Does God speak to people today? The claim that God directly speaks to some individuals today is being frequently made by a growing number of people from various faith groups. The most trustworthy litmus test for this claim is found in the Bible, rightly divided (2Timothy 2:15). Below is a sampling of biblical accounts where God did speak directly to individuals:
>Genesis 1:28: "And God blessed them (Adam and Eve), and God said unto them...,"
> Exodus 3:14: "And God said unto Moses..."
> 1Kings 3:11: "And God said unto him (Solomon)..."
> 1 Chronicles 28:3: "But God said unto me (David)..."
> Jonah 4:9: "And God said to Jonah..."
> 2Cor. 12:9: "And He (God) said unto me (Paul)..."
Those of us who take issue with these claims believe that one of two things is true. We are convinced that these individuals are either sincerely wrong or they are just trying to use a convenient and authoritative source (God) to give approval to their own agenda. This is a dangerous and unprovable claim in either case. To the sincerely wrong individuals, we plead with you to study this teaching in your Bibles, rightly divided (2Tim. 2:15). Be sincere and receptive to correction like Apollos was (Acts 18:24-28). To the others we say, we believe that this claim allows any one of you to make up, out of thin air, anything you want to. Therefore, we ask the logical question, "By what means (other than the Bible) can either group prove the validity of their claims?" Are the people making these claims ignoring the several warnings throughout the Bible regarding how protective God is of His words (Deut. 4:2, 12:32; Prov. 30:5-6; Rev. 22:18-19)? Are they just stubbornly clinging to their alleged "words from God", regardless of the biblical facts? The most outrageous advocates of this claim do not want the truth about it to come to light. They fear that if the Bible truth about this teaching gets out, it will upset their comfortable and lucrative control over their followers.
In addition to the places in the Bible where God spoke to individuals directly, there are also a number of "confirmed" signs, wonders, and visions recorded in the Bible. When and where are any of these things occurring without a doubt today? When the Bible reports of these things occurring, there was no doubt that they occurred. Where is the "unquestionable evidence" that they are occurring today? Whenever any of us professing Christians rely on any of these extra-biblical things today, we are not walking by faith (2Cor.5:7). Many of us have heard someone make one or more of the following claims:
>"God told me..."
>"God gave me a vision..."
>"God gave me a revelation..."
>"I received a word from the Lord..."
>"I have a word of prophecy from the Lord..."
Once a person makes a statement like any of the above statements, the logical conclusion is that their "message from God" is as valid as any verse in the Bible. We should use the blank page(s) that many of us have in the back of our Bibles to add their "additional" words from God. After all, these words are said to be from God, right (Matt. 4:4)? In reality, these alleged "words from God" do nothing more than detract from the authority of the Bible. These claims of hearing "words from God" are in fact nothing but the extra biblical and unreliable human words of men and women, and are in no way equal to the "biblical words from God" (1Thess.2:13). Remember, God's "written word" says that today, Christians (members of the Body of Christ/ 1Cor. 12:27,15:1-4; Eph.1:12- 13) are complete in Jesus (Col. 2:8-10). Keep in mind that the Bible, the indwelling Holy Spirit and prayer covers all of the Christian's communication needs with God (Rom. 8:26-27; 2Tim.3:16-17). We Christians should beware of anyone that tells us differently. Remember also that there is such a thing as "good sounding bad doctrines" (1Cor. 11:19; 2Cor.11:3-4). Today in secular news circles, claims of fake news is causing quite an uproar. In a similar way, but with more serious consequences, fake Bible doctrines
are serious problems for unsuspecting Christians. Ungodly teachings like this one should be rejected and denounced (Eph. 5:11).