The purpose of prophecy….
Hey, thanks for responding. You ask some good questions. (Hope you enjoyed your vacation, top!)
(A) ”The purpose of prophecy today isn’t new Biblical Word or anything that is in opposition to the written Word already revealed.”
If there is no point connected with revealing and confirming Gods message (Eph3:3-4; Mark16:20) then why is it needed? What is it that we need or seek beyond Gods complete guide (2Tim3:16-17)? Does God do things without purpose?
(B) “Why do think that prophecy contradicts the word by default?”
God says He is not revealing more today beyond that completed work of revealed truth, the scriptures (1Cor13:8-13; 2Tim3:16-17). Therefore, there are no modern prophecies from God.
(C) “ Why do we think this ended? It didn’t .”
First Cor.13:8-13 describes the work of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth Jn16:13. Jesus sent Him to reveal “all truth.”. When that was completed (literally what the world “perfect” means in1Cor13, then prohoecies were to be done away. God said they would end. Should we not believe God?
Also, God says He works today compared to past times:
Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
In the past He spoke in diverse ways, directly to people through living prophets. Now that has come to an end. Now it is through Jesus.
Jesus chose apostles, through whom to give commandments, guided by the Holy Spirit Acts 1:2
Hearing them, is hearing Christ Luke 10:16
Paul said what he wrote is the command of Jesus 1Cor 14:37, so even though they are not on the earth, their fruit abides (the message) Jn15:16
Paul said those who even preach “another” gospel are cursed, even if they claimed to receive it from an angel or an apostle…. Gal1:6-9
God has expressly said that living prophets will not be how He communicates today. That is why a claim of modern prophecy contradicts the Bible.
(D) “Jesus even spoke to Saul/laterPaul and Ananias in this way…”
The word had to inititally be revealed as Jesus promised Jn16:13
When that word was revealed completely, prophecies were to end 1Cor13:8-13
The word has been written, and makes complete 2Tim3:16-17, therefore the word is given completely
Thus, the Spirit’s work has been “once for all” accomplished Jude 3, just like Christ’s sacrifice “once for all” is accomplished Heb10:10. Does Christ’s sacrifice need to be repeated? Ongoing? No. Nor does the Spirit’s work
(E) “…the life application is when you are faced with a pressing life issue where a decision has to be made. Do you tell the situation to wait while you go and study the Written word before you make even the slightest decisions? Go left go right? Go up a rickety ladder or wait? Can you possibly have time to be directly instructed by the written Word in the moment by moment decisions of your life? Do you carry a pocket Bible with you and consult it while in the heat of verbal conflict with another person? I bet you don’t.“
The scriptures make the man of God complete 2Tim3:16-17
Your argument suggests that the scriptures do not make a person complete.
I have the word written on my heart/mind . Heb 10:16
That is accomplished by reading it Eph3:3-4
I constantly also carry a pocket NT Bible with me. The armor of God is how God strengths & guides me Eph6
If I don’t know an answer while discussing, I just say so. I will have to study, look it up, find out.
after all, seek and ye shall find Mt7:7, right? All things for life and godliness are revealed in the gospel 2Pet1:3
God has all the answers.
(F) “We can be guided by the spirit of our living God within us to say what we need to say in tough conversations.“
I am guided by God’s Spirit.
He revealed the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (the gospel) Rom8:2
I read it and apply it in order to have the “mind of the Spirit” Rom8:5-8
Thus, I am led by the Spirit and the Spirit dwells in me Rom 8:9,14
(G) “We can be guided by the spirit of our living God within us to go here, do this or that or say this . Our conscience as sanctified and surrendered believers has been cleansed and we can trust it so much as we are surrendered to Christ.“
Here is a great example.
If what you assert is correct, then you have four things now that you assert the Spirit does *apart* from the scriptures… Guide, teach, sanctify and cleanse… even one thing would imply that the Scriptures are *not* complete. This would contradict 2Tim3:16-17.
Yet the Spirit says He teaches through the word 2Tim3:16-17
And cleanses through the word Jn15:3
the word sanctifies Jn17:17
the Spirit guides through truth Jn16:13
Biblically everything, literally everything, that the Spirit does is connected to the revealed word. I cannot under emphasize the clarity, Biblically, of this point. The Spirit has pointedly clarified this.
Biblically, How is the conscience cleansed? By obeying the gospel 1Pet3:21
By the way, Direct prophecy didn’t mean automatic understanding. Remember Peter received a revelation in Acts 10, and was “much perplexed” by it 10:17. He didnt understand the point and his conscience wasn’t immediately accepting of what God said 10:13-16. It wasnt until two days later that Peter understood what God revealed Acts 10:23-24, 28, 34. This is the same process with reading. We do not always immediately understand. We must think on it. Consider whether our thoughts and even our conscience are hindering us from accepting what God has revealed. Is 55:8-9
(H) “Not infallible because God is working through a flawed human who may not be fully surrendered…”
Your entire section here talks about the need to be humble and examine oneself (heart and actions) compared to… what?
The process you describe of dealing with life and examining self is RIGHT! We absolutely must be on guard against sin, and test ourselves. The key point I am aiming at is what do we use as the standard by which to examine ourselves? Personal revelation? Sanctified conscience? Something else outside of scripture? Or Scripture?
There is only one complete guide given 2Tim3:16-17. Scriptures make a man of God complete, not modern day revelations or our conscience. Scripture is what God gave to use in the very process you describe so well.
(I) “After hearing the Written word preached or taught it penetrates/ cuts us to our hearts via Holy Spirit. And to the extent we are surrendered to Christ,Holy Spirit will speak through our mouths via our sanctified/ circumcised hearts.“
The tool that the Spirit uses is the word Eph6:17
What you describe is the word PLUS an additional act of the Spirit.
This would mean that the scripture are NOT complete…. Ut 2Tim3:16-17 says they are.
(J) “…to the extent we surrender our everything to Christ we will be able to speak what Holy Spirit the Spirit of our living God wants us to say to certain individuals. Surrender is the key here and it’s an ongoing process , some call it progressive sanctification which God has invited us to as sons and daughters. We can have faith He will meet us here and guide our thoughts, emotions, actions, imagination moment by moment as we surrender our lives to Him …”
Again, everything you describe here is done through the word.
Surrender to Christ? Christ dwells in the heart through faith Eph3:17 Faith comes from the word Rom10:17
Speak as the Spirit directs? Speak as Gods word speaks 1Pet4:11
sanctification? Through the word Jn17:17
Family of God (brethren)? Through obeying truth 1Pet1:22
Faith? From the word Rom10:17
Thoights etc? Taught… made complete through the scriptures 2Tim3:16-17
Imagination? The knowledge of God cast down imaginations and high minded things Rom10:5
(K) “…speaking to Him in a 2way conversational intimacy.“
God gives us what we need, James1:17-18
Like a parent, He doesn’t give us everything we desire and feel we need. But what is actually good.
Our feelings/heart can mislead us. JER 17:9
Revealed truth is an objective standard. We can, as u described before, examine ourselves. But to properly examine ourselves, we must use the complete guide that God gave.
I know I have a relationship with my wife, but for various reasons I have had insecurities (abusive childhood). Objective knowledge has anchored me, where emotions mislead.
It is the same with God. I dont physically see or feel Him. But through the revealed Gospel, we can have objective knowledge.
Subjective emotions mislead.
God intentionally chose that man cannot find God through His own efforts & wisdom 1Cor 1:18-31
We must depend on Him, He revealed what we could never truly know otherwise.
He gave a complete guide, which we could never create.
Gods word is firm and an anchor through all the storms of life.
(L) “An outpouring of this walking with God is an action of prophetic word from one believer to another.“
You attribute this to a modern prophecy, revelation. But this, a modern revelation, would be something outside the already revealed perfect guide. 2Tim3:16-17.
People can speak truth, admonish or encourage based on what is already revealed. The *function* of what you describe can be Biblically accomplished, but that is not a supernatural event.
(continued)