i12go4God

As we navigate the complexities of life, it’s essential to develop a nuanced understanding of what is truly harmful and shameful, and what is not. Unfortunately, many people are plagued by false guilt, shame, and social stigma surrounding activities that are actually normal and beneficial. This can lead to unnecessary damage and harm, as individuals struggle to reconcile their own consciences with the expectations of others.

To begin, it’s crucial to recognize that some activities are indeed harmful and shameful. These actions can cause damage to ourselves and others, regardless of whether we personally dislike them or not. The key question to ask is: Is this activity going to damage me and/or others? If the answer is yes, then it’s likely that the activity is indeed harmful and shameful.

On the other hand, there are activities that are good or neutral, causing no harm to ourselves or others. A helpful spiritual principle to apply in these situations is to ask whether the activity violates the commands to love God and neighbor, or if it contradicts the fruits of the Spirit. If the answer is no, then it’s likely that the activity is either beneficial or neutral.

However, unnecessary damage is done to people when we take the guilt, shame, and proper revulsion that is correctly tied to harmful activities and attach it to things that are actually good or neutral. This can lead to a form of spiritualized legalism, where we stretch scripture or add to it to prooftext our personal scruples onto others. The threatened harm or shame becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and people end up struggling to fight something that is actually good for them.

As we navigate these complex issues, it’s essential to ask ourselves: Am I trying to prove a preconception I received from people I trust, or am I trying to see what the Bible actually says? This is especially important when medical science says that something is beneficial for physical or emotional wellbeing. Are we allowing our personal biases and scruples to cloud our judgment, or are we seeking to understand the truth of the matter?

Summary Conclusion

In conclusion, it’s essential to develop a nuanced understanding of what is truly harmful and shameful, and what is not. By asking the right questions and seeking to understand the truth of the matter, we can avoid unnecessary damage and harm. Let us be careful not to take the guilt, shame, and proper revulsion that is tied to harmful activities and attach it to things that are actually good or neutral. Instead, let us seek to understand the Bible’s teachings and apply them in a way that is loving, compassionate, and wise. By doing so, we can create a more supportive and inclusive environment, where people are free to flourish and grow without unnecessary guilt, shame, and social stigma.

A Challenge to Allegorizers:

Song of Songs 8:8-9 (NET)

The Belovedʼs Brothers:

8 We have a little sister,

and as yet she has no breasts.

What shall we do for our sister

on the day when she is spoken for?

9 If she is a wall,

we will build on her a battlement of silver;

but if she is a door,

we will barricade her with boards of cedar.

To those who allegorize the Song of Solomon, we issue a friendly challenge: what is the allegory of the younger sister in the last chapter ? The passage reads, “We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for? If she is a wall, we will build on her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.”

If the Song of Solomon is an allegory, what does the younger sister represent? Is she a symbol of the Church, or of the individual soul? What does the fact that she has no breasts signify? And what is the meaning of the battlement of silver and the boards of cedar?

We challenge those who allegorize the Song to provide a clear and convincing interpretation of this passage, one that is consistent with the rest of the book and with the historical and cultural context in which it was written.

Thought-Provoking Questions:

As we reflect on the Song of Solomon, we are also led to ask some deeper, more thought-provoking questions. Why would God, who is holy and pure, inspire a book of erotica and include it in the canon of Scripture? What does this say about God’s view of human relationships and intimacy? Is it possible that God values the beauty and complexity of human relationships, including the physical and emotional aspects, and wants us to approach these relationships with honesty, vulnerability, and mutual respect?

What does the inclusion of the Song of Solomon in the Bible reveal about the nature of God’s revelation? Does it suggest that God is more concerned with the hearts and intentions of humanity than with their physical actions? Or does it imply that God values the physical and emotional aspects of human relationships, and wants us to approach these relationships with reverence and respect?

How does the Song of Solomon challenge or affirm our cultural and societal norms around sex and relationships? What does it say about the importance of mutual consent, respect, and communication in intimate relationships? And how can we, as followers of God, approach these relationships in a way that honors God and respects the dignity and worth of all individuals involved?

Conclusion:

The Song of Solomon is a book that deserves to be read and understood in its historical and cultural context. Its portrayal of love and desire is nuanced and beautiful, and challenges traditional views of courtship and marriage. As we reflect on the Song of Solomon, we are led to ask deeper, more thought-provoking questions about the nature of God’s revelation, the value of human relationships, and the importance of approaching intimacy with honesty, vulnerability, and mutual respect. We hope that this series has provided a helpful and thought-provoking exploration of the Song of Solomon, and that it will inspire readers to think more deeply about the nature of human relationships and intimacy.

Song of Songs 8:14 (NET)

14 Make haste, my beloved!

Be like a gazelle or a young stag

on the mountains of spices.

Part 3: Challenging Modern Victorian Ethics

Song of Songs 5:1 (NET)

1 I have entered my garden, O my sister, my bride;

I have gathered my myrrh with my balsam spice.

I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;

I have drunk my wine and my milk!

The Poet to the Couple:

Eat, friends, and drink!

Drink freely, O lovers!

The Song of Solomon’s portrayal of nudity and sexuality before marriage is a challenge to modern Victorian ethics and societal norms. The book’s explicit language and erotic imagery have led many to allegorize and spiritualize its meaning, avoiding its obvious implications about human relationships and intimacy.

However, a closer reading of the text reveals a nuanced and beautiful portrayal of love and desire, one that challenges traditional views of courtship and marriage. The Song of Solomon presents a picture of two lovers who are comfortable with each other’s bodies, who enjoy each other’s company, and who are intimate with each other before they are married.

This portrayal is a challenge to modern Victorian ethics, which emphasize the importance of waiting until marriage before engaging in physical intimacy. The Song of Solomon suggests that physical and emotional intimacy are essential components of a healthy and fulfilling relationship, and that they should not be delayed until after marriage.

In Song 1:2-4, the beloved says, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, your name is like purified oil; therefore the maidens love you. Draw me after you; let us run! The king has brought me into his chambers” . This passage implies a level of physical intimacy between the lovers, where they are comfortable with each other’s bodies and are able to express their desire for each other.

The Song of Solomon also challenges modern Victorian ethics by presenting a picture of a healthy and mutually respectful relationship between two people. The lovers are depicted as being equal and respectful of each other, with a deep emotional connection and a strong physical attraction.

In Song 4:1-7, the lover says, “Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats that have descended from Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes that have come up from the washing, all of which have twins, and not one of them has lost its young. Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely. Your cheeks are like a bed of spice, like sweet-smelling perfume. Your neck is like the tower of David, built in layers, on which a thousand shields are hung, all the quivers of the warriors” . This passage implies a level of mutual respect and admiration between the lovers, where they are able to appreciate each other’s beauty and enjoy each other’s company.

The Song of Solomon’s portrayal of nudity and sexuality before marriage is also a challenge to modern societal norms around sex and relationships. The book presents a picture of two lovers who are comfortable with each other’s bodies, who enjoy each other’s company, and who are intimate with each other before they are married.

In Song 7:1-10, the lover says, “How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O noble one! The curves of your thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a skilled craftsman. Your navel is a round bowl, that never lacks mixed wine. Your belly is a heap of wheat, surrounded by lilies. Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. Your neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the pools of Heshbon, by the gate of Bath Rabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, that looks toward Damascus” . This passage implies a level of physical intimacy between the lovers, where they are comfortable with each other’s bodies and are able to describe their desire for each other.

In conclusion, the Song of Solomon’s portrayal of nudity and sexuality before marriage is a challenge to modern Victorian ethics and societal norms. The book presents a picture of two lovers who are comfortable with each other’s bodies, who enjoy each other’s company, and who are intimate with each other before they are married. This portrayal is a challenge to traditional views of courtship and marriage, and suggests that physical and emotional intimacy are essential components of a healthy and fulfilling relationship.

Part 2: Exploring the Sexual Metaphors of Song of Solomon

Song of Songs 1:12-14 (NET)

12 While the king was at his banqueting table,

my nard gave forth its fragrance.

13 My beloved is like a fragrant pouch of myrrh

spending the night between my breasts.

14 My beloved is like a cluster of henna blossoms

in the vineyards of En-Gedi.

The Song of Solomon is a book that is rich in sexual metaphors and imagery. The lovers use a variety of poetic and symbolic language to describe their desire for each other and their intimate experiences. In this section, we will explore some of the key passages that describe the lovers’ physical relationship, including their desire for each other, their intimate encounters, and their mutual pleasure.

One of the most explicit passages in the Song of Solomon is Song 5:4-7, where the lover says, “My beloved put his hand through the peephole, and my feelings for him were aroused. I arose to open to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone away. My beloved took away my garments, he took away my veil, he took away my clothes, and he left me naked” . This passage is often interpreted as a description of the beloved’s desire for physical intimacy with her lover, and the lover’s willingness to satisfy her desires.

Another passage that describes the lovers’ physical relationship is Song 7:1-10, where the lover says, “How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O noble one! The curves of your thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a skilled craftsman. Your navel is a round bowl, that never lacks mixed wine. Your belly is a heap of wheat, surrounded by lilies. Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. Your neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the pools of Heshbon, by the gate of Bath Rabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, that looks toward Damascus” . This passage is often seen as a description of the beloved’s physical beauty, and the lover’s desire to admire and appreciate her body.

The Song of Solomon also describes the lovers’ intimate encounters in detail. In Song 1:13-14, the beloved says, “My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh, resting between my breasts. My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi.” This passage implies a level of physical intimacy between the lovers, where they are comfortable with each other’s bodies and are able to describe their desires and feelings for each other.

In Song 4:16-5:1, the lover says, “Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind! Blow upon my garden, that its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and let him eat the choicest fruits.” This passage is often interpreted as a description of the lovers’ intimate encounter, where they are able to enjoy each other’s company and satisfy their desires.

The Song of Solomon’s descriptions of the lovers’ physical relationship are not limited to their intimate encounters. The book also describes their desire for each other, their mutual pleasure, and their emotional connection. In Song 2:3-7, the beloved says, “As the apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shadow, and his fruit is sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love. Sustain me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love” . This passage implies a level of emotional connection between the lovers, where they are able to express their desires and feelings for each other.

In conclusion, the Song of Solomon is a book that is rich in sexual metaphors and imagery. The lovers use a variety of poetic and symbolic language to describe their desire for each other, their intimate encounters, and their mutual pleasure. By exploring these passages, we can gain a deeper understanding of the book’s portrayal of human relationships and intimacy, and challenge traditional views of courtship and marriage. In the next part of this series, we will explore the implications of the Song of Solomon’s portrayal of nudity and sexuality before marriage, and what this means for our understanding of human relationships and intimacy.

Introduction:

The Song of Solomon is a book of the Bible that has been misunderstood and misinterpreted for centuries. Its explicit language and erotic imagery have led many to allegorize and spiritualize its meaning, avoiding its obvious implications about human relationships and intimacy. However, a closer reading of the text reveals a nuanced and beautiful portrayal of love and desire, one that challenges traditional views of courtship and marriage. In this series, we will explore the Song of Solomon’s implications about nudity and sexuality before marriage, using the NET Bible 1st edition as our base text.

Part 1: The Unnecessary Allegorization of Song of Solomon

Song of Songs 1:1-4 (NET)

“1 Solomonʼs Most Excellent Love Song.

The Beloved to Her Lover:

2 Oh, how I wish you would kiss me passionately!

For your lovemaking is more delightful than wine.

3 The fragrance of your colognes is delightful;

your name is like the finest perfume.

No wonder the young women adore you!

4 Draw me after you; let us hurry!

May the kingbring me into his bedroom chambers!

The Maidens to the Lover:

We will rejoice and delight in you;

we will praise your love more than wine.

The Beloved to Her Lover:

How rightly the young women adore you!”

The Song of Solomon has been the subject of much allegorization and spiritualization throughout history. Many interpreters have seen the book as a metaphor for God’s love for humanity, or Christ’s love for the Church. However, this approach ignores the book’s obvious meaning and context. The Song of Solomon is a love poem, written in a poetic and symbolic language, but its meaning is not obscure or hidden.

In Song 1:2-4, the beloved says, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, your name is like purified oil; therefore the maidens love you. Draw me after you; let us run! The king has brought me into his chambers” . This passage is often allegorized as a description of God’s love for humanity, but its obvious meaning is a description of the beloved’s desire for physical intimacy with her lover.

Similarly, in Song 4:1-7, the lover describes the beloved’s body in great detail, saying “Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats that have descended from Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes that have come up from the washing, all of which have twins, and not one of them has lost its young. Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely. Your cheeks are like a bed of spice, like sweet-smelling perfume. Your neck is like the tower of David, built in layers, on which a thousand shields are hung, all the quivers of the warriors” . This passage is often seen as a metaphor for the beauty of God or the Church, but its obvious meaning is a description of the beloved’s physical beauty and the lover’s desire for her.

The unnecessary allegorization of the Song of Solomon has led to a lack of understanding and appreciation for the book’s original meaning and context. By ignoring the book’s obvious implications about human relationships and intimacy, we miss the opportunity to learn from its nuanced and beautiful portrayal of love and desire. In the next part of this series, we will explore the Song of Solomon’s implications about nudity and sexuality before marriage, using the NET Bible 1st edition as our base text.

Studies across psychology, education, and neuroscience have consistently shown that exercising imagination provides significant cognitive, emotional, and social benefits for both children and adults. 

In Children

Imaginative play, often considered the “work of the child,” is crucial for early development, with research highlighting a strong correlation between pretend play and future success. 

• Cognitive Development: Imaginative play activates key brain areas like the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, which are vital for higher-order thinking, memory, and spatial navigation. Studies suggest strong links to enhanced executive function (self-regulation, planning, and goal achievement), language development, and early literacy and math skills.
• Emotional & Social Skills: Pretend scenarios allow children to explore and practice emotional regulation, empathy, and social skills like cooperation, negotiation, and perspective-taking. This helps them safely navigate real-life experiences and build emotional resilience.
• Creativity: Play directly facilitates creative thinking and problem-solving processes by allowing children to experiment with new ideas and scenarios. 

In Adults

Far from being only a childhood activity, imagination is a powerful tool for adult development, promoting lifelong learning and well-being. 

• Cognitive Benefits: Engaging in imaginative activities can lead to increased cognitive flexibility, enhanced problem-solving skills, and greater openness to new experiences. Research shows that adults who regularly engage in playful thinking maintain sharper cognitive function and may exhibit slower cognitive decline as they age.
• Mental & Emotional Well-being: Play acts as a therapeutic outlet for stress, triggering the release of endorphins and reducing stress hormones like cortisol. Studies have found that playful adults report lower stress levels, higher life satisfaction, and improved coping mechanisms for anxiety and depression.
• Enhanced Performance & Communication: Mental rehearsal and visualization (forms of exercised imagination) have been shown to improve skill performance, almost as effectively as physical practice in some cases (e.g., in a free-throw shooting study). Imaginative role-playing can also enhance communication skills, empathy, and effective parenting strategies. 

In essence, imagination is a fundamental human capacity that, when exercised throughout life, is linked to improved adaptability, creativity, and overall mental health in all age groups. 

ONE SOLUTION – Radio Shows and Audiobooks

Radio shows and audiobooks stimulate imagination by requiring the listener to be an active participant in creating the story’s world within their mind, a process often called the “theater of the mind”. This contrasts with visual media like TV or movies, which provide all the imagery for you. 

Key Mechanisms of Stimulation

• Active Mental Visualization: Without visual cues, the brain must generate its own mental representations of characters, settings, and actions based solely on auditory input. Studies suggest that listening can free up the brain’s visual processing centers, allowing for more vivid and personal mental imagery than even traditional reading in some cases.
• Narrator’s Performance: A skilled narrator uses intonation, pace, pitch, and character voices to convey emotion and tone, which guides the listener’s imagination and deepens the emotional connection to the story. The human voice is psychologically stimulating and effective at eliciting emotion and empathy.
• Sound Effects and Music: Radio dramas often use sound effects and musical scores to enhance the atmosphere, set the mood, and signal scene changes. These elements provide rich sensory input that the listener’s brain interprets and integrates into their imagined world, further stimulating creativity.
• Cognitive Engagement: Listening is an active process that requires concentration and focus to follow the narrative, particularly when multitasking. This continuous cognitive effort, engaging brain regions involved in language comprehension and memory, helps build stronger neural pathways and reinforces memory traces.
• Engagement of the Default Mode Network (DMN): The DMN is a brain network associated with mind-wandering and creativity. Listening to narratives engages the DMN, suggesting listeners are deeply immersed in the story and actively constructing scenarios in their minds. 

By leveraging sound to spark the brain’s natural ability to create mental pictures, radio shows and audiobooks provide a unique and powerful workout for the imagination.

There once were a group of sea captains who decided to embark upon a journey to the shores of eternity across the ocean of life. To aid them on their journey, they were each given a navigator to chart their voyage.

The first navigator was guided by experience and knew the courses to take by heart. They had been passed down to him and he was filled with confidence that he could get the ship across the ocean directly and with the least number of hazards. As they set out on their voyage and disappeared over the horizon, it occurred to him and the captain that every direction looked the same. They had no landmarks or fixed points from which to navigate. They headed in the general direction and stayed on the same course the entire trip. But the waves, the winds, and the currents pushed them off course, and since they had no fixed reference points, they ended up hundreds of miles away from their destination and in the wrong harbor. 

The second navigator had the entire library of charts and knew which navigation points to use. But he lacked confidence in his skills and frequently changed courses out of self doubt and fear of getting it wrong. He ended up going in frequent circles and took five times as long as it should have taken him. They eventually got to the correct harbor terrible late, and the captain considered throwing him overboard. They made it, but it was way more stressful than it needed to be.

The third navigator had basic competence and convinced the captain that he was doing a great job. But what the captain didn’t know was that the navigator was steering whichever course would get him the captain’s approval. Pleasing the captain was his goal, and as a result they never made it to the harbor, but at least they felt good about it! 

The fourth navigator knew his craft, had all the charts and tools for navigation and me-t his focus on the mission. When he would get an update on his position, he would change course. He wasn’t concerned with the captain’s approval, since that would be useless if they didn’t complete the journey. When the captain didn’t like where they were, he stayed on course. He knew the charts and the instruments were correct and the fixed reference points were accurate. He sailed with confidence and they arrived in time and without incident at their harbor.

On your spiritual journey, which navigator are you? Are you sure?

The Sufficiency of Scripture

Introduction:  When speaking about spiritual matters, it is not uncommon to hear people say things like “God told me” or “The Holy Spirit told me” when referring to so—called private revelation from God. Is that the case? Is God giving additional revelations, or is he leading people directly and independently of His written Word?  Let’s see what the Bible says.

A. God Has Spoken

Hebrews 1:1-2 (NKJV)

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

Notice it is past tense. God is not continuing to speak (is speaking) nor will he add to what he has spoken (will speak).

John 14:26 (NKJV)

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

If it came after the time of the Apostles, it is not part of the truth that was once for all delivered to the saints! In context, this is a promise to the apostles, not every single believer.

Jude 1:3 (NKJV)

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

“If it’s new, it is t true. If it’s true, it isn’t new!”

Point: God’s communication to us from Jesus via the Apostles is complete!

B. The Revelation Communicated To Us In Scripture Is Complete!

2 Timothy 3:15-17 (NKJV)

and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is given by 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 Peter 1:2-3 (NKJV)

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

 Not only has he given us everything, it is again in the past tense. It’s already been given!

Point: We do not need any further revelations from so-called modern day prophets. God is not telling you something he did t tell everyone else.

C. Conclusion (what’s the point?)

The communication of the will of God is complete, having been given in its entirety to the Apostles and passed down to us in the New Testament. We have no need of new scriptures, personal revelations, or direct messages from the Holy Spirit. To seek such is to attempt to add to God’s all sufficient Word.

• Do you need a word from God? Go to the Word OF God! 
• Want to get guidance by message from the Holy Spirit? Go to the complete message given through the Holy Spirit! 
• Want to hear that message audibly? Read it out loud! 

God is not telling you something he hasn’t revealed to everyone else!

If someone says, “God told me” or “The Spirit led me” and they aren’t pointing at a Bible verse, they are either lying or in error. Don’t believe it!

Many times we hear people say that the Lord revealed something to them directly, or that the only thing you need is your Bible and the Holy Spirit will teach you directly. Often there are those online who claims to be Apostles or prophets today that give us a word from God. But is that true?

John 16:12-15 (ESV)

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.“

This promise from Jesus was directly to the Apostles, and assures us that they got all the truth Jesus intended to pass down to us. If it doesn’t date back to what they left us, the New Testament, then it is not truth Jesus wants us to have. This was further reinforced in 

Jude 1:3 (ESV):

“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”

The truth was delivered once for all. There is no further additional revelation. Notice the way the Hebrew writer put it at the beginning of his letter:

Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV)

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Notice he “has spoken”, not “is speaking”. The revelation is complete in Jesus. That is why the Word is not still being confirmed by signs and wonders.

Hebrews 2:4 (ESV)

while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Again, notice the past tense without allowance for continuing action.

So what does this mean?

1.  God spoke through jesus, and by extension his apostles. He is not continuing to speak outside of his Word today. We have the apostle’s doctrine in the New Testament. (Acts 2:47; Luke 10:16)
2. Elders and teachers are needed in the church today, precisely because the promise of Spirit guidance into all truth was for the Apostles, not every single believer. The Spirit teaches through the Word. (2 Tim 3:15-17)
3. If a teaching is extra biblical, it is not for us today. If it’s new, it is t true. If it’s true, it isn’t new. We have all we need in the New Testament. Period. If you want a word from God, then open the Word of God!
4. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, we must search the Scriptures to see if something is true rather than just praying and asking the Lord to tell us if a teaching (or teacher) is true or not.
5. There are no prophets or apostles today. Their foundational ministries are completed.
6. The Word is already confirmed, so we have no further need for signs and wonders to do so. (Hebrews 2:4)

The Bible. 

It isn’t just old, it’s eternal.

It doesn’t just tell us what happened, but what always happens.

It is a lens through which we look to make sense of eternity and the what’s going on in the world.

Do you need a word from God?

Then open up the Word of God!

Want to hear from God? Read it!

Want to audibly hear from God? Read it out loud!

In the past God spoke through prophets, but not He has spoken (past tense) in His Son. We have all we need for life and godliness and revelation is complete. 

The Holy Spirit speaks through the Word of God, and only the Word of God. The Spirit speaks through the Word and not directly to us. 

This Word was affirmed by signs and wonders, and since God has completed that revelation in His confirmed Word, we no longer need those miracles, as revelation is completed.

The Bible is Sufficient for all we need and we need look no further for miracles or personal direct revelation. The Apostles, and only the Apostles, were promised to be led into all truth. They left that for us as the faith once for all delivered to the saints.

If it’s true, it isn’t new. And if it’s new, it isn’t true!