Holy Spirt and the Complete Revelation.

 

1.    Spirit REVEALED the word …

2.    Word is the SWORD of the Spirit …

3.    Problem today, is that the WORD is NOT considered the final say of God -- on ANY subject.!

 

Scripture:

1.    God always intended that his revelation be preserved in written form --

Ex. 24:4 - "Moses then wrote down all the words of the Lord"

Deut. 28:69: - "These are the words of the covenant which the Lord ordered Moses to make with the Israelites"

Deut. 31:26 - Moses book was preserved in the ark of the covenant

Josh. 24:25-26

25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

26 Then Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the Lord.

1Sam. 10:25

25 Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

Isa. 8:1

Moreover the Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll, and write on it with a man’s pen concerning Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.

Isa 30:8

8 Now go, write it before them on a tablet,

And note it on a scroll,

That it may be for time to come,

Forever and ever:

Dan 9:2 - had  a collection of THE BOOKS -  Moses THROUGH Jeremiah

2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

HENCE - Jesus & NT writers refered to what THE SCRIPTURES said over 90 times.

Paul wrote - so we would understand HIS inspired understanding - Eph. 3:

What Paul wrote was 'the commandments of the Lord' - 1 Cor. 14:37;

Peter wrote that we would have such in writing AFTER he died - 2 Pet. 1:12-15

 

2.    The NEW COVENANT was revealed to CERTAIN people --

a.     While it is FOR all -- it was revealed THROUGH only a few!

b.    Eph. 3:3-5

c.     Heb. 2:3-4

 

 

 

3.    The completeness promised -  John 14:26

26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

 

John 16: 13 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

 

4.    The completeness seen in text.

Jude 3 - contend earnestly for THE faith ONCE for all delivered to the saints

2 Pet. 1:3 -- all things that pertain to life and godliness …

2 Tim. 3:15-17

 

5.    The completeness seen in its abilities …  what the word does…

·        Furnishes unto EVERY good work - 2 Tim. 3:15-17

·        Produce FAITH - John 20:30-31, Rom. 10:17;

·        Have Fellowship with apostles / Christ - 1 John 1:3-4

 

HISTORY:

1.    Early church fathers and controversies --

a.     The list of accepted books ….

b.    Montanus -  2nd century heretic from Phrygia -- 'prophet sent to reform church'.

1.    Believed was 'inspired' by HS in all of his teachings

2.    2 'prophetesses' were the instruments for the spread of Montanism

 

Hippolytus: --  They have been deceived by two females, Priscilla and Maximilla by name, whom they hold to be prophetesses, asserting that into them the Paraclete spirit entered…. They magnify these females above the Apostles and every gift of Grace, so that some of them go so far as to say that in them there is something more than Christ…. They introduce novelties in the form of fasts and feasts, abstinences and diets of radishes, giving these females as their authority.  (cited by Henry Bettenson, ed., Documents of the Christian Church (London: Oxford, 1963, 77.)

 

C.    Catholicism and its 'traditions' …

1.    At first, were 'apostolic' traditions that were not written down, but were passed on through 'the church' .

2.    When began teaching things that could not be shown to actually be a 'tradition' (were in effect STARTING a NEW 'apostolic' tradition'… developed the idea of 'DEVELOPMENT'.

a.     The BASIC doctrine was taught by the apostles, but it is now developed by the leading of the HS upon the 'church' ..

b.    Like a 'pony' and a 'horse' -- is the same animal at different stages.

c.     Hence, the Bible and apostolic traditions are just 'baby stages' of the final doctrines to be understood.

d.    They are in fact so different, that one cannot tell they are the same animal EXCEPT the RC church tells us so!!!

 

3.    HENCE THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION

a.     Martin Luther --

       Here it is, plain and unvarnished. Unless I am convicted of error by the testimony of Scriptures or … by manifest reasoning I stand convicted by theScriptures to which I have appealed, and my conscience is taken captive by God's Word, I cannot and will not recant anything…. On this I take my stand. I can do no other. God Help me. Amen.

 

4.    The age old concept of the completeness of the scriptures was the basis of this reformation.  Again, it was based upon the same platform as the ancient church fathers against the various heretics….   EVEN SO TODAY ---

 

Mormonism --

"Do ye ot suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety? Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God… and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me."  (Book of Mormon, Alma 5:45-46.

 

"We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc….,  7th article of faith,  cp James E. Talmage, The Articles of Faith

 

Christian Science and Mary Baker Eddy

"I should blush to write of 'Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures' as I have, were it of human origin, and were I, apart from God, its author. But, as I was only a scribe echoing the harmonies of heaven in divine metaphysics, I cannot be super-modest in my estimate of the Christian Science textbook."  Mary Baker Eddy, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany (Boston: First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1941,  115.

 

"Because it is not a human philosophy but a divine revelation, the divinity-based reason and logic of Christian Science necessarily separates it from all other systems." The Christian Science Journal, July 1975,  362

 

Jehovah's Witness

 

"The Watchtower is a magazine without equal on earth…. This is not giving any credit to the magazine publishers, but is due to the great Author of the Bible with its truths and prophecies, and who now interprets its prophecies." (i.e., through the pages of the Watchtower magazine!)   Watchtower, April 15, 1943,  127

 

World Wide Church of God

 

Herbert W. got his start through a new revelation from Mrs. Armstrong, who had a vision in which an angel laid out the entire system for her. She told here husband, and a new cult was born!

 

 

Sun Myung Moon -- 'messiah' from Korea

Claims he is a divine messenger from God, he has the ultimate truth,  not from the Bible. In fact, if his 'truth' contradicts the Bible (and it does), then the Bible is WRONG.

 

Charismatics --

a.     Believe that the same miracles of the Spirit are being done through various charasimatic leaders today.

b.    If miracles, than also 'prophecy' and 'inspired teaching' …

c.     Time does not allow to document and show all the 'The Lord spoke to me' teachings of these Pentecostals!  Such is the claim of all the TV preachers and the leaders of this Charismatic movement …

d.    HENCE -- they ALL make claims of the Spirit speaking to them .. teaching them things that are NOT found in the scripture -- and that in fact often contradict the scripture!

 

MOST AMERICANS

 

a.     "Spiritual" people like Oprah -- who is in touch with here spiritual side and consideres herself not only spiritual but a messenger for such spirituality …

1.    lives an openly adulterous relationship.

2.    Openly condemns anyone condemning homosexuality ..

 

b.    New age -- getting in touch with SELF -- the inner guiding of God …

 

Christian Church …

 

Taken from one of the DOC lists on the internet.
"The written code is only a guide, some have stated; and, rightfully so. They sort of act like training wheels on a bicycle. When we have developed the skills and ability through usage, the training wheels are no longer
needed. So it is with us as Christians. As new born babes, we really do need the guidance of a written law. The 'Thus saith the Lord'. As we mature, we become developed in doing good and begin to discern more readily, what is 'good' for our neighbor. As we grow in grace and LOVE, we discard the training wheels. Not because they are no good; but, because we have developed in our ability to do good without the restrictions of a written code." end of
quote.

US --

The concept that the Spirit is needed for us to understand that which the HOLY SPIRIT 'revealed' …  we need a 'revelation' to understand 'the revelation'.   The Catholics claim we need the 'teaching magisterium' of the 'RC church' to 'divinely' interpret what has been divinely revealed in the word … don't see much difference except we have become our OWN 'divine teaching magisterium'.

 

CONCLUSION

1.    To the law and the prophets --

2.    Contend for THE FAITH …  Jude 3

3.    2 Tim. 3:15-17, 

4.    1 John 4 --  try the spirits,,   HOW?   What should we use as the 'trying stick' ? 

5.    'BUT NOW ITS DIFFERENT'????