the “voice of God” in their head. The problem that arises from such is an absence of proo, therefore, I am left to trust what you heard. It would therefore be impossible to come to a unity of the faith based on what someone heard in their head (Ephesians 4:13). Still others come to believe that their feelings is God speaking to them. At the close of all these arguments we would be left to trust what some man is telling us.
When I come to the written Word I understand the source of all scripture is God, Himself (II Timothy 3:16). He used men to write the words but the words came from God (I Corinthians2:12,13). When we come to the thirteenth chapter of the same book, I am taught that direct knowledge from God will cease or that is it will be reduced down to inactivity (I Corinthians 13:8). God Voice will not roar from heaven as it did when Israel came to Mount Horeb, that is Mount Sinai. Neither will it be a still small voice as Elijah heard in the cave (I Kings 19:12). The Moslem faith rests upon such an occurrence that is “Allah” (false god) speaking to his prophet.
Jesus taught that His disciples would hear His voice (John 10:3). Simply put, how do we hear the voice of Jesus today? If God used “words” to give man the truth, it should be clear that words are which we must understand. If God promised that He would cease speaking directly, as per I Corinthians 13:8, I must go to the written Word to hear the voice of God today. How does a person come to understand words? Different rules may apply in the secular realm but when it comes to the spiritual realm certain rules must be applied.
Each person who undertakes to know God’s will must study (II Timothy 2:15). The study requires him to handled in a right way the Word of God, which he reads. Is there some mysterious way for you to understand the Word that I do not have? If one assumes such mystery, they are believing in a direct action from God. When Paul wrote that knowledge will cease, he meant no more direct action from God. The direct action is not just God revealing through words but it would also include God doing something with the word with one individual and not with another. Such thinking violates the scripture.
What person is there who cannot understand the written Word of God? The Spirit teaches it is the person to whom the gospel is hid (II Corinthians 4:3). How is the gospel hidden to this person? The next verse states it is because their mind has been blinded because they chose to not believe. Where does the power of the gospel rests? It is the power of God unto salvation to all that believe it (Romans 1:16). How often do we have to clarify the meaning of believe? Some rulers of the Jews believed in Jesus but they would not confess Him (John 12:42). We would say in spiritual terms, they really did not believe because if they did they would have confessed Him.
When an individual believes, it is because he came in contact with truth and accepted what he heard. Need an example of this? When Philip taught the eunuch about Jesus and the eunuch desired to be baptized, what did Philip ask him (Acts 8:35-37). If you believe you may. What was that which the eunuch had to tell Philip about his belief? It was that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. How did the eunuch arrive at such a conclusion in his own heart?
Here is what the evidence shows. The eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53 and did not understand what the prophet had written. He asked for help to understand what Isaiah was talking about. Now, note carefully his request. He did not ask of God but rather of Philip. The wording was “…some man should guide me”. This man clearly did not expect to hear the Voice of God. He instead trusted that with proper teaching some man could show what Isaiah meant. So it is today.
Leave a Reply