Introduction: I am answering in general the concept brought up with the comments on my last posting on hell. I will just say that experientially; we are living out in the Spirit the truths in scripture. In that sense we all shall be "taught by God" ( John 6:45).
In the N.T. there were events such as the famine predicted by Agabus; and words of knowledge such as the man who grabbed Paul and said in such a manner he would be taken away if he went to Jerusalem. In these two cases certain actions would determine the outcome; namely preparation of the Saints in the first example; and choosing to go to death if needed by Paul. We all must have some personal relationship with the Lord not just know about Him; or even just believe in all the proper doctrines. I will be the first to say here that ANY experience which clearly contradicts scripture cannot be taken as valid.
However; there are many cases where I have seen the Lord work in dreams and visions; such as my former Pastor who told me from missionaries he knew personally on the field that in one case EVERY single person who was being reached in an Islamic nation for Christ had had some sort of dream or vision of Christ. Such is also the case on literature that I have read from the 1950's as to more "charismatic" or signs and wonder gifts. In the Tribulation there clearly will be the Joel 2 events again with dreams and visions; not to mention all the miracles by the two prophets as well as warnings of judgment to come.
I have personally seen someone delivered of a demon who was given a Word of knowledge of the name of the entity affecting hi and was subsequently successfully delivered by this person who had that insight. I consider deliverance a necessary miraculous event today; and in fact had prayed that my church would have that sort of ministry at the time.
I won't force anyone here to hold to my viewpoint; but want to adhere to scripture as best as I can see it.
We never should interpret scripture by our experience. But we can and should look at our experiences and those things happening around us based on scripture.
God is very clear about adding or taking away from the Bible in Rev. 22:18,19.
Some would argue that if what we believe we receive in a dream or a vision that does not "add" to what the Bible declares, that somehow can be from God. However, in writing the Bible God often repeats scriptural teaching and even repeats specific verses. And each time He did this God was ADDING to His Word, the Bible.
There is so much in the Bible that no one will fully understand everything in our lifetime. Why would we want to test God with and extra revelation of any kind?
The BIBLE ALONE AND IN ITS ENTIRETY is the ONLY Word of God.
Introduction: I am answering in general the concept brought up with the comments on my last posting on hell. I will just say that experientially; we are living out in the Spirit the truths in scripture. In that sense we all shall be "taught by God" ( John 6:45).
In the N.T. there were events such as the famine predicted by Agabus; and words of knowledge such as the man who grabbed Paul and said in such a manner he would be taken away if he went to Jerusalem. In these two cases certain actions would determine the outcome; namely preparation of the Saints in the first example; and choosing to go to death if needed by Paul. We all must have some personal relationship with the Lord not just know about Him; or even just believe in all the proper doctrines. I will be the first to say here that ANY experience which clearly contradicts scripture cannot be taken as valid.
However; there are many cases where I have seen the Lord work in dreams and visions; such as my former Pastor who told me from missionaries he knew personally on the field that in one case EVERY single person who was being reached in an Islamic nation for Christ had had some sort of dream or vision of Christ. Such is also the case on literature that I have read from the 1950's as to more "charismatic" or signs and wonder gifts. In the Tribulation there clearly will be the Joel 2 events again with dreams and visions; not to mention all the miracles by the two prophets as well as warnings of judgment to come.
I have personally seen someone delivered of a demon who was given a Word of knowledge of the name of the entity affecting hi and was subsequently successfully delivered by this person who had that insight. I consider deliverance a necessary miraculous event today; and in fact had prayed that my church would have that sort of ministry at the time.
I won't force anyone here to hold to my viewpoint; but want to adhere to scripture as best as I can see it.
This is not an incidental or academic question.
We never should interpret scripture by our experience. But we can and should look at our experiences and those things happening around us based on scripture.
God is very clear about adding or taking away from the Bible in Rev. 22:18,19.
Some would argue that if what we believe we receive in a dream or a vision that does not "add" to what the Bible declares, that somehow can be from God. However, in writing the Bible God often repeats scriptural teaching and even repeats specific verses. And each time He did this God was ADDING to His Word, the Bible.
There is so much in the Bible that no one will fully understand everything in our lifetime. Why would we want to test God with and extra revelation of any kind?
The BIBLE ALONE AND IN ITS ENTIRETY is the ONLY Word of God.
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