I have a real problem with people that say, "Thus sayest the Lord..." Never heard anybody say that?
(Stick around here a while.)
But I think you have. How many people have you heard say, "The Holy Spirit has told me..."? The Holy Spirit is God!
And when someone goes out and says, "The Holy Spirit says..." You're saying, "Thus sayest the Lord..." or even "God has revealed this to me."
Now, how serious is that? Very serious indeed. And the seriousness of it depends more or less on what it is the Holy Spirit is supposed to be saying.
In some of the charismatic churches that I have been in I have heard more than once, "The Lord says..."
I didn't see anybody taking notes.
I didn't see anybody taping it or filming it. Isn’t this is God talking!
Is it really that common that no one needs to write it down or keep track of it?
Now perhaps the word given is simply an exhortation or reminder of what's already been written in the Bible.
I guess I have no reason to condemn that. But the scriptures have laid out guidelines for pastors and teachers to give us that information, (1 Cor. 12:28-31), so I puzzle at the displays.
Brother Joe stands up at the worship service and says, "Thus sayest the Lord. Get your life right."
That's great. I agree with the statement. But why would the Holy Spirit need Brother Joe to stand up and do that when the Holy Spirit's sword is the Word Of God. Not Brother Joe or us.
The statement would be best summed up in Galatians 6:7-8
Galatians 6:7-8
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
"Well. God is just using Brother Joe in a mighty way to convey His Word to us."
I don't see why this is "better" than the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul.
I don't see why the message is now superior because it was conveyed through someone in your church to the written words handed down through the ages by scores of believers trained by the written words.
But this is not as dangerous as some of the other words said in the name of the Holy Spirit.
"Thus sayest the Lord. You will be healed."
"Thus sayest the Lord. You will be rich."
"Thus sayest the Lord. This ministry will prosper."
Yes, God heals people today.
Yes, God prospers people.
But sometimes He doesn't. And when you stand up and say that He will do this or that and it turns out He doesn't.... Guess what? You're in big trouble!
Deuteronomy 18:20-22
20 "But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.'
21 “You may say in your heart, "How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?'
22 “When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.
We can not live our lives as Christians going by what somebody says in our church services (or in internet forums).
I don't care if they're a pastor or a teacher or even an apostle!
Acts 17:11
Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
We absolutely have to have a reference point by which to judge whether this is from God or not. And this reference point is a book! The Bible.
I have a real hard time with Christians that don't read the Bible.
Or know what it says in the Bible.
1 Peter 2:2
like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
Where's the thirst? Where's the craving for the Word of God?
I'm sorry but I'm highly skeptical of someone’s claim to be empowered by the Holy Spirit and know so little about the Word of God.
Ephesians 6:17
And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
People standing up in church with a "word of knowledge" is not the Sword of the Holy Spirit.
YOU are not the Sword of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is not the Sword of the Spirit.
The scriptures are. (Eph. 6:17)
You can't be useful to the cause of Christ with your sword in it's sheath. (Nice Bible cover with Velcro straps but pristine white pages that've never been seen.)
We need to be in that book. Cover to cover.
Read it all the way through. Read it again.
When can you stop? NEVER!
Study the contexts. Analyse the Greek and Hebrew.
Pull it apart and chew the marrow out of it's bones! We need to be referring to commentaries by Godly teachers. (AFTER you've studied and meditated and tried to figure it out yourself.) People gifted by God with the gift of teaching. Which ones? Most of them! Read what they have to say. Compare it. Dissect it. Agree or disagree with what they say. Your Bible should be in tatters!
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.
9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
KNOW THAT BOOK!
You got something better to do?
So... This is the context and the only motivation I have for arguing against doctrines and teaching that I see as clearly in opposition with the teaching of scripture.
Take it any way you like but it's offered in love from a brother.
The Bible is the only thing we require to teach us how to live our lives as Christians. And the Holy Spirit trains us with this Word.
(Stick around here a while.)
But I think you have. How many people have you heard say, "The Holy Spirit has told me..."? The Holy Spirit is God!
And when someone goes out and says, "The Holy Spirit says..." You're saying, "Thus sayest the Lord..." or even "God has revealed this to me."
Now, how serious is that? Very serious indeed. And the seriousness of it depends more or less on what it is the Holy Spirit is supposed to be saying.
In some of the charismatic churches that I have been in I have heard more than once, "The Lord says..."
I didn't see anybody taking notes.
I didn't see anybody taping it or filming it. Isn’t this is God talking!
Is it really that common that no one needs to write it down or keep track of it?
Now perhaps the word given is simply an exhortation or reminder of what's already been written in the Bible.
I guess I have no reason to condemn that. But the scriptures have laid out guidelines for pastors and teachers to give us that information, (1 Cor. 12:28-31), so I puzzle at the displays.
Brother Joe stands up at the worship service and says, "Thus sayest the Lord. Get your life right."
That's great. I agree with the statement. But why would the Holy Spirit need Brother Joe to stand up and do that when the Holy Spirit's sword is the Word Of God. Not Brother Joe or us.
The statement would be best summed up in Galatians 6:7-8
Galatians 6:7-8
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
"Well. God is just using Brother Joe in a mighty way to convey His Word to us."
I don't see why this is "better" than the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul.
I don't see why the message is now superior because it was conveyed through someone in your church to the written words handed down through the ages by scores of believers trained by the written words.
But this is not as dangerous as some of the other words said in the name of the Holy Spirit.
"Thus sayest the Lord. You will be healed."
"Thus sayest the Lord. You will be rich."
"Thus sayest the Lord. This ministry will prosper."
Yes, God heals people today.
Yes, God prospers people.
But sometimes He doesn't. And when you stand up and say that He will do this or that and it turns out He doesn't.... Guess what? You're in big trouble!
Deuteronomy 18:20-22
20 "But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.'
21 “You may say in your heart, "How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?'
22 “When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.
We can not live our lives as Christians going by what somebody says in our church services (or in internet forums).
I don't care if they're a pastor or a teacher or even an apostle!
Acts 17:11
Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
We absolutely have to have a reference point by which to judge whether this is from God or not. And this reference point is a book! The Bible.
I have a real hard time with Christians that don't read the Bible.
Or know what it says in the Bible.
1 Peter 2:2
like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
Where's the thirst? Where's the craving for the Word of God?
I'm sorry but I'm highly skeptical of someone’s claim to be empowered by the Holy Spirit and know so little about the Word of God.
Ephesians 6:17
And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
People standing up in church with a "word of knowledge" is not the Sword of the Holy Spirit.
YOU are not the Sword of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is not the Sword of the Spirit.
The scriptures are. (Eph. 6:17)
You can't be useful to the cause of Christ with your sword in it's sheath. (Nice Bible cover with Velcro straps but pristine white pages that've never been seen.)
We need to be in that book. Cover to cover.
Read it all the way through. Read it again.
When can you stop? NEVER!
Study the contexts. Analyse the Greek and Hebrew.
Pull it apart and chew the marrow out of it's bones! We need to be referring to commentaries by Godly teachers. (AFTER you've studied and meditated and tried to figure it out yourself.) People gifted by God with the gift of teaching. Which ones? Most of them! Read what they have to say. Compare it. Dissect it. Agree or disagree with what they say. Your Bible should be in tatters!
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.
9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
KNOW THAT BOOK!
You got something better to do?
So... This is the context and the only motivation I have for arguing against doctrines and teaching that I see as clearly in opposition with the teaching of scripture.
Take it any way you like but it's offered in love from a brother.
The Bible is the only thing we require to teach us how to live our lives as Christians. And the Holy Spirit trains us with this Word.
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