God Spoke to Me…

by Charles E. Murray

Recently, while in a hospital waiting area, I thumbed through a magazine that featured an article by David Ring. Mr. Ring is a victim of MS a crippling disease that affects speech and other physical abilities. Mr. Ring is well known in religious circles and is a very popular speaker as he gives his testimony about how God is using him to preach.

In the article I read, Mr. Ring mentioned several times that "God spoke to me…"

This claim of a personal word from God is not peculiar to Mr. Ring. Many religionists lay claim to having a special relationship with God in which they frequently receive special messages and instructions from God.

Some claim that God speaks to them directly; others that God appears in the form of an angel; or that God in some other sensational or extra-ordinary way, speaks to them.

Two questions immediately demand an answer as we examine these claims. "Does God speak to man today?", and if He does, "How does God speak to man today?"

The first question., "Does God speak to man today?" can be answered with an emphatic "YES." Probably, very few believers in God would deny this answer. God has communicated with man from the very beginning of time. In fact, the inspired writer to the Hebrew Christians expressed it like this: "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe." (Heb 1:1-2, NIV)

We will notice in this passage the fact that in the past God spoke to man through the prophets and in many different and various ways. God spoke directly to Adam and Eve in the Garden and He spoke to Moses and Abraham and others directly. God also in times past employed angels as His messengers to man. God sometimes used the media of dreams through which He conversed with man.

The real consideration of this study, however, is "How does God speak to man today?" Does He still use the same methods He used in times past? In the context of the above passage, it is obvious that the writer is contrasting the "past" with "in these last days," and shows that God speaks in a different way today than He did in the past.

If David Ring, (and others who make the same claim) , is correct, then this passage is not correct. If there is no difference in the way God speaks to man today, then this passage is meaningless. David Ring's claim that God speaks to him is no different than Joseph Smith (the founder of Mormonism) who claimed that the Book of Mormon is the result of God speaking or Mary Baker Eddy (founder of Christian Science) who made the claim that God spoke to her also.

This question hinges on what is known as "continued revelation." Does God continue to speak to man today, as He did in times past, or has God given one final message to all men alike?

There is a basic problem with the claim of continued revelation. Many religions today are founded upon the claim of continued revelation. Roman Catholicism claims that God speaks through the Pope. Some Pentecostals claim that God speaks to them through "unknown" tongues." Many lay claim to having received "modern prophecy" from God who gives them the knowledge of future events. The problem with "continued revelation" is that it is contradictory. Joseph Smith received a different word from God than Mary Baker Eddy. The Pope receives a different revelation than either Smith or Eddy and David Ring (and others) received yet another set of instructions from God. Do you see the problem here? The Pope claims that all religions except Catholicism are false religions. Mormons claim that they have the exclusive truth. Christian Scientists claim that all others are wrong except what they believe God spoke to their founder. Does God give conflicting revelations to man? Does God speak one thing to one man (or woman) and then give someone else a contradictory word? These are just a few of the many problems that exist if "continued revelation" is valid.

Paul wrote that God would "have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim 2:4, KJV). For all men to come to the knowledge of truth, they would all have to receive the same truth, would they not? Yet, Joseph Smith did not receive the same truth? as Mary Eddy. David Ring did not receive the same truth? as the Pope. For all men to come to the same knowledge of truth, there must be only ONE revelation of truth to man today!

In the Hebrew passage in chapter one, verse two, the writer says that God "in these last days has spoken to us by His Son…" There is only one revelation of Truth to man today and that is by the Son of God. This Son of God, in His prayer to the Father said, "Sanctify them through truth, Thy word is truth" (John 17:17). The "word" referred to by Jesus is the revelation of God through the Bible. God's Word is the only truth by which He speaks to man today.

Jesus promised His apostles that He would send to them a Helper, or Comforter, after His death and ascension who would be the "spirit of truth" (John 14: 16,17). This spirit of truth would "teach [them] all things and bring to [their] remembrance all things that [Christ] said to them" (John 14:26). This helper or spirit of truth also would "testify" of Christ (John 15:26). Furthermore, Christ promised that this spirit of truth would guide them into all truth (John 16: 13).

This is what the Hebrew writer meant in 1:2 when he said that God speaks today through His Son. The Son sent the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Truth) to the apostles who received the final revelation from God and were guided by the Spirit as they penned the words of the New Testament. Paul informed us that he received his knowledge through revelation and when we read what he wrote, we can have his knowledge (Ephesians 3: 3,4). This written word was given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and is the way God speaks today. If God is no respecter of persons as Peter claims (Acts 10: 34), all men must receive the same revelation. Smith cannot receive a different revelation than Eddy received. Ring cannot receive a different revelation than the Pope. All men must receive the very same truth in order for God not to be a respecter of persons.

All men can have the very same revelation when they read the message that God has revealed in the New Testament. This revelation is referred to as the "perfect law of liberty" (James 1:25). Jude tells us that this word was "once and for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). Paul told us to "study" (KJV) so that we can "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). This word of Truth is "given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

Friend, if God's revelation is an on-going occurrence, all of the above passages are in error. When something is complete, you cannot add anything without marring that perfection. If the law of God is perfect, delivered once and for all, and will make a man perfect (complete), nothing else is needed. Any other revelation takes away from the perfection of the written revelation.

God, through the inspired Paul, warned, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!" (Gal 1:8-9, NIV).

God says we are not to listen to an angel or an apostle or anyone who preaches a different gospel than the one revealed in the New Testament. To do so is to be accursed.

Jesus said that "the word that I have spoken will judge [us] in the last day" (John 12:48). Which word will judge us? The word Joseph Smith claims he received? The word Mary Eddy claims she received? Or the word the Pope or David Ring claims they received? Which revelation will judge us?

If we are honest, we will realize that the New Testament, the word that Jesus spoke to the apostles by the Holy Spirit is the word that is going to judge us. God cannot be just if He is going to judge us by one standard, His Word, and then give different words to different people.

Does God speak to man today? Yes, He speaks to us by His Son. How does God speak by His Son? By the New Testament, God's final, complete and last revelation to man, the revelation that will judge us in the last day.

Friend, have you believed and obeyed this revelation or are you listening to the claims of men?

Remember, "You shall know the truth and the truth will make you free" (John 8:32).