Letter to the editor: Montana AG should accurately represent Constitution - by Dan Purcell

Found here. Our comments in bold.
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This letter writer gets enough correct that it leads us in to think he has something to offer. Then he veers off into leftism.

He wants us to think he values the Constitution, but he actually values an interpretation of the Constitution. But he doesn't even get that interpretation right.

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Repositioning an Insurrection: How Republicans Could Transform January 6 into a Day of Triumph - By David Gumpert

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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This is craziness from beginning to end. The author employs every leftist rhetorical device he can think of to equate Trump with Hitler, finding connections where none exist, making outlandish assertions backed by no evidence at all, and constructing scenarios that can only be described as the product of a fevered imagination.

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Prophecy Speculation for the Umpteenth Time - BY GARY DEMAR

Found here. An interesting article, which ties into the direction of our own doctrinal rethink about the end times.

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If someone burps in the Middle East, the end-time speculators come out of the woodwork and claim that this time it’s the end. People said the end was near more than 100 years ago when Europe went to war, and 51 years ago when Hal Lindsey wrote The Late Great Planet Earth, and 20 years ago when the Sabbath Millennium was said to start.

The rapture and the antichrist have once again taken center stage. What is past is said to be in our near future. Just wait, this time it’s going to happen just like Jesus said it would.

After I repeatedly pointed out on a few Facebook pages that no verse says the church will not be taken to heaven in something called “the rapture” (see my book The Rapture and the Fig Tree Generation) before, during, or after years and that the specifically defined antichrists (1 John 2:22; 4:3; John 2:7) were alive in John’s day as evidence of soon to occur prophetic event (1 John 2:18), I was called a false teacher and a heretic.

Does Prayer Change God’s Mind? - by R.C. Sproul

Found here. Our comments in bold. 

How does one explain the Bible without quoting it? It's truly astonishing that a Bible teacher can write nearly a dozen paragraphs in explanation of an important doctrinal stance, but can only manage to quote a couple of short snippets of Scripture. 

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How not to do church leadership (Or, ministry just doesn't happen)

We have been pursuing our Doctrinal Rethink for some time now. In the process of engaging it we have begun to question certain beliefs, church structures, and practices of the western church. Too often we have discovered unbiblical doctrines and activities. This causes us concern.

Why do churches do what they do? What is the biblical basis of church leadership structure? Why do certain traditions get entrenched? How did we arrive at our doctrines?

Today we are going to consider how churches are organized. 

Introduction

Churches and denominations create structures, procedures, and ministries in pursuit of their goals and vision. Every church or denomination has a different approach to this, based on what their reading of the Bible is, what their traditions are, and how much the denominational upper hierarchy dictates the way things are to be done.

Guest column: The Montana Legislature’s power grab should inspire all into action - By Abby Sophir

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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The author is an extreme leftist who belongs to an extreme leftist "advocacy group," Forward Montana. The staff seems to consist of nothing more than a bunch of 20-somethings who describe themselves in the manner of 7th graders: 

Angie can be found sitting cross-legged in their chair or laying on the floor while they figure out how to make cute graphics that gets people excited about democracy!

Kenzie can be found making reliably undignified facial expressions during Zoom calls and happily wrangling a small but mighty herd of interns.

This is apparently how a leftist community organizer organization attracts young volunteers, by being hip and with it. But the disarming nature of these statements should not deceive us into thinking this group is innocent fun. They're hardcore leftists.

We also suspect that Forward Montana is a front group for Soros-like billionaire operators, as well as youth-connected local leftist groups. In addition, Governor Bullock's COVID relief fund sent them $75,000 (!)  They spent $40,000 of it on political advertising. 

In a manner similar to its website, the below article comes across as innocuous and largely absent the incendiary rhetoric usually employed by leftists. It is carefully crafted to appeal to as many people as possible. One must read between the lines to discern the actual message being offered, and that message is boilerplate cultural marxism dressed up in language about equality and human rights.

Lastly, we will read about the "losses" they experienced in this last legislature. What this means is the status quo was defended against the onslaught of leftist classism, which for them means no "progress" was made. That is, no change really means regression. So if their radical agenda does not progress, it is a step backward.

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The Totality of Christ - A Teaching From Matthew's Gospel - by Rev. Anthony Wade

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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The irascible and incendiary Rev. Wade is back after a long break.  He first came to our attention about four years ago, and we soon discovered that his hyperbolic rhetoric justified him getting his own label in our blog. Further, he has often qualified for the label "scorched earth rhetoric" as well, a rare feat.

Rev. Wade is never a Bible teacher, despite him calling his screeds "devotionals." He is ordinarily devoted to impugning "NAR" pastors, often with insulting and disrespectful characterizations, sometimes in the most egregious manner.  His politics are Left, yet he seems to have no difficulty getting published in so-called "discernment ministries."

Today's post is a first. Rev. Wade devotes a devotional to an actual devotional topic, and surprisingly quotes Scripture. Let's see how he does in this "teaching".

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How Do I Know I Will Persevere? - by William Lane Craig

Excerpted from here. Some food for thought concerning the idea of "once saved, always saved."
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I think that the New Testament teaches that regenerate Christians can fall away and lose their salvation. So I don’t agree... that Christians who for some reason or another fall away from the faith “were never saved in the first place.” On the contrary, I think that they were saved but by apostatizing have forfeited salvation. Just think about the warning given by the author of Hebrews against apostasy:

For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt. (Hebrews 6.4-6)

It seems clear that he is describing here a genuine, regenerate Christian, not some unregenerate, counterfeit Christian. The danger of apostasy is very real and needs to be taken seriously by every true Christian.

Now this doctrine might seem at first blush to rob us of our assurance of salvation. But the opposite is true. I recall my theology professor Clark Pinnock once remarking that if Hebrews 6.4-6 could be a description of an unregenerate person, then what assurance can any of us have of being regenerate? As your letter so poignantly illustrates, the person who thinks that such a description could fit an unregenerate person on his way to hell may be hag-ridden with doubt that he is truly saved, despite his living and confident faith. By contrast, you can be assured that you are saved on the basis of the witness of the Holy Spirit with your spirit that you are a child of God (Romans 8.15-17).

On the same basis, you can be confident that you will never “discover some argument/fact that destroys [your] faith.” Even if you encounter objections or defeaters of your Christian belief that you cannot yourself in turn defeat, the witness of the Holy Spirit is an intrinsic defeater-defeater that simply overwhelms the defeaters brought against Christian belief by exceeding them in warrant.

Thus, no one will apostatize because of intellectual difficulties with the Christian faith. Rather the real enemy you have to fear is sin. Sin can lead us to fall away from the living God (Hebrews 3.12). So we have to guard against sin and daily rely upon the Holy Spirit to fill and empower us. I’m sorry to disappoint you, Bob, but there is no “100%-I-will-never-lose-it kind of faith.” Peter thought he had that kind of faith: “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away!” (Matthew 26.33). Look where it got him. By contrast Paul didn’t have that kind of faith. He wanted to know Christ

that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature be thus minded (Philippians 3.11-15).

We should not, like Peter, have a presumptuous faith that we shall never fall, but rather be like Paul, trusting Christ daily for the power to persevere.

Fortunately, Scripture gives us advice on how to persevere. II Peter 1.5-11 exhorts us,

For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for IF YOU DO THIS YOU WILL NEVER FALL; so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Cultivating these godly virtues in your life will be the best insurance of your perseverance to the end.

Matt Maher’s and Matt Redman’s Doctrineless Ecumenical Alliance - By REFORMATION CHARLOTTE

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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For some reason Jeff Maples (the author of this article) does not identify himself on the byline. Perhaps it's not necessary, since we recognize his slash and burn rhetoric.

Once we finish cutting through his hyperbolic outrage, we are left with a couple of obvious questions to ask: Is it possible for Catholics to be Christian? That is, are there saved people in the Catholic church?

These are key questions, to which Mr. Maples would reply no. But of course this is knowledge he cannot possess. But he thinks he does, based on a standard of doctrinal correctness. His Doctrine.

In the below article Mr. Maples will link to another article he wrote as a reference, where he lists the Catholic church's transgressions:

• they reject Jesus as wholly sufficient for the remission of their sins. 
• they practice idolatry regularly, through the... physical body and blood of what they believe to be Jesus, 
• They practice idolatry through the veneration of Mary and the Saints 
• They reject the fellowship of a true, local church that teaches and exposits the Scriptures authoritatively. 
• they practice idolatry by putting their faith in their man-made organization, hierarchical priest system, and sacraments for their salvation.

We would agree with Mr. Maples that some of the doctrines of the Catholic church are problematic. But the doctrines of the Catholic church do not speak to the saved status of any Catholic. Nor do these doctrines speak to Matt Maher's salvation. Nor do Mr. Maples' doctrines speak to his own salvation. The highly refined, correct doctrines of a person are not an indicator of salvation.

So we have finally arrived at today's article, that because Matt Maher isn't saved, collaboration isn't allowed. Matt Redman is violating Scripture by making music with Matt Maher. Of course, Matt Redman isn't saved either, so it's all false ecumenical drivel anyway. 

Mr. Maples knows. Yes, one thing Mr. Maples is sure about, and will shout from the highest rooftops: Neither of these men are saved. Let the whole world hear that Mr. Maples knows things only God knows.

By the way, our intent is not to defend Matt Maher or Matt Redman, but rather to examine Mr. Maples' presentation.

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If the Training Recommends Murder, the Training Is Clearly Wrong - by Nathan J. Robinson

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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The typically loquacious Mr. Robinson expends 2808 words in a vain attempt to establish that police are being trained to murder when they could be trained to disable. This is a false choice, and one of the elements is not even true. Police are not being trained to murder. It is not murder for a police officer to use deadly force against a person who is about to commit murder.

Mr. Robinson will be happy to show us videos of other knife-wielding suspects being successfully disarmed by police, but for some reason he does not provide us a link to the Ma’Khia Bryant incident. None of these videos he provides show a person about to stab another person to death.

In typical leftist fashion Mr. Robinson second guesses the split second decision to kill Ms. Bryant. These leftists are armchair quarterbacking a coulda-shoulda, as if these situations can be micromanaged by bureaucrats in cubicles. But there cannot be a procedure where the officer checks off each step at the scene before acting. In actual fact, highly trained police officers react on both instinct and experience, and 99% of the time they make a good decision, or in this case, the best decision in an impossible situation.

This is not to say there aren't bad officers or bad decisions. But to lump all police killings into the "murder" category is anti-intellectual. 

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Scandal to End All Scandals: John MacArthur Owns a Nice Watch - by Publisher

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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**Update*** Protestia, completely unaware of it own irony, again blasts Furtick for his watch, having previously defended John MacArthur for his watch.

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The same website that routinely blasts pastors for owning expensive assets excuses John MacArthur because they like him and don't like these other pastors. That's the sole reason. Rather than deplore their own irony, Protestia celebrates and embraces it. "Yup, we criticize those charismaniacs because they're evil and heretical, but MacArthur is a class guy and gets a pass."

In fact, the very next day Protestia posted another article blasting Steve Furtick for wearing a more expensive watch. So because MacArthur's watch is cheaper at $5000, that's just fine.  He's ok because his doctrine is pure.

As if this isn't bad enough, the smug pomposity of Protestia is exactly the way leftists engage. Leftists are happy to accuse, belittle, impugn, and desecrate, then walk away completely convinced of their own moral superiority while doing the very same thing they accuse others of.

Blissfully unaware of their own hate, hypocrisy, and intellectual bankruptcy, Protestia doubles and triples down, unflinchingly pushing their incendiary rhetoric and false doctrines, thinking they're doing their readers a favor. They are happy to rate Christians for being the worst ever, they want every charismatic to die of COVID, and they don't even balk at calling Christians imbeciles and morons.

And notice below how they address one of their critics. They get real personal real fast, accusing her of hating men, being woke, having hairy armpits, hen-pecking, muckraking, covetousness, and hate-blogging. But Protestia never quotes her, never refutes here, never explains why one person having an expensive watch, while simultaneously criticizing prosperity preachers, is superior to a prosperity preacher having an expensive watch.

Protestia isn't a Christian website. It's slash-and-burn polemics, fueled by hate and informed by the enemy. Avoid it at all costs.

By the way, we should note that we are not defending Furtick or his exorbitant tastes.

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God Told me, part 3 and 4: What’s the difference between hearing audible voices and claims that God “spoke to my heart?” - by Elizabeth Prata

Found here. Our comments in bold.
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Ms. Prata continues her dive into doctrines she knows nothing about, ostensibly to teach us why the Bible doesn't tell us what it tells us.

We combined part one and two here. 

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I’m presenting a series of essays and podcasts that scripturally rebut the notion that God is still speaking to people individually today. (Yes, yes, let's hear the Scriptural case. But today's article doesn't quote a single relevant Scripture. Ms. Prata throws in a couple of irrelevant Scriptures at the very end, but spends the entire article making claim after claim after claim without proof or documentation of any kind.)

Despite the glut of people, many of them women Bible teachers, who claim He speaks to them, dispenses life advice, or just whispers sweet assurances all day long, He is not speaking now.

Now, for the past two parts in this series, I have been firm on the notion that God is not speaking to individuals today. I looked at where the Bible says He is not, (Ms. Prata was unable to produce a Scripture that says this.)

at why He is not, and if this voice is not from God, then who is speaking? Today I want to look at the difference between God speaking audibly to people versus the Spirit’s inner work of sanctification, versus intuition and promptings.

4. What is the difference between hearing audible voices and claims that God “spoke to your heart?”

God speaking to my heart, or as often heard, “God laid it on my heart” is another shorthand like “God told me.” But it’s often an unwitting shorthand for a true doctrine- the doctrine of Providence. Just because God is not speaking directly to us today, does not mean He isn’t working in our lives. He is. How? Providentially. God is at work personally and intimately in each and every thing that happens on earth and in each person’s life, even if He isn’t telling us His business directly and even when He isn’t personally answering life questions like where to get a job or who to marry. God speaking today is not a question of His voice and how to hear it, but a question of HOW He works in our lives. We can read the definition of providence from Phil Johnson, 

Providence is God’s continuous involvement with his creation whereby he preserves and governs all his creatures (from the greatest to the least)—so that in accord with his perfect will and design, he sovereignly orders everything he has made to accomplish everything he intends for his own glory. (Source) (We critiqued this here. Mr. Johnson was barely able to quote Scripture in over 9000 words.

Now comes a long and undocumented explanation of what intuition is. No biblical principle will be invoked, no Scripture will be referenced, and no exposition of truth will be undertaken.)

Phil Johnson then goes on to speak about our intuition. It’s a tricky business to attribute our hunches and intuitions to God speaking to us directly, He doesn’t, but it IS true that He is working in our lives. We just cannot say that since an intuition turned out to be correct that it was direct revelation that prompted us. Phil Johnson goes on to explain.

[W]hat about those rare occasions when our intuition proves correct? Something we dreamed about seems to correspond to something in real life? A sense of foreboding motivates us to change plans, and it turns out to be a good thing?

Most of us have had experiences like that. Everyone has unexplained thoughts that seem to leap from nowhere into the mind. Most people likewise have hunches and instincts. Sometimes you just feel like you know a thing is true, but you can’t give an account for how you arrived at that knowledge rationally.

But how do we understand that inner sense, especially when God seems to use it to prompt us to pray, or witness, or duck and run at precisely the right moment? Because let’s be honest: that kind of thing does happen to most of us from time to time.

Here’s the point: I do believe that God might providentially use a spontaneous thought in my head to accomplish something wonderful. But that’s what it is, and no more. It’s a remarkable providence, not a prophecy. As I have been saying, God ultimately controls and uses everything providentially.
Here’s the problem: that’s as true of my sins as it is of the thoughts in my head. God can and does use them all for His own purposes. The fact that He uses an idea in my mind to achieve some good purpose doesn’t make the idea itself inspired. It also doesn’t make a bad idea good, just because God uses it for good.

Now, think this through with me: Since intuition is fallible—and almost everyone agrees that it is actually far more often wrong than right—we shouldn’t make much of it. Furthermore, since intuition is fallible, it cannot be considered “revelation,” even when it happens to be uncannily right in an instance or two. And if one or two of your guesses happen to prove accurate alongside a gaggle of dozens of failed prognostications, you should still be wary of granting your premonitions the status of a supernatural “spiritual gift.”

People who think moments of intuition are God speaking with a private message invariably become extremely superstitious. They foolishly order their lives by their feelings. They commit the sin of trusting too much in their own hearts.

Now, the ‘God spoke to my heart’ phrase could just be a casual shorthand for someone saying, “I have read the pertinent Bible passages and I now have a settled conviction that my decision to do X is consistent with God’s will.” But usually that is NOT what people mean when they say it.

Usually people mean it as a shorthand way of saying “God spoke to me and this is what He said I must do.” The latter is a way to escape accountability for their decisions.

Assigning to God the catalyst for your personal life decisions is a dangerous thing because it puts words in His mouth He didn’t say and pridefully indicates you know God’s mind at any given moment.

Phil Johnson, Shepherds Conference 2002, “Super Seminar: Private Revelations” said-

Now, does the Spirit of God ever move our hearts and impress us with specific duties or callings? Certainly. But, even in doing that, He works through the Word of God. Experiences like this, impressions and all, are not in any sense prophetic or authoritative except as they echo what the Word already says. They are not revelation. Those sensations, those impressions, those feelings you get are not revelation, but they are the effect of illumination. When the Holy Spirit applies the Word to our hearts, and opens our spiritual eyes to His truth. And, we need to guard carefully against allowing our experiences and our own subjective thoughts and imaginations to eclipse the authority and the certainty of the more sure Word of God. This is a very practical application of the principle of Sola Scriptura. Think about this…to what ever degree you seek private messages from God outside His Word, you have abandoned the principle of Sola Scriptura.

Part of decision making is trust- trusting God, trusting that He is in control of our lives, and trusting providential out-workings from our decisions. You will not ruin His plan if you make a life-decision. So go ahead and turn left instead of right, marry that person, go to the college you want to go to, take the job in another city. As long as you are adhering to the general, biblical principles outlined in the Bible, you can safely fill in the blanks with your own decisions. God knows how to merge our decisions with His fore-ordained plan.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:6)

Judas decided freely in his own will to steal from the purse, to betray Jesus, to reject His miracles. Yet all was consistent with foreordained scriptures and was fulfilled exactly. God maintains that balance and we don’t have to know how.

In 2006 I decided to move to Georgia. I could have decided on Columbus Ohio, Honolulu Hawaii, or Anchorage Alaska, and it would have been the same. He established me in a church, found me a job, knit some friends into my life, gave me a dwelling place, and continued to sanctify me.

The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all. (Psalm 103:19)

God does speak to our heart, because the Spirit dwells in us and transforms the evil desires of our heart to holy desires of God. But we can’t and don’t know at any given moment that this particular idea or thought is God’s. What we do know is that Romans 8:28 is true:

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28).

(And this woman fancies herself a Bible teacher.)


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Now for part 4. Finally Ms. Prata manages to crack open her Bible and produce some relevant Scriptures.
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Question: I’ve heard Christian women claim “voices from God” promised them a large following, or popular ministry, or a specific calling. How does this go against what’s written in God’s word? And should we avoid their “ministries?”

Answer: Because that is what satan promises. The first time we hear satan speak in the Bible he is making false promises that raise up sin in Eve; sins of the pride of life, sin of the flesh, covetousness of the world. That is what satan promises. When God speaks in His word, is it about Himself (see Job) it is about His redemptive Plan or about sin & holiness (see the Prophets) it is of His law (see Moses), it is about His Son (see John the Baptist). And so on. He doesn’t speak to us about our daily needs and wants. He just says trust me to give you clothes and food, and as for the rest, He says in Proverbs 3:6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Peter did have a large following but what Jesus told Peter was that he would be crucified. Paul became renowned not only in his time but ever after, but what God told Paul was that he must suffer for the sake of His name in every city, first, without telling him of the fame and adulation to come in succeeding epochs. Job was restored double what he lost but God didn’t tell him that ahead of time, instead the communication Job received was a majestic rebuke starting in chapter 38. John & James asked for fame/exaltation, but what they received was a warning that the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

When God spoke to His people or Jesus to His disciples, it was not to tell Mary Magdalene that she’d marry Aaron down the street or revealed to Peter his career prospects or the woman at the well to go on a play date with him at the zoo (as Beth Moore Claims Jesus said to her). Even saying this sounds silly when we substitute the names of the biblical characters but many women go around saying these stupid things and more. Avoid all ministers that are founded on, teach, or accept direct revelation.

In fact, Charles Spurgeon, the noted preacher from the 1800s, called people who claim direct revelation variously, hypocrites or maniacs, Semi-lunatics, madcaps, idiots, and their messages stupid.

I don’t advise being as harsh or direct as Spurgeon, but we can refer ladies to two verses in the Bible that show that the Lord takes seriously adding to His words. One is from the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 4:2, “You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” (If this Scripture means what Ms. Prata thinks it means, then how did we get the writings of the prophets? How did we get Proverbs and Psalms? They were all written after this admonition from Deuteronomy and added to the Scripture.)

And we read in the New Testament in Revelation 22:18-19 where the Bible is closed out with this warning,

“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.” (The gift of prophecy does not add to the Bible.)

God often commanded Jeremiah to warn against false and lying prophets. He says here in Jeremiah 29:23,

because they acted foolishly in Israel, and committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and falsely spoke words in My name which I did not command them. I am He who knows, and a witness,” declares the LORD.’”

God is holy and guards His holiness. When people attribute words to Him He did not say, these are lies, and the false revelator is including the Trinitarian God in his lie. Spurgeon said, 

"If you feel your tongue itch to talk nonsense, trace it to the devil, not to the Spirit of God. Whatever is to be revealed by the Spirit to any of us is in the word of God already— he adds nothing to the Bible, and never will. Let persons who have revelations of this, that, and the other, go to bed and wake up in their senses. I only wish they would follow the advice, and no longer insult the Holy Ghost by laying their nonsense at his door.”

Yes, avoid any ministry from any man or woman who claims to have heard directly from God. He or she is leading you away from the word of God as written in the Bible, and bringing you down a primrose path of lies, and eventually judgment. The Jeremiah verse above promises death to false prophets and their example of judgment a curse on those tho (sic) tread in their direction. Commentator Matthew Henry says of the Jeremiah verse,

" Jeremiah foretells judgments upon the false prophets, who deceived the Jews in Babylon. Lying was bad; lying to the people of the Lord, to delude them into a false hope, was worse; but pretending to rest their own lies upon the God of truth, was worst of all."

God took the time to reveal to us what He wants us to know, and took the care to preserve that word for all time. He sent His Son Jesus to speak that word as THE WORD to His sinful people. 1 John 5 says

I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

You can trust the written word of God as all sufficient. It should be enough.

‘God Told Me’ , part 1 and 2: What is it? And does God speak audibly today? - by Elizabeth Prata

Found here. Part two below. 

Our comments in bold.

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(...)

1. What is the “God told me” religion?

It is a conviction that God is still personally speaking to people today, that He delivers new revelation, that He guides in personal, individual life matters such as where to go to college, what job to take, or who to marry. It is the general notion that He speaks to His people directly today, outside of scripture.

But He doesn’t. The 1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 1 number 1 says no, and offers the following scriptures-

(2 Timothy 3:15-17; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:29, 31; Ephesians 2:20; Romans 1:19-21; Romans 2:14,15; Psalms 19:1-3; Hebrews 1:1; Proverbs 22:19-21; Romans 15:4; 2 Peter 1:19,20).

(We will quote the provided texts, since Ms. Prata seems unwilling. However, we need to note that the OT texts were delivered in the context of active prophets in the old covenant. They have nothing to do with the new covenant. This means it isn't possible for those texts to speak to whether or not God gives contemporary revelation.