- Does God speak directly to men today?
- Does God give new revelation to special men today, like He certainly did for His select Apostles?
I know that many believe God “speaks to them directly” and I know why. Simply put, that is what they have been conditioned to believe. But what I believe or what you believe is not truth…unless it is what God said. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he warns the saints “…learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other” (1 Cor 4:6).
It must be comforting to say, God speaks to me, but it is not true, for the truth is God does not talk to men today apart from His Word. We all get the same message from the One and only source of truth, His Word: If we believe His Word we all have unity through one Spirit and that is exactly what the Lord wants. “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” (emphasis mine) (John 17:20-21) UNITY, that is what Jesus asked the Father for, that by the Word preached we would all be as one, just like He and the Father are one. But so much disunity exists because deceptive men claim that “God spoke to me”! By simply leaving out the Written Word of God, which they know very few people actually study, they destroy the faith of many. Literally speaking, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Jesus said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (emphasis mine) (John 6:63). Jesus clearly states that His Words are the Spirit. We who believe are sanctified by the Word: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).
With so many different teachings, from so many different men, it is no wonder that many are confused about faith, about who’s right and who’s wrong. But, without dispute, “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Cor. 14:33).
Whenever two closely follow the teaching from the scripture they will go in the same direction, but when people start saying, God told me this and God told me that, then they move in different directions. This confusion is not from God, but man. God has given only one book of instructions for a pattern in all things spiritual. A pattern for worship, a pattern for daily life and His pattern leads us to Him. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
Paul said, “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus” (emphasis mine) (2 Tim. 1:13). “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.” (emphasis mine) (Phil. 3:17). What pattern? The example and sound teaching found only in the Word of God. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (emphasis mine) (Rom. 12:2). Conforming to the patter of this world means following after the example and teaching of men. Simply put the pattern of this world is humanism as defined, “an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters”. But people of the “Way” are transformed by the renewing of the mind. How? By hearing and obeying the gospel AS WRITTEN. “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” (Deut. 4:2) EVERY TIME A PERSON SAYS, “GOD TOLD ME” THEY ARE ADDING TO HIS WORD. All the false offshoot teachings exist today because someone said, “GOD TOLD ME”. Joseph Smith made such claims, and the Mormon church was born. Charles Taze Russell made that claim and the Jehovah’s Witnesses church was born. Mohammad also started the movement called Islam by claiming, “God spoke to me”. This is how differences come, which is disunity, not unity. Not one of these churches existed in the first century, and not one has the right to exist today. Remember that Jesus said, “I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18), not churches.
In the letter to the Ephesians chapter four Paul wrote “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” All these ones represent [UNITY]. Not adding or subtracting, not thinking beyond what is written brings [UNITY]. Why are there thousands of DIFFERENT “self-called” Christian denominations today? Because men chose to “think beyond what is written”.
When you read scripture, you MUST ask the basic questions of Who is speaking? What is said? Who is being spoken to? How does it apply to them? Does it apply to me? In Mark 16:17-18 Jesus said, “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Do you believe? Can you do these things? Can you drink poison and not die, can you be bitten by poison serpents and not be affected, can you lay hands on the cancer victim or a blind person and they will be healed? Of course not, yet Jesus said, “…these signs will follow those who believe…” These signs did follow His disciples who were the only 11 people there to hear this promise “Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table” (Mark 16:14). This is a record of what Jesus promised His disciples, not the whole world. This promise was not made to you, me or anyone today. Those who claim that they can do these things today are liars. Jesus and His disciples healed in public, everywhere they traveled. Believers and non-believers saw. If these so-called healers today could heal, why not in hospitals? Why are they not in the streets, showing the power of God? Why not! Because they are fakes!
We don’t need them because God provided all things that pertain to life and godliness: “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (emphasis mine) (2 Peter 1:3) If God has given “all things that pertain to life and godliness” what more do we need, what else does He need to tell you personally? What is written is our faith and it was delivered to the saints in its entirety and remains unchanged. Those who believe must, “…contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). God is not the author of confusion (1Corinthians 13:33), but men are. Speaking to His disciples Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth…” (Matthew 28:18) He didn’t leave anything out of that statement therefore I do not have authority, you do not have authority, no other person on the face of the earth has authority, but Jesus the Son of God who is the Christ, Lord, and Master. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (emphasis mine) (2 Tim. 3:16-17) The scripture completes us and thoroughly equips us; we need to know nothing more, God has provided all we need. Paul Pleaded for purity in his letter to the church in Thessalonica, concluding that “Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit” (1 Thess. 4:8). We can reason since all scripture is written by the breath of God that this applies to all scripture. So, to “rightly divide” (2 Tim. 2:15), you MUST always ask, who, what, when, where, how?
Bottom line is this: “Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged.” (Rom. 3:4; Deut. 32:4) Jesus did just that! We also must do just the same, that when we are judged we will be found righteous in His sight.
Very few people can hear these words and accept them and be saved (Matt. 7:13&14), because they wish to enter through the easy and wide gate. I hope you can hear what is written.
God Bless you
In Love
Dave Scarpino