A Bunch of Red Flags
Monday, July 22, 2024
“It would be better for many professors if instead of following their own devices and cutting out new paths of thought for themselves, they would inquire for the good old ways of God's own truth and beseech the Holy Ghost to give them sanctified understandings and teachable spirits.” – C.H. Spurgeon
I don’t know about you, but I see a bunch of “red flags” whenever I hear someone start a sentence with the words, “God told me…” Simply put, it is far too easy to infer that God is revealing something directly to us when, in many cases, it is really our own desires inadvertently putting words in God’s mouth.
For instance, I once knew a woman who held a deep-seated grudge against someone else that had festered for many years. Since she was a professing Christian, I asked her why she hadn’t already forgiven the person that hurt her. “Because God told me that it was OK not to forgive her,” was her completely unbiblical reply.
I tried reasoning with the lady by saying that God would never – and will never – tell you something that contradicts or violates His Word. Alas, she doubled-down on her insistence that God was making a special exemption in her case.
My friend, God has given us every bit of knowledge and insight that we need about His character and how to best know, serve, and obey Him in the 66 canonical books of the Bible. IMHO, there is no need for any further revelation. Until we have mastered a complete knowledge of – and complete obedience to – His Word, then we shouldn’t be looking anywhere else to get our marching orders.
That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t minister to (and direct) our spirit through His Holy Spirit. Nor does it mean that if we have a legitimate question or require some godly guidance that we shouldn’t ask Him for help (see James 1:5-8). However, when we do, He is far more apt to point us back to a particular Scripture passage than to reveal some kind of new teaching.
As John MacArthur says, “We need less ‘God told me’ and more ‘Thus sayeth the Lord.’”
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJV)
- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President
