Are there prophets today (in fewer than 500 words)? - by Clint Archer

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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I was asked this question in an e-mail. I’m notoriously long-winded (perhaps you’ve noticed). But I am trying to be more concise (please say you’ve noticed). I get asked this question a lot, and I wanted a pithy reply I can cut-and-paste in the future. So I am crowd-sourcing the CGate readers for assistance. This reply is 414 words. Is there anything I should add or replace to make the answer tighter and more helpful? (Well, we're happy to put our two cents in.)

Please use the comments feature to help a brother out. (Also, if you don’t agree at all with my answer, you can try to convince me in 500 words or less!)

The short answer is: no, there are no prophets today, if what you mean by “prophet” is a person who supplies new revelation from God. (Um, no. That is not what Scripture describes for the gift of prophecy in the church. 

1Co. 12:7-11: Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 

8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

1Co. 14:3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. 

1Co. 14:26 What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.

Do you see the author's definition anywhere in these?)

Some churches in history (e.g. the American and British Puritans in the 1500s) referred to their pastors and preachers as prophets, but they only preached what was in the Bible. Today in the Charismatic movement, which started in California and moved all over USA, Canada, and now the whole world, there is a belief that God is giving new revelation again through prophets. But this is an error.

In the Bible…

1. prophets were commissioned by God or Jesus directly, or through an angel (see Jeremiah, Isaiah, Moses, John the Baptist, Paul, the 12 Apostles, etc.) (Was Agabus? Philip's four daughters?)

2. prophets were considered infallible, and authoritative, meaning you had to obey their prophecy and it was always 100% without error. (This is false. Paul disobeyed Agabus. And in the Last Days we prophesy in part [1Co. 13:9], because we only see a poor reflection in the mirror [1Co. 13:12], and we only know in part [1Co. 13:12].)

3. prophets were able to prove their commission from God by doing miracles or other supernatural proof furnished by God. (Read the Scriptures we provided again. Do you see any of these three criteria in those Scriptures? 

It would certainly be helpful if the author supplied scriptural documentation of his assertions, but he does not. In fact, all three assertions are false.

We deal with some of these here.)

What we see today in the Charismatic movement is self-appointed, oft-mistaken people who cannot do miracles or furnish any evidence of their commission.

There will be two prophets in the last days, they will be able to do unfakeable miracles to prove their genuineness (Rev 11:3-12). (Interesting that the author introduces these two prophets, for he and other cessationists have laid the groundwork to reject their ministry. If we are really to believe cessationists' teaching, then there can be no other outcome. These two will be genuine prophetic voices, but just as Jesus was rejected in spite of his many miraculous deeds, so will the two prophets of Revelation.)

But until then there are no prophets because we have the full revelation of God in the Bible. (What is the author talking about? No one wants to add to the Bible. Prophecy doesn't add to the Bible. 

And in fact his claim is spectacularly false. We do not have the full revelation of God in the Bible. That isn't possible, let alone Scriptural:

Jn. 21:25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

The author is wrong.)

  

Everything we need to know about Jesus and his teachings is found in the Scripture we already have.

Hebrews 1:1-2 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son… (Hmm. Where are the Scriptures or the canon mentioned? We analyze this Scripture here.)

2 Pet 1:18-21 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (Hmm. Where does it say that the Bible is all we need now? We analyze this Scripture here, and in more detail here.)

And the last book of the Bible ends with these words…

Rev 22:18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. (Since no one is adding to "this book," We wonder why this Scripture is mentioned. We analyze this Scripture here.)

I hope this helps! (No, not at all.)