Theology

Dear Theologus: 2

No one I know is more helpful in exposing the fraud of extra-biblical revelation than you are. As a satisfied recipient of your excellent journal, I applaud your denunciation of any and all revelation that claims to supplant Scripture, or add to it. Your teachings disarm those latter-day “prophets” who try to foist their “new revelations” on God’s people.

But unless I have misread you, you seem to be suggesting that personal guidance of any kind is in the same category as these false revelations. Otherwise why would you give your own experience of deception such a prominent part in the essay? The fact that you once thought you heard from God when you did not—and that with grievous results—proves precisely nothing. Thousands of others claim to have heard from God with opposite results. Are you saying that in every case they were deceived as you were?

As I read your latest essay, I realized that your opposition to personal guidance and personal revelation may be partly based on the general Reformed bias against such things, but mainly on your own traumatic experience of deception. But if the failure of one person is evidence against personal guidance, why would not the patent success of countless others be evidence for it? For each example of false guidance you can cite, I can cite a hundred testimonies of real guidance. Have you forgotten the wholesome adage that says: Abusus non tollit usum? The abuse of a thing does not invalidate its proper use? The existence of bogus and counterfeit spiritual experiences says nothing against authentic spiritual experiences.

The numerous examples of personal guidance in Acts have no bearing one way or the other on whether or not Christ has given us the final form of God’s will. When the Holy Spirit sent Phillip to the eunuch and Ananias to Saul, this did not diminish the finality of authoritative revelation. Likewise, existence of a complete Bible or New Testament does not diminish the need for ongoing guidance from God. Scripture cannot give a saint specific wisdom about (say) where to go to college, or whom to marry, or which text to take for Sunday’s sermon. Do you deny that Christians regularly receive such guidance?

The New Testament was formed somewhat like the Old. The prophets enforced the covenant of Moses and measured everything by that; but they also added to the canon. And when it was closed, it was closed. Similarly the New Testament represents the Word of Christ, delivered by Him to the apostles and “once for all” delivered to the Church through the apostles and the prophets. When it was done, it was done. On that we are agreed; and thank you again for stressing that so forcibly.

Christ is the absolute final authority; we are to listen only to Him. But Christ sent the Holy Spirit to guide the Church into all truth. And on what basis do we say that this guidance ended with the apostles? Would we affirm with certainty that the Holy Spirit had no part in the Reformation and in the early Church councils?

But I’m not concerned with that question. I’m only contending for one thing: That the testimonies of millions, who say they have received timely warnings, heard the call to preach, gotten “a word in season,” had revelatory dreams, and the like, are not unlawful threats to the finality of Scripture.

Scripture is comprehensive and complete. But it does not furnish the wisdom, guidance, or insight that tells us whether to take this road rather than another. What does it mean to be led by the Spirit? Are you saying that it can only mean to be led by the Bible? That cannot be true.

I too have drawn back from the Charismatics and Pentecostals, having observed a lack of holiness, scriptural soundness, and good sense. Wesley’s “experimental religion” has in many cases degenerated into wild subjectivism and heresy. But Wesley himself, who warned against the same thing you warn against, led a very supernatural life, replete with answered prayers, miraculous deliverances, and clear, personal guidance. He wisely abandoned his early practice of casting lots, but recorded hundreds of examples of supernatural phenomena which you say do not occur.

The Reformers were right to rebel against the sentimental, unbiblical miracles characteristic of Medieval Catholic piety. But they went too far in their reaction against supernatural experiences, as (I believe) you may have done. The intransigence of Reformed professors on this matter has robbed their people of a precious boon—the daily fellowship, guidance, and manifestation of spiritual reality. And the best of Reformed pastors--for example Richard Baxter--witnessed regularly instances of supernatural religion in their lives and ministries. I realize these are deep and troubled waters, but avoiding this dimension of the Christian walk because it is susceptible to fraud seems much like burying one’s talent to me.

This is not a subject capable of clear scriptural proof either way. But the Bible nowhere suggests or states that guidance through dreams, visions, impressions, words of knowledge, words of wisdom, and intuitions would cease. I find no biblical reason to deny the myriad testimonies by seasoned saints of every stamp based on the scriptures you expound.

A salutary caution against excess, against deception, against what our fathers referred to as “enthusiasm” is necessary and welcome. But for you to suggest that the revelatory dreams, the personal signs, the private “fleeces,” words of wisdom and knowledge, the nudges and intuitions that fill up the pages of Christian biography are all deception is simply unacceptable.

Finally, while your arguments in this essay are quite helpful in showing that Christ alone can set the boundaries of God’s will for all people. they prove nothing against the daily blessing of hearing from God. I’m sorry for the disastrous deception you experienced. I have “misheard” from God as well, as (I suppose) has every Christian who seeks guidance from God. But I, and millions of Christians, have known the blessed comfort of “hearing from God” for ourselves and for others. Do not deny such a blessing to your people, I beg you.