----------------------
We thoroughly discuss impressions here.
-----------------
Yesterday in part 1 I'd (sic) examined the fact that women for generations now have been taught from so-called Bible teachers and book & devotional authors that we hear directly from God. Whether these revelations or direct contacts are in the form of whispers, prompts, visions, impressions on our heart, ‘told me,’ or audibly, we've been taught that it's supposed to be normal to have a relationship full of lively, direct communication.
I'd said (sic) no, that is not the normal method of communication from God, He speaks from the Bible and the Bible alone. (Go back and read her part 1. She indeed asserted there that He speaks from the Bible and the Bible alone, but she did not demonstrate it from the Bible in that article, nor will she demonstrate it here.
It is upon this undocumented premise the rest of her presentation rests.)
Now that begs the question, how does the Spirit lead us? He dwells within us. He's in our bodies. He transforms our mind. He convicts of sin. He illuminates the scriptures to our mind, and He leads us on our sanctifying walk. There IS some form of direct communication from God to us, (She concedes her whole case.)
Now that begs the question, how does the Spirit lead us? He dwells within us. He's in our bodies. He transforms our mind. He convicts of sin. He illuminates the scriptures to our mind, and He leads us on our sanctifying walk. There IS some form of direct communication from God to us, (She concedes her whole case.)
but do we feel it? Know it at the time? Respond to it consciously?
One verse in particular comes to mind, Romans 8:14, where it says so.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
Now, the Holy Spirit does guide us and convict us and teach us and help us but not in a way we know at the time. (We don't know at the time that the Holy Spirit is guiding, convicting, or teaching? Does the author have a Bible verse that tells us this?)
You might look afterwards and say, gee, that sure was from the Lord. But at the time, we cannot, must not, rely on feelings, prompts, whispers, inclinations, or imaginations, and attribute them to God. (None of this is documented or referenced.)
One verse in particular comes to mind, Romans 8:14, where it says so.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
Now, the Holy Spirit does guide us and convict us and teach us and help us but not in a way we know at the time. (We don't know at the time that the Holy Spirit is guiding, convicting, or teaching? Does the author have a Bible verse that tells us this?)
You might look afterwards and say, gee, that sure was from the Lord. But at the time, we cannot, must not, rely on feelings, prompts, whispers, inclinations, or imaginations, and attribute them to God. (None of this is documented or referenced.)
That is dangerous because the flesh is at war with the Spirit. (The author takes a leap of logic. She attributes feelings and prompts to the flesh without justification.)
One can never really know if it's the flesh or not. (Yes, we can. The Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, the discernment of the brethren, and the the kind of fruit it bears.)
We are commanded not to obey the flesh, but to slay it. (Mt 16:24). (Whoa. First she says we can't know if it's the flesh, then she says we are not to obey the flesh, we slay it. But how can we do this if we don't know if it's the flesh or not?
Adding insult to injury, the author then misapplies her proof text. Let's quote it:
Mt. 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
This verse is not talking about the flesh, or slaying it. Placing Jesus first in one's life and subjugating one's self is not specifically a matter of the flesh.
If the author wanted an appropriate verse for this point, Rom. 8:4, Gal. 5:16, or Col. 2:11 would have been better choices.
Last point: The author's phraseology is curious. She leaves us dangling as to what it means to slay the flesh. Paul gives us a concise answer in Rom. 8:13, right before Rom. 8:14, which is the verse she quoted a few paragraphs ago:
Ro. 8:13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live...
It is by the power of the Holy Spirit in us the flesh is put to death.)
Just because these celebrity women teach that if the feeling is persistent long enough it must be God, something Beth Moore explicitly taught, is ridiculous on the face of it. (The author again does not turn to the Bible to explain why this might be wrong.)
The flesh is persistent. Very persistent.
Priscilla Shirer teaches in her book "Discerning the Voice of God" that our primary problem is that we're not listening. I don't think Paul was listening when God made Himself heard. I don't think Amos was listening when he heard the voice of God, he was just picking figs and shepherding his sheep. When God wanted to say something he made Himself heard. He has that ability, you know. (The author seems to think that God making Himself heard is synonymous to listening to God.)
Shirer says we have to restrain ourselves "so we can hear the Spirit's whisper".
(Ps. 4:4 In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.
Ps. 37:7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him...
Ps. 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God...
Is. 32:17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence for ever.
Zec. 2:13 Be still before the LORD, all mankind...
Hk. 2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.
Zep. 1:7 Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near.)
With these women, God never speaks, (Luke 9:35), thunders (2 Samuel 22:14), resounds (Psalm 18:13), or roars (Revelation 1:15). With these supposed revelations you would think God has only one speaking mode and one volume, the much-mentioned whisper. (Have any of the women the author cites denied that God can speak these other ways?)
The flesh is persistent. Very persistent.
Priscilla Shirer teaches in her book "Discerning the Voice of God" that our primary problem is that we're not listening. I don't think Paul was listening when God made Himself heard. I don't think Amos was listening when he heard the voice of God, he was just picking figs and shepherding his sheep. When God wanted to say something he made Himself heard. He has that ability, you know. (The author seems to think that God making Himself heard is synonymous to listening to God.)
Shirer says we have to restrain ourselves "so we can hear the Spirit's whisper".
(Ps. 4:4 In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.
Ps. 37:7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him...
Ps. 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God...
Is. 32:17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence for ever.
Zec. 2:13 Be still before the LORD, all mankind...
Hk. 2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.
Zep. 1:7 Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near.)
With these women, God never speaks, (Luke 9:35), thunders (2 Samuel 22:14), resounds (Psalm 18:13), or roars (Revelation 1:15). With these supposed revelations you would think God has only one speaking mode and one volume, the much-mentioned whisper. (Have any of the women the author cites denied that God can speak these other ways?)
It's also mysticism and divination to follow promptings and attribute them to God. (Unsupported assertion.)
How can we interpret? (The Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, the discernment of the brethren, and the the kind of fruit it bears.)
How can we measure this prompting against the Bible? We can't. (The Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, the discernment of the brethren, and the the kind of fruit it bears.)
So while the Spirit leads, His main ministry is to point to Jesus, who is the Word. John 16:14. (Let's quote the larger passage:
Jn. 16:13-15 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
We will let the dear reader decide how much violence the author's assertion makes to the context of the passage.)
That's why a good teacher also points to the Word, which is more sure. (2 Peter 1:19). (Again we quote the larger passage:
2Pe. 1:16-19 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Peter speaks of being an eye witness to certain events, and how he and others heard the voice from heaven. Then he says that the word of the prophets is made more certain. What made the words of the prophets more certain? The things they witnessed!
They did not follow stories, they were eyewitnesses. That validated and confirmed the prophets of old.
They did not follow stories, they were eyewitnesses. That validated and confirmed the prophets of old.
This passage says nothing about good teachers or pointing to the Bible.)
Notice this: John and James saw the transfigured Jesus in Matthew 17. They heard the voice of God above. They were stunned at this experience. Then immediately after in Matthew 18 they wanted to know who was greatest. By Matthew 20 they'd gotten their mother involved to settle the argument and to request to sit at His right and left hand. They actually had heard directly from God, and yet their flesh reared up immediately and polluted the experience with pride. (Something that never happens in any other situation, like, say, after reading the Bible?)
So how can we be sure our promptings and whispers etcetera aren't polluted with pride? We cannot. (The Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, the discernment of the brethren, and the the kind of fruit it bears.)
That is why Peter who was also there at the transfiguration, said the word is more sure. (2 Peter 1:19).
Here is John MacArthur on the Romans verse 8:14, with a very simple explanation of the Spirit's leading:
How does He lead us? Two ways. Externally, by the Scripture – externally, by the Scripture, Psalm 119:18: "Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from Your law." Show me the truth of Scripture. Externally by Scripture, internally by sanctification. Those two ways. Externally, Scripture; internally, sanctification. (Dr. MacArthur does no better than the author. He asserts there are two ways to be led by the Spirit, but does not quote any verses that tell us this.
The Holy Spirit's leading is much more than sanctification:
Ro. 8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Ro. 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Ro. 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
1Co. 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
Ga. 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Ga. 5:25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Ep. 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
Ep. 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being...
Therefore, there's no need for a teacher such as Moore or Shirer or Bill Hybels to teach an extra-biblical process (The Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, the discernment of the brethren, and the the kind of fruit it bears.)
for figuring out if the prompting is imagination or not.
Sinclair Ferguson at Ligonier Ministries has a good take on leading by the Spirit, which concurs with MacArthur's in terms of the main leading of the Spirit being illumination of the scriptures. Remember, the point of the Spirit's ministry is to point to Christ - who is the Word. (John 16:14, 1 John 4:2).
Spirit of Light, by Sinclair Ferguson
Why, then, are Christians today—in contrast to their fathers—so thirsty to experience immediate revelation from God, when His desire for us is the ongoing work of the Spirit opening up our understanding through the mediated revelation of the New Testament? (Undocumented assertion.)
There seem to be three reasons:
1. It is more exciting to have direct revelation rather than Bible revelation. It seems more "spiritual," more "divine." (Undocumented assertion.)
2. For many people, it feels much more authoritative to be able to say, “God has revealed this to me” than to say, “The Bible tells me so.” (Undocumented assertion.)
3. Direct revelation relieves us of the need for painstaking Bible study and careful consideration of Christian doctrine in order to know the will of God. In comparison to immediate revelation, Bible study seems—to be frank—boring. (Undocumented assertion.)
Lest we be brow-beaten and develop a kind of siege mentality as Reformed Christians, here are some things we should bear in mind about the work of illumination:
This is the divine method that produces authentic Christian growth, because it involves the renewal (not the abeyance) of the mind (Rom. 12:2) and it is progressive (it takes time and demands the obedience of our wills). Sometimes God does things quickly. But His ordinary way is to work slowly and surely to make us progressively more like our Lord Jesus.
The result of the Spirit working with the Word of God to illumine and transform our thinking is the development of a godly instinct that operates in sometimes surprising ways. The revelation of Scripture becomes, in a well-taught, Spirit-illumined believer, so much a part of his or her mindset that the will of God frequently seems to become instinctively and even immediately clear—just as whether a piece of music is well or badly played is immediately obvious to a well-disciplined musician. It is this kind of spiritual exercise that creates discernment (see Heb. 5:11–14).
In other words, the Spirit leads us by slowly conforming us to Christ-likeness through the application and illumination of the word in us. (Undocumented assertion.)
Now, is there such thing as impressions or promptings? Ferguson below then Phil Johnson below that, explain...yes...and no. (Now comes some hairsplitting...)
Ferguson from the Ligonier article above:
Here the late John Murray spoke with great wisdom: "As we are the subjects of this illumination and are responsive to it, and as the Holy Spirit is operative in us to the doing of God’s will, we shall have feelings, impressions, convictions, urges, inhibitions, impulses, burdens, resolutions. Illumination and direction by the Spirit through the Word of God will focus themselves in our consciousness in these ways". (Collected Writings, I, p. 188).
Again, it's through the Word. (So impressions are from God? And they reveal things to us? But... they're not prophetic?)
Phil Johnson, Shepherds Conference 2002, "Super Seminar: Private Revelations"
Now, does the Spirit of God ever move our hearts and impress us with specific duties or callings? Certainly. (He concedes the argument.)
1. It is more exciting to have direct revelation rather than Bible revelation. It seems more "spiritual," more "divine." (Undocumented assertion.)
This is the divine method that produces authentic Christian growth, because it involves the renewal (not the abeyance) of the mind (Rom. 12:2) and it is progressive (it takes time and demands the obedience of our wills). Sometimes God does things quickly. But His ordinary way is to work slowly and surely to make us progressively more like our Lord Jesus.
The result of the Spirit working with the Word of God to illumine and transform our thinking is the development of a godly instinct that operates in sometimes surprising ways. The revelation of Scripture becomes, in a well-taught, Spirit-illumined believer, so much a part of his or her mindset that the will of God frequently seems to become instinctively and even immediately clear—just as whether a piece of music is well or badly played is immediately obvious to a well-disciplined musician. It is this kind of spiritual exercise that creates discernment (see Heb. 5:11–14).
In other words, the Spirit leads us by slowly conforming us to Christ-likeness through the application and illumination of the word in us. (Undocumented assertion.)
Ferguson from the Ligonier article above:
Well-meaning Christians sometimes mistake the Spirit's work of illumination (φωτίζω, I light up, illumine, I bring to light, make evident, reveal.)
for revelation, (ἀποκάλυψις, εως, ἡ, an unveiling, uncovering, revealing, revelation.)
which, unhappily, can lead to serious theological confusion and potentially unhappy practical consequences. But the doctrine of illumination also helps us explain some of the more mysterious elements in our experience without having to resort to the claim that we have the gift of revelation and prophecy.
Here the late John Murray spoke with great wisdom: "As we are the subjects of this illumination and are responsive to it, and as the Holy Spirit is operative in us to the doing of God’s will, we shall have feelings, impressions, convictions, urges, inhibitions, impulses, burdens, resolutions. Illumination and direction by the Spirit through the Word of God will focus themselves in our consciousness in these ways". (Collected Writings, I, p. 188).
Again, it's through the Word. (So impressions are from God? And they reveal things to us? But... they're not prophetic?)
Phil Johnson, Shepherds Conference 2002, "Super Seminar: Private Revelations"
Now, does the Spirit of God ever move our hearts and impress us with specific duties or callings? Certainly. (He concedes the argument.)
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. (So many assertions, and not a single one documented or referenced.)
It is simpler and more direct to say something like "My husband and I decided to adopt 3 children" rather than "The Spirit led us to the adoption agency." It's more honest to say, "We decided to purchase the organ for the church because we adhere to the biblical principle of cheerfully giving" than to say "We felt led by the Spirit to drive down Main Street where we saw the organ store and God clearly told us to buy it."
In other places Johnson has said it's better just to say "I decided to minister to my friend because she came to my mind and I decided to go to her..." rather than attribute any specific prompting to the Spirit...because we can't know for sure. Ministry is deciding things anyway. In scripture you see the Apostles just deciding to go here or there or do such & such. Providence is God's taking our decisions and making them to our God and His plan.
Luke 1:3 decided to write the Gospel,
Acts 11:29 decided to help the brethren in Judea,
Acts 19:21 decided to go to Jerusalem
Acts 15:22 decided to send men to Antioch,
2 Corinthians 9:7 deciding what or how much to give
They knew the Spirit was leading them, but they made decisions that seemed good to them. (Um, impressions?)
Think about this…to what ever degree you seek private messages from God outside His Word, you have abandoned the principle of Sola Scriptura. (So many assertions, and not a single one documented or referenced.)
It is simpler and more direct to say something like "My husband and I decided to adopt 3 children" rather than "The Spirit led us to the adoption agency." It's more honest to say, "We decided to purchase the organ for the church because we adhere to the biblical principle of cheerfully giving" than to say "We felt led by the Spirit to drive down Main Street where we saw the organ store and God clearly told us to buy it."
In other places Johnson has said it's better just to say "I decided to minister to my friend because she came to my mind and I decided to go to her..." rather than attribute any specific prompting to the Spirit...because we can't know for sure. Ministry is deciding things anyway. In scripture you see the Apostles just deciding to go here or there or do such & such. Providence is God's taking our decisions and making them to our God and His plan.
Luke 1:3 decided to write the Gospel,
Acts 11:29 decided to help the brethren in Judea,
Acts 19:21 decided to go to Jerusalem
Acts 15:22 decided to send men to Antioch,
2 Corinthians 9:7 deciding what or how much to give
They knew the Spirit was leading them, but they made decisions that seemed good to them. (Um, impressions?)
It's a mystery how we decide to go here or there or reach out to that one or this one, and also God foreordains it, its providence's outworking.
The Spirit leads us into sanctification, where we gradually and inexorably conform to Jesus' likeness, not by having Him specifically give us explicit directions for certain actions at any given time. But what a joy to know He does lead us, and providentially conforms our actions and decisions to His plan!
Spurgeon on impressions: Here is Nathan Busenitz at The Cripplegate unraveling that one:
"Spurgeon, Impressions, and Prophecy"
Phil Johnson, sermon Providence IS Remarkable
But how do we understand that inner sense, especially when God seems to use it to prompt us to pray, or to witness, or to duck and run at exactly the right moment? Because, let’s be honest, that kind of thing does happen to most of us from time to time. (Revelation.)
The Spirit leads us into sanctification, where we gradually and inexorably conform to Jesus' likeness, not by having Him specifically give us explicit directions for certain actions at any given time. But what a joy to know He does lead us, and providentially conforms our actions and decisions to His plan!
Spurgeon on impressions: Here is Nathan Busenitz at The Cripplegate unraveling that one:
"Spurgeon, Impressions, and Prophecy"
Phil Johnson, sermon Providence IS Remarkable
But how do we understand that inner sense, especially when God seems to use it to prompt us to pray, or to witness, or to duck and run at exactly the right moment? Because, let’s be honest, that kind of thing does happen to most of us from time to time. (Revelation.)
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 nothing more. It is a remarkable providence, not a prophecy. (Why not? Please, explain something, anything!)
As I've been saying, God ultimately controls and uses everything providentially. And here’s the problem. That is as true of my sins as it is of the thoughts in my head. God can and does use them all for His good 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.
(A wholly disappointing explanation, absent documentation of any kind. But in actual fact, this is what we have come to expect from the author.)
No comments:
Post a Comment