Written vs Audible Word of God?

[ToBeBlessed]

There is a question, which is a different question. It is a question of discernment of spirits. For example: I might asked whether the written Word is above the small voice of evil spirits.

Because we need discernment, we read and study the Bible and apply the understanding from that study in our lives. Of course the main thing we find out in the Scriptures is that we can have a personal relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is One with God, is God, and whose name is called the Word of God, because He talks to us via the Holy Spirit, who only speaks what He hears.

But if the question is simply and only a matter of is the written Word greater than the spoken Word, the answer is clearly the spoken Word is greater, because it is God personally speaking directly to us. And isn't it better to have God directly speak to you, as opposed to having God speak to someone 2,000 years ago and reading what they wrote.

Surely getting what God has to say to us first hand is better than getting it second hand and from the perspective of someone living ages ago!

Living by though a personal relationship with the living God, Jesus Christ, is better than living through the writings of others that knew Him 2,000 - 10,000 years ago!

Still it helps to read what they wrote to make sure it is Him we know. But that is a different question and not what was asked on this thread.

Are you saying that you test every spirit? And when I say every, I mean every.

You clarify that the spirit acknowledges that Jesus Christ is the one and only, Lord and savior of this world? Each time, every time?

 

[K2K]

Are you saying that you test every spirit? And when I say every, I mean every.

You clarify that the spirit acknowledges that Jesus Christ is the one and only, Lord and savior of this world? Each time, every time?

No- I test spirits, but I have found out that they often opperate on too low a level to sometimes even pick up what they are saying to me. And that applies to you too. Another thing to note is that Satan quotes scriptures also. Satan quoted it to Jesus, evil spirits quote it to you also.

Yet the question you posed was not a question of discernment of spirits. You asked if the written Word or the spoken Word was greater. So you did not ask about discernment of spirits but which method of getting information from God was best. Clearly it is better to have God talking to you directly instead of getting second hand information from those living thousands of years before you.

Indeed, I have understated my case!! Because Jesus said His sheep hear His voice. So we see that there are people that have gotten there information only based upon the written Word who are going to hell, because they don't know Him. If you know Him, and I can see that you do because you testified about hearing His spoken Word and your testimonty was the His spoken Word changed your life, then how is is you are going back to preaching the Scriptures, instead of Jesus Christ.

The Scriptures can be considered the Word of God, but they are not Jesus Christ. The Scriptures tell you about Jesus Christ, the the Scriptures call Him the Word of God. That is His name. He said [Jn 8:47] He who is of God hears the words of God. So how is it you don't understand that you think reading the words of God is greater than hearing the words of God?

The Galatians turned from hearing the Spirit by faith to doing works of the Law. So Paul wrote to them such things as:

Gal 3:2 This is the only thing I want to find our from you: did you recieve the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

So they had heard the words of God by faith (and it does not take faith to read your Bible, but it does to hear the small voice of the Lord), yet the Galatians had gone back to leaning on their understanding the Scriptures instead of putting their trust in the One they heard from.

Now what exactly was your testimony?

Did not the Lord tell you via His voice, not to lean on your understanding and to trust Him?

I believe that is what your wrote. So then, do you have a tendancy to go back to your understanding (like your understanding of the Scriptures) instead of seeking His understanding which from comes His voice. Can you trust Him, so that if you seek Him you will find Him, just like it is written in the Scriptures?

Well - the Galatians went back to their understanding and stopped hearing the words of God by faith, and Paul wrote: I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. (Gal 1: 6,7)

The some disturbing the Galatians were not people were they? Our battle is with powers and principalities. The the Scriptures are really not another gospel, but we preach Jesus Christ, the Word of God.

Paul wrote Gal 5:8 But if you are lead by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

So the Scriptures are good to study because they explain that we need to be lead by the Spirit, but the Scriptures are not the Spirit. He is the One who speaks that small voice, and He does not say His own words or on His own initative but He speaks what He hears, which are the Word of God personally directed to us. And all that the Father has belongs to the Son, including the Word of God. So the Spirit speaks the words of God (that belong to the Son) that God personally has for you.

Jesus said the man must live by every Word that proceeds (current tense, not past tense) out of the mouth of God, and that to reprove Satan. So to hear what proceeds (current tense) out of the mouth of God we have to seek and listen to the small voice of God, which belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ but comes through the Holy Spirit of God. You need to trust in God. You need to listen to Him and thus be lead by the Spirit, not your understanding of the Scriptures.

Gal 3:22 But the Scriptures has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Our faith is not in the Scriptures (the written Word) but is in Jesus Christ (the spoken Word). So which is greater. Clearly it is not the written word but our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[K2K]

Heb 5:8-14 Although He was a Son... He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation... Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing... who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

The Lord Jesus Christ is who we are preaching. His sheep hear His voice. The Bible is not His voice, the small voice is. Yet not all spirits are the Spirit of God. So we need to practice listening to that by practice listening, we will have our senses trained to discern good from evil.

The Hebrews believers grew up with the Scriptures and should have been teachers, but because they didn't pratice hearing with their spiritual ears, they were not qualified to be teachers, and it because very hard to explain this to them. If we don't practice hearing with our spiritual ears, we become dull of hearing. We start leaning on our understanding of the Scriptures instead of seeking the Lord's understanding which comes through His voice.

And further more, if we don't practice listening with our spiritual ears, we are not trained to discern good from evil. Evil spirits and possibly people lead by them, will tell us to make bread out of those stone that Moses brought down the mountain. But man must live by every word that proceeds (not proceeded) out of the mouth of God.

If like the Galatians, you have heard the voice of the Lord but have gone back to leaning on your understanding of the Scriptures which has shut up everyone under sin so that the promise of faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe, it becomes hard to explain the problem to you. If you have been listening to the instruction that God has for you daily, and hearing Him give you teachings, and have discovered that you recieved the Spirit by hearing with faith, then it is not hard to explain this to you.

If you know the Lord and listen to Him daily, of course you will be reading and studying the Scriptures. However, you will clearly understand the imporant thing is listening to Him, because He not only gives you revelation about the Scriptures (which would be enough to convince you that He is not the Scriptures and He, God, is above the Scriptures), but also He gives you reproof, understanding, instructions for all part of your life. He does things like showing you how to do your work better, how to study better, what church to go to, what Scriptures to read, and so on, and son on.

If you write that the Scriptures are more important than our Lord Jesus Christ, it becomes clear to those that do know Him that you have become dull of hearing. So we have much to say, and it is hard to explain. If only you would start seeking to hear the Lord by faith daily in your lives, it would make it a lot easier. Trust Him, and do not lean on your own understanding. If He told you to do that, and He tells to do that very thing, then do it!

 

[ToBeBlessed]

No- I test spirits, but I have found out that they often opperate on too low a level to sometimes even pick up what they are saying to me. And that applies to you too. Another thing to note is that Satan quotes scriptures also. Satan quoted it to Jesus, evil spirits quote it to you also.

Yet the question you posed was not a question of discernment of spirits. You asked if the written Word or the spoken Word was greater. So you did not ask about discernment of spirits but which method of getting information from God was best. Clearly it is better to have God talking to you directly instead of getting second hand information from those living thousands of years before you.

Indeed, I have understated my case!! Because Jesus said His sheep hear His voice. So we see that there are people that have gotten there information only based upon the written Word who are going to hell, because they don't know Him. If you know Him, and I can see that you do because you testified about hearing His spoken Word and your testimonty was the His spoken Word changed your life, then how is is you are going back to preaching the Scriptures, instead of Jesus Christ.

The Scriptures can be considered the Word of God, but they are not Jesus Christ. The Scriptures tell you about Jesus Christ, the the Scriptures call Him the Word of God. That is His name. He said [Jn 8:47] He who is of God hears the words of God. So how is it you don't understand that you think reading the words of God is greater than hearing the words of God?

The Galatians turned from hearing the Spirit by faith to doing works of the Law. So Paul wrote to them such things as:

Gal 3:2 This is the only thing I want to find our from you: did you recieve the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

So they had heard the words of God by faith (and it does not take faith to read your Bible, but it does to hear the small voice of the Lord), yet the Galatians had gone back to leaning on their understanding the Scriptures instead of putting their trust in the One they heard from.

Now what exactly was your testimony?

Did not the Lord tell you via His voice, not to lean on your understanding and to trust Him?

I believe that is what your wrote. So then, do you have a tendancy to go back to your understanding (like your understanding of the Scriptures) instead of seeking His understanding which from comes His voice. Can you trust Him, so that if you seek Him you will find Him, just like it is written in the Scriptures?

Well - the Galatians went back to their understanding and stopped hearing the words of God by faith, and Paul wrote: I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. (Gal 1: 6,7)

The some disturbing the Galatians were not people were they? Our battle is with powers and principalities. The the Scriptures are really not another gospel, but we preach Jesus Christ, the Word of God.

Paul wrote Gal 5:8 But if you are lead by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

So the Scriptures are good to study because they explain that we need to be lead by the Spirit, but the Scriptures are not the Spirit. He is the One who speaks that small voice, and He does not say His own words or on His own initative but He speaks what He hears, which are the Word of God personally directed to us. And all that the Father has belongs to the Son, including the Word of God. So the Spirit speaks the words of God (that belong to the Son) that God personally has for you.

Jesus said the man must live by every Word that proceeds (current tense, not past tense) out of the mouth of God, and that to reprove Satan. So to hear what proceeds (current tense) out of the mouth of God we have to seek and listen to the small voice of God, which belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ but comes through the Holy Spirit of God. You need to trust in God. You need to listen to Him and thus be lead by the Spirit, not your understanding of the Scriptures.

Gal 3:22 But the Scriptures has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Our faith is not in the Scriptures (the written Word) but is in Jesus Christ (the spoken Word). So which is greater. Clearly it is not the written word but our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is a lot here and many times it seemed like you were asking a question, but than you answered it. So I'm thinking your questions where rhetorical and you didn't want answers.

There needs to be a flow to this conversation. Lol.

What was your question again?

 

[alancrookham]

No doubt the written Word always takes precedence. There are a lot of different spirits out there both good and bad, and lots of twisted voices, so the written Word is the bedrock of truth and anything anyone says that doesn't line up with that written word is false. Once people start making space for words that don't line up with Scripture, cults are born.

 

[Optimax]

Which one takes precedence?

Charismatics and Pentecostals (in general) get a lot of flak because a perception is that we, as a whole now, not individually seem to allow "revelations and dreams" to govern our assemblies and doctrines, not the written word.

Now there are many factors to this, which biblical texts are correct? Textus Receptus or Nestle-Aland or some other? Should the Aprocrypha be included?

But should we go so far as to say if we believe we've received a revelation or heard the Spirit speak to us and that message directly contradicts God's Word or the message is questionable, which way should we go?

The answer seems obvious, but I've seen a trend with a few people around here that seem to want to suggest otherwise, that we go with a revelation from God first then the written Word second, and if the two agree then that totally verifies the message and perhaps to some extent all future ones too.

Anything one believe they "hear" from The Spirit.

Should be confirmed by the written word.

Any spoken word that contradicts the written word should be disregarded.

 

[K2K]

No doubt the written Word always takes precedence. There are a lot of different spirits out there both good and bad, and lots of twisted voices, so the written Word is the bedrock of truth and anything anyone says that doesn't line up with that written word is false. Once people start making space for words that don't line up with Scripture, cults are born.

The Scriptures are not God. Jesus is God, and He said He was the Truth. So your basic conclusion is wrong. You have put writings, though they were righting inspired by God and are correct above God!! You have made an idol (a god) out of the Scriptures!

Now the Scriptures were written by people that heard from God. So they are not wrong. But what they were telling you about was that you too could come to know God. If you choose not to seek God, whom you can come to know (hear from) then it is because you don't believe in Him.

That is why Jesus told the Jews they searched the Scriptures thinking in thme they had eternal life, when they needed to come to Him so that they might have life. This is what you are doing if you say the Scriptures are above God.

There is a seprate problem of discerning good from evil. The Bible is a help with discerning good from evil, but remember that only God is good. So we are discerning God, who is spirit, from evil spirits. To discern spirits, you have to be able to hear them. We are given a test in 1 Jn 4:1-3. But to use that test you have to be able to hear their answer. We are also told that by practice (hearing with our spiritual ears) we learn how to discern good from evil. So if you are not practicing hearing with your spiritual ears, you are not trained to discern good from evil.

Just like if you don't practice a piano, you are not trained to play a piano. You can read all about playing a piano, but until you have spent many many hours of practicing, you are not trained.

So the Pharisees, like Saul, though well knowlegable in the Scriptures, did not know the Lord and were not aware of the influences of evil spirit on them. They stoned and killed believers as a result.

So I agree, "Once people start making space for words that don't line up with Scripture, cults are born". I think the Pharisees maybe could have been thought of as a cult. Jesus said their Father was the devil. They were leaning on their understanding of the Scriptures instead of listening to the Lord. So it was the Jews wound up putting Jesus Christ on the cross, because they were unwilling to listen to Him and put the Scriptures above the Lord.

Are you going to do that same thing?


Now someone wrote about my rhetorical questions. In a way they are right. I don't need and answer to the above question. But each of us needs to answer that question. It is a question the Scriptures raise for us. Are we going to act like the Pharisees and Jews of that time, or are we going to seek the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ?

There is nothing new under the Sun. God's people back then leaned on their understanding of the Scriptures and their traditions instead of seeking the voice of the Lord. They were seeking the Scriptures instead of going to Jesus Christ for salvation. So we need to ask ourselves that same question. Are we looking to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, or have we been seeking the Scriptures thinking in them we have eternal life?

If you have said to yourself that the Scriptures are above Jesus Christ, then you have been searching the Scriptures instead of seeking Jesus Christ as the Word of God. That is what the Scriptures explain to you.

If you are hearing the voice of the Lord and following that, then you know that He is God. You know that you need to test the spirits, that practicing listening with your spiritual ears helps you discern between good and evil, and that He tells you to read the Scriptures because He teaches you out of them.

But if you are indeed hearing from Him, how is it you are searching the Scriptures thinking in them you have eternal life instead of seeking the Lord Jesus Christ, so that you might live?

And that is indeed what you are doing!! How else to you put what can not give you eternal life above Him who can give you eternal life.

Jn 8:22 So the Jews were saying...
Jn 8:43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.

Jn 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

The Jews (God's choosen people) were certainly listening to the words Jesus was saying that were made up of sound waves and they had read the Scriptures that were printed, but they were not listening with spiritual ears. So the words that they were not hearing were spiritual words, ada the small voice. It is those spiritual words spoken to us that give us life, but some then and now still think the printed words give us life. That is not the case. Read your Bible, and seek the Lord your God just like it is written.

The Spirit of God personally speaks the words that come from the Lord Jesus Christ to you.

 

[K2K]

Anything one believe they "hear" from The Spirit.

Should be confirmed by the written word.

Any spoken word that contradicts the written word should be disregarded.

What if the Spirit of God tells you to turn at the next stop sign, while you are driving?

You have heard Him tell you things like that, right?

Is 30:20,21 ... He your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

So writing "Anything one believe they "hear" from The Spirit.

Should be confirmed by the written word." contraticts the written word. Some things can not be confirmed by the Scriptures. You have to get to know the Lord, which will require listening to Him.

Now certainly God is not going to contradict what He has said in the past! So it is wise to study the Scriptures. Still it is foolish to lean on your understanding. You might miss Him altogether. You might never know that He is capable to telling you which way to turn whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

 

[K2K]

There is a lot here and many times it seemed like you were asking a question, but than you answered it. So I'm thinking your questions where rhetorical and you didn't want answers.

There needs to be a flow to this conversation. Lol.

What was your question again?

Yeah, I am writing alot. So I followed up the above post with the explaination of why I have to write alot. The explaination is covered in Heb 5:11 Concerning Him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

If His people were practicing listening to the voice of the Lord daily spoken to them via the Spirit of God, this thread would not be needed. But as it is, His people have always tended to lean on their understanding and have always said, "but let not God speak to us." (Ex 20:19)

So you are also right that I ask rhetorical questions.

Rhetorical questions need to be answer!! But they need not be answered to me, but the reader needs to answer them for himself.

I know that God's people tend to saying "let not God speak to us". I see that is a problem in me. But if some does not recongize that problem in themselves, they are going to lean on their understanding of the Scriptures and wind up searching the Scriptures thinking in them they have eternal life. If that happens, they have placed the Scriptures above God.

Now your original question about testing the spirits, is actual a different subject than the OP question. The OP asks only if the written word or the small voice of God is greater. So to answer that question, there has to be an assumption that it is the small voice of God.

However, the problem with the question in the OP, is that the Scriptures are valuable to learning how to make sure it is the small voice of God. But the Scriptures tell you to not lean on our understanding, but they tell us to test the spirits. They also mention about how practicing hearing helps us discern good from evil. And there are a few other things said about discerning spirits. All of it is separate from the quesion in the OP. But the fear of the devil is a reason people give for not seeking the voice of God, and thus a reason given for putting the Scriptures above God.

So again I am back to having to say al ot because Christian don't practice listening to God.

I can point out that the Scriptures are not God, and nothing goes above God - but some have made an idol out of the Scriptures.

I can point out that His words are spirit, not ink on paper, but if they are dull of hearing, they can't really tell what is happening. They think reading the Scriptures is hearing spiritual words. Yet the devil quotes Scriptures also, so we have to be able to actually hear spiritual words.

I can point out that the Jews were searching the Scriptures instead of seek Jesus Christ, but if they don't know the Lord and practice hearing from Him, they can't even understand what that means.

I am sorry about writing so much, but if Christians come dull of hearing because they don't pratice listening to the Lord, I wind up having much to say and it is hard to explain, because they are dull of hearing.

 

[Frogster]

What if the Spirit of God tells you to turn at the next stop sign, while you are driving?

You have heard Him tell you things like that, right?

Is 30:20,21 ... He your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

So writing "Anything one believe they "hear" from The Spirit.

Should be confirmed by the written word." contraticts the written word. Some things can not be confirmed by the Scriptures. You have to get to know the Lord, which will require listening to Him.

Now certainly God is not going to contradict what He has said in the past! So it is wise to study the Scriptures. Still it is foolish to lean on your understanding. You might miss Him altogether. You might never know that He is capable to telling you which way to turn whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

well..yeah..God might tell me to but a better power tool or something, but as far as doctrine, and the Bible as the word, you have no case to say otherwise.

it is as though you're arguing from an abstract, sorry no disrespect, love ya as you know, just sayin..

Did Paul hold up ancient writings as fresh living words when he prached, as he appropriated the centuries old text, to his presnet, and now it is our present?


from Gen, to the church 2000 years ago, until now...



Rom 4:23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

 

[Frogster]

No- I test spirits, but I have found out that they often opperate on too low a level to sometimes even pick up what they are saying to me. And that applies to you too. Another thing to note is that Satan quotes scriptures also. Satan quoted it to Jesus, evil spirits quote it to you also.

Yet the question you posed was not a question of discernment of spirits. You asked if the written Word or the spoken Word was greater. So you did not ask about discernment of spirits but which method of getting information from God was best. Clearly it is better to have God talking to you directly instead of getting second hand information from those living thousands of years before you.

Indeed, I have understated my case!! Because Jesus said His sheep hear His voice. So we see that there are people that have gotten there information only based upon the written Word who are going to hell, because they don't know Him. If you know Him, and I can see that you do because you testified about hearing His spoken Word and your testimonty was the His spoken Word changed your life, then how is is you are going back to preaching the Scriptures, instead of Jesus Christ.

The Scriptures can be considered the Word of God, but they are not Jesus Christ. The Scriptures tell you about Jesus Christ, the the Scriptures call Him the Word of God. That is His name. He said [Jn 8:47] He who is of God hears the words of God. So how is it you don't understand that you think reading the words of God is greater than hearing the words of God?

The Galatians turned from hearing the Spirit by faith to doing works of the Law. So Paul wrote to them such things as:

Gal 3:2 This is the only thing I want to find our from you: did you recieve the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

So they had heard the words of God by faith (and it does not take faith to read your Bible, but it does to hear the small voice of the Lord), yet the Galatians had gone back to leaning on their understanding the Scriptures instead of putting their trust in the One they heard from.

Now what exactly was your testimony?

Did not the Lord tell you via His voice, not to lean on your understanding and to trust Him?

I believe that is what your wrote. So then, do you have a tendancy to go back to your understanding (like your understanding of the Scriptures) instead of seeking His understanding which from comes His voice. Can you trust Him, so that if you seek Him you will find Him, just like it is written in the Scriptures?

Well - the Galatians went back to their understanding and stopped hearing the words of God by faith, and Paul wrote: I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. (Gal 1: 6,7)

The some disturbing the Galatians were not people were they? Our battle is with powers and principalities. The the Scriptures are really not another gospel, but we preach Jesus Christ, the Word of God.

Paul wrote Gal 5:8 But if you are lead by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

So the Scriptures are good to study because they explain that we need to be lead by the Spirit, but the Scriptures are not the Spirit. He is the One who speaks that small voice, and He does not say His own words or on His own initative but He speaks what He hears, which are the Word of God personally directed to us. And all that the Father has belongs to the Son, including the Word of God. So the Spirit speaks the words of God (that belong to the Son) that God personally has for you.

Jesus said the man must live by every Word that proceeds (current tense, not past tense) out of the mouth of God, and that to reprove Satan. So to hear what proceeds (current tense) out of the mouth of God we have to seek and listen to the small voice of God, which belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ but comes through the Holy Spirit of God. You need to trust in God. You need to listen to Him and thus be lead by the Spirit, not your understanding of the Scriptures.

Gal 3:22 But the Scriptures has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Our faith is not in the Scriptures (the written Word) but is in Jesus Christ (the spoken Word). So which is greater. Clearly it is not the written word but our Lord Jesus Christ.

Heb 5:8-14 Although He was a Son... He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation... Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing... who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

The Lord Jesus Christ is who we are preaching. His sheep hear His voice. The Bible is not His voice, the small voice is. Yet not all spirits are the Spirit of God. So we need to practice listening to that by practice listening, we will have our senses trained to discern good from evil.

The Hebrews believers grew up with the Scriptures and should have been teachers, but because they didn't pratice hearing with their spiritual ears, they were not qualified to be teachers, and it because very hard to explain this to them. If we don't practice hearing with our spiritual ears, we become dull of hearing. We start leaning on our understanding of the Scriptures instead of seeking the Lord's understanding which comes through His voice.

And further more, if we don't practice listening with our spiritual ears, we are not trained to discern good from evil. Evil spirits and possibly people lead by them, will tell us to make bread out of those stone that Moses brought down the mountain. But man must live by every word that proceeds (not proceeded) out of the mouth of God.

If like the Galatians, you have heard the voice of the Lord but have gone back to leaning on your understanding of the Scriptures which has shut up everyone under sin so that the promise of faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe, it becomes hard to explain the problem to you. If you have been listening to the instruction that God has for you daily, and hearing Him give you teachings, and have discovered that you recieved the Spirit by hearing with faith, then it is not hard to explain this to you.

If you know the Lord and listen to Him daily, of course you will be reading and studying the Scriptures. However, you will clearly understand the imporant thing is listening to Him, because He not only gives you revelation about the Scriptures (which would be enough to convince you that He is not the Scriptures and He, God, is above the Scriptures), but also He gives you reproof, understanding, instructions for all part of your life. He does things like showing you how to do your work better, how to study better, what church to go to, what Scriptures to read, and so on, and son on.

If you write that the Scriptures are more important than our Lord Jesus Christ, it becomes clear to those that do know Him that you have become dull of hearing. So we have much to say, and it is hard to explain. If only you would start seeking to hear the Lord by faith daily in your lives, it would make it a lot easier. Trust Him, and do not lean on your own understanding. If He told you to do that, and He tells to do that very thing, then do it!

i did not have time to read this, so i admit this to be random, but I saw the galatian word, and paul used quite a few OT verses, to hold up objective truth/fact, to get them back on track..

here is an old post that proves the validity of the witten word, the word of God.






Paul used the scriptures to get the Galatians back on track.


A Jeremiah reference.

1:15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,

Here he uses psalm 143.

2:16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.


Here he no doubt talked about the temple sacrifices.

3:1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.


Gen 15:6

Gal 3:6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?



Gen 12:3

Gal 3:8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”


Deut 27:26
Gal 3:10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”


Hab 2:4

Gal 3:11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”




Lev 18:5

3:12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.”




Deut 21:23

3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—



Joel 2

Gal 3:14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.



Numerous citations could be used here, see Rom 3:10-18 and more

Gal 3:22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.


A classic OT quote.

3:20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.


Genesis

4:22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.


Is 54:1

Gal 4:27 For it is written,“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more



More from genesis


4:29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.”



It says scripture.


Gal 3:22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

 

[Optimax]

Peter said that the written word was more sure than the spoken and used the word Jesus heard spoken by God on the Mount as the example.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Peter said that the written word was more sure than the spoken and used the word Jesus heard spoken by God on the Mount as the example.

2 Peter 1:16-21
16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

[K2K]

here is an old post that proves the validity of the witten word, the word of God.


Paul used the scriptures to get the Galatians back on track.


3:12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.”

Gal 3:14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

Gal 3:22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Gal 4:27 For it is written,“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;

It says scripture.


Gal 3:22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Froggie, I can not tell if you and I are thinking the same or not. But I can tell others do not understand that the small voice of the Lord is greater than the written word. The written word (reading the Scriptures) imprison everyone under sin, but the spoken word (hearng the small voice) gives us salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

Rm 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.


There is of course a problem of discernment of spirits, and the Scriptures are helpful there, but that was not the question in the OP. For example, the OP did not ask whether the Koran was greater that the voice of the devil. Both are not from God and are wrong. The Koran is not the written Word just like the the devils voice is not the audible voice of God.

The Op did ask whether the written Word of God was greater than the spoken Word of God. Clearly the spoken Word is more important, because the written Word imprisions us under sin and the spoken Word give us salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

We must live by faith, which means we believe that God is with us and so we are able to listen to Him. Abram did not have Scriptures, but he did live by faith. The Galatians, had heard from the Lord, but went back to trying to live by the words written in the Scriptures instead of doing what the Scriptures told them to do, which was listen to God by faith.

Gal 3:2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you; did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

So their are some Christians that live by doing works according to the Law and some that do works according to what the Spirit tells them. Just like Abram had to sons, so too it seems that there are two types of Christians. Some that live by the Scriptures and so are imprisioned by sin, and some that hear the Lord by faith and so are free.

Isn't that what you meant by quoting, 4:22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons...?

So yeah it says scriptures, and the scriptures explains that it is not the scriptures but hearing by faith which we live by. You understand that, right? I can't tell.

 

[K2K]

2 Peter 1:16-21
16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Awesome set of Scriptures!!!

The scriptures are right. We have to listen to the Lord.

 

[K2K]

well..yeah..God might tell me to but a better power tool or something, but as far as doctrine, and the Bible as the word, you have no case to say otherwise.

it is as though you're arguing from an abstract, sorry no disrespect, love ya as you know, just sayin..

Did Paul hold up ancient writings as fresh living words when he prached, as he appropriated the centuries old text, to his presnet, and now it is our present?


from Gen, to the church 2000 years ago, until now...



Rom 4:23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

Paul clearly did not hold up ancient writings as fresh living words when he preached!!!

Paul preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified!!

Jesus Christ is the living Word and He is the beginning and the end!

Phil 1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached

1 Cor 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead


We have to understand that Jesus Christ is the Word of God if we are to understand the Bible!!

Rev 19:13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

Today we call both the Scriptures (graphe is Greek) and the Jesus Christ (the voice) the Word of God. But He is the Word of God we preach!! If we don't understand this, we will look to the Scriptures for our salvation, and preach the Scriptures to other for their salvation instead of leading people to Jesus Christ!!! This is extremely important to understand. Otherwise we wind up with a bunch of people that know the Scriptures but don't know the Lord!!

The Spirit of God once told me, "We don't use the Lord to preach the Scriptures, we use the Scriptures to preach the Lord.

And this is basically what I think this thread is about. You have to personally know the Lord!!! That means having conversations with Him.

We by no means should ever think we are preaching the Scriptures. We are preaching and proclaiming the King. So we might preach the kingdom, because the King has a kingdom. We see that the kingdom was preached, but that only because preaching a kingdom means preaching the King. But if we are talking about preaching the Word, we mean the King, not the book about the King!!!

Oh - but I have seen the book preach instead of the King soooo many times!

Teaching and preaching are different things. We might teach the book. We need to tell people about God's Law, about the history and stories in the Bible. Yet we do not preach them. WE PREACH JESUS CHRIST! AND HE IS NOT THE BIBLE!!

We tell people that they need to have a personal relationship with the Lord, and that is true. But if you read a book someone wrote and go to their house thinking that you are good fiends because you read their book, are you going to be surprised when they tell you they never knew you?

My friends - if you die and stand before the Lord your God and try to tells Him that you read His book so you belong in heaven, it is not going to work!! Many are going to tell Him they cast out demons in His name, healed the sick in His name, and even prophesied in His name, but He is going to tell them He never knew them.

He doesn't lie!! You either know Him or your don't!! If you know Him you and Him have had conversation back and forth.

So -- can you write down things that you have heard from Him, like I did above?

The first words I heard Him speak to me were, "Read Your Bible", so I am all for that. Read Your Bible! He said it to me, and I will gladly pass on that advice to you. But He says lots more than that. I hear from Him everyday. Of course I do! He is with me everyday, and never leaves me, so I talk to Him everyday. He tells me things like:

MY PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER IS LIKE PUTTING MAKE UP ON THE BRIDE.

and

IF YOU ARE THINKING HOW BEAUTIFUL THE EARTH IS, YOU ARE ONLY LOOKING AT THE SETTING, NOT THE STONE. LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL THE PEOPLE ARE.

So let me just make this clear to you. If all you have about what the Lord has said is from the Scriptures, you don't know Him and you need to! Besides knowing Scriptures, you need to have heard Him speaking to you!! The Word of God we preach is Him speaking to us. We study the Scriptures to help make sure it is Him speaking to us, but it is Him speaking to us that is important!!

Abraham heard the Word of the Lord speaking to him, believed it was God, and that was counted to him as righteousness.

Paul wrote to the Galatians about not doing works of the Law/flesh but questioned them about their hearing by faith, which is not reading the Bible, but hearing the small voice of the Lord.

Jesus Christ is the Word of God and He is alive and active!! He is the One the angel at the tomb called the living One. He is the One that John started his gospek by explaining that the Word was in the beginning with God and was God. He is the Word of God that Paul preached.

Yet not all He has raised up know Him. Isaiah started of his writings by writing:

Is 1:2 Listen, O heaven, and hear O earth; For the Lord speaks, Sons I have reared and brought up, but they have revolted against Me. And ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master's manger, but Isreal does not know, My people do not understand.

Look - if you are listening to the Lord who speaks, you know Him. If you have listen to Him, you can tell others things He has told you!! But if you can't say the Lord told you this or that, you don't know Him!!

Perhaps you think you have heard this or that, but are not sure. Ok - perhaps you know Him but have very little faith. Please start listening to Him more, because faith comes from hearing and note: Isaiah did write: Hear, O earth earth.

Now let me ask you: what is the greatest commandment?

Were you thinking it was Love the Lord your God with are your heart. Well - you are wrong. That is the greatest commandment in the Law, but the greatest commandment is "Hear, O Isreal!"

It is by hearing the Lord who speak that we fulfill the greatest commandment of loving the Lord your God with all your heart!! If you spend time listening to Him, you will come to love Him. Indeed, if you don't listen to Him who is always with you, you don't love Him, otherwise you woud be seeking His voice!

So you want a Scriptures supporting what I just wrote?

Mark 12:28-30 One of the scribes came and... asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?" Jesus answered, "The foremost is, Hear, O Israel!...

"Hear, O Israel!" is a command, but not one in the Law. However, but hearing the Lord by faith you come to understand that the Lord our God is One Lord; and you will come to love Him, and from that will come loving your neighbor as yourself. So Hear, O Israel is the foremost, and the commandments in the Law of Loving the Lord with all you have is the greatest in the Law, and loving your neighbor is the next greatest commandment, which can also be seen in the Law.

So the Law is fulfilled through Jesus Christ, and He is the Word of God, meaning you had better "Hear, O Isreal".

Ok - I went long again. It should be so easy to just say, "Listen to the Lord", but because we don't it winds up becoming really hard to explain that listening to the Lord just means listening to the Lord's small voice.

That was what Paul preached! He was just saying, listen to the Lord. Maybe Paul wound up writing letters about it, but in a nut shell, Paul was just trying to get you to listen to the One who he meet on the road.

 

[murjahel]

The Bible says that 'all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable...'

When prophets spoke, it often was recorded, and God had it preserved in the Bible, as His Word, as His message, given by 'inspiration' from God...

Too many of the so called 'prophetic words' of today do not pass the tests of Scripture, which is still the inspired Word of God, and thereby prove to be false words of prophecy...

The Bible records 'it is written' as proofs the prophets gave to validate their prophetic message... Jesus took the written words of Scripture, and showed the disciples all the things prophetically written in the writings of the prophets concerning Himself...

Surely, prophets of those days spoke the word, and then it was written down, and since God has not changed His mind, and He is eternal, knowing in the beginning the scenario of all ages, it is still His eternal Word...

2 Timothy 3:15-17 (KJV)
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Luke 24:25-27 (KJV)
25 Then He said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.

The prophets 'spoke', it was recorded, and written down in the Bible, and became the written and prophetic truths upon which Jesus proved He was the Messiah to the disciples then... and we still use the written Words to prove Jesus to be the Messiah, we use it to test the unproven words of some claiming to be prophets today, as to whether they are or are not true prophets.

Every cult is started by some who denigrate the Written Word of God and put the spoken word of a false prophet above it... not testing it, and thereby corrupting the hearts of many who join that cult...

Let me emphasize... that the Bible is the revelation of God’s will.

The Bible is not man’s attempt to find God, but God’s attempt to speak to mankind.

There is ample proof that the Bible is God’s Word.

There is unity of the 66 books over a span of 2000 years in the writing.

There are miracles that came in confirmation of the preached Word.

There are irrefutable fulfillments of Bible prophecies.

The grand scope of the Book sets it apart from all other books. The influence of the Bible during the centuries is awesome. The scientific and historical accuracy is flawless. There is an excellent moral tone, that exceeds any manmade moral goals.

II Peter 1:21
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit...”

I Corinthians 14:37
“If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”

The Bible is accurately translated. The bulk of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the bulk of the New Testament was written in Greek. There are no errors in copyists, or omission that affect any doctrine. The most ancient copies found (amidst the Dead Sea Scrolls, for instance) are shown to be the same as those copies of later origin, so that the translations we have, can be trusted to have been done from valid copies.

The Bible is infallible. Since principle two is that the Bible is God’s revelation, and principle three is that it is accurately copied through the ages in the original languages, we can say that the message of God in those original languages is infallible. Some translations, have errors of translation, or misconceptions due to changing connotations of words. Yet, when going to the original language to verify the message of translations, we find the original to be the infallible Word of God.

The Bible is intelligible. We can understand it. The Bible is a ‘revelation’, meant to reveal, not conceal.

Romans 15:4
“...whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning...”

The mysteries of God are no longer to be mysteries. There are things and concepts that our finite minds may not yet be able to comprehend, but that is not what the Bible is speaking. The Bible is God’s attempt to tell mankind what mankind is able to receive. God’s Word does not surpass mankind’s reason. God did not have the Bible written to tease mankind with ‘non-understandable’ truths.

Ephesians 3:4
“Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.”

II Timothy 2:7, 15
“Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things... study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of God...”

 

[K2K]

Let me emphasize... that the Bible is the revelation of God’s will.

The Bible is not man’s attempt to find God, but God’s attempt to speak to mankind.

Jn 5:39 You search the Scriptures thinking in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

Jn 10:27 My sheep hear My voice

Mat 17:5 This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him.

Jn 5:46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.

Acts 9:5 And he said, "I am Jesus whom you are persectuting

Deut 4:36 Out of the heavens He let you hear His voice

Deut 8:19 ... I testify against you today that you will surely perish. Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the Lord your God.

Ps 38:33 Behold, He speaks forth with His voice

Ps 99:6 They called upon the Lord and He answered them.

Ps 103:20... Obeying the voice of His word

Ps 106:25... they did not listen to the voice of the Lord

Prov 8:1 Does not wisdom call, and understanding lift up her voice?

Prov 8:4 To You, O men, I call, and My voice is to the sons of men.

Prov 8:6 Listen, for I will speak noble things

Is 28:23 Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my words

Is 30:21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

Jer 10:1 Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you

Ezek 3:6,7... but I have sent you to them who should listen to you; yet the house of Isreal will be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me

Gal 3:2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or my hearing with faith?

Heb 3:7 ... TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE...

Heb 3:15 ... TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE...

Heb 4:7 ... TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE...

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him

Jn 14:20 In that day you will know that I am in the Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

Rm 10:8... The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart

Rev 19:13 He is clothed with a robe, dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God.

There is One whose name is called the Word of God. We call Him Jesus Christ, because He is God's salvation. He is not the Bible, but the authors of the Bible were inspired to write about Him. We can get to know Him by listening to His voice. We call it the small voice, or the spoken word, or perhaps the audible voice, so as to differentiate it from the written word. But what ever we call it, it is the voice of our Lord speaking to us. The Bible tells us about this voice, which is His voice.

And while it is important to make sure the spiritual voice you are hearing from is His voice, because the Spirit of God is not the only spirit out there, it is most important the you do listen to what He has to say to you, Today. Yet some searched the Scriptures instead of listening to Him. Some say the Scriptures are His voice, but they were written to tell us about Him.

Is 30:9 For this is a rebellious people, false sons, sons who refuse to listen to the instructions of the Lord.

There have been and still are rebellious people, false sons. They are the ones who refuse to listen to the instructions of the Lord, spoken to them. So you have heard His instructions to you via the small voice, right?

Perhaps He told you which church to attend. He has told me that. Perhaps He has told you which ministries He wants you helping in. He has told me which. Perhaps you have even heard Him tell you to turn this way or that way? He has done that with me.

So I testify that He speaks to us Today, if we are willing to listen. But you don't have to believe my testimony. Moses also testified about that. King Solomon also, and Isaiah, and Ezekiel, and David, and John, and Paul, and on and on. So you don't have to believe me, but you do need to believe those that were inspired to write the Scriptures if you say the Scriptures are the Word of God also. They are not Jesus Christ, but since they are inspired writings from people like Moses, who knew God, you might want to believe what those inspired people wrote! You might want to listen to the small voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, because His sheep do hear His voice. And if not that, you had better listen to the command of the Father who commanded you to "listen to Him". Otherwise, where do you think you will spend eternaty?

So the important thing is listen to the voice of the Lord, just like the Scriptures explained!

 

[murjahel]

[QUOTE=murjahel;65156183]Let me emphasize... that the Bible is the revelation of God’s will.

The Bible is not man’s attempt to find God, but God’s attempt to speak to mankind.

There is ample proof that the Bible is God’s Word.

There is unity of the 66 books over a span of 2000 years in the writing.

There are miracles that came in confirmation of the preached Word.

There are irrefutable fulfillments of Bible prophecies.

The grand scope of the Book sets it apart from all other books. The influence of the Bible during the centuries is awesome. The scientific and historical accuracy is flawless. There is an excellent moral tone, that exceeds any manmade moral goals.

II Peter 1:21
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit...”

I Corinthians 14:37
“If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”

The Bible is accurately translated. The bulk of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the bulk of the New Testament was written in Greek. There are no errors in copyists, or omission that affect any doctrine. The most ancient copies found (amidst the Dead Sea Scrolls, for instance) are shown to be the same as those copies of later origin, so that the translations we have, can be trusted to have been done from valid copies.

The Bible is infallible. Since principle two is that the Bible is God’s revelation, and principle three is that it is accurately copied through the ages in the original languages, we can say that the message of God in those original languages is infallible. Some translations, have errors of translation, or misconceptions due to changing connotations of words. Yet, when going to the original language to verify the message of translations, we find the original to be the infallible Word of God.

The Bible is intelligible. We can understand it. The Bible is a ‘revelation’, meant to reveal, not conceal.

Romans 15:4
“...whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning...”

The mysteries of God are no longer to be mysteries. There are things and concepts that our finite minds may not yet be able to comprehend, but that is not what the Bible is speaking. The Bible is God’s attempt to tell mankind what mankind is able to receive. God’s Word does not surpass mankind’s reason. God did not have the Bible written to tease mankind with ‘non-understandable’ truths.

Ephesians 3:4
“Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.”

II Timothy 2:7, 15
“Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things... study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of God...”[/QUOTE]

There is the Written Word of God. and it has been tested, tried, and falsely accused, and it has stood the test that it is the Word of God. Surely, as charismatic, Pentecostals, we know that Jesus speaks to us, the Holy Spirit enlightens us, God communes with us.

The Word of God is the test to know the identity of the voice... whether it is One of the Trinity, or not. Many voices speak... some are religious spirits, some many be man's own deceived spirit... and those all need tested. I talk to the Lord quite a bit, but I also study and revere His written Word, so that I might be able to discern and know when it is God speaking to me.

To denigrate the Word is a serious sin, for we are shown, and has been proven often, in multiple ways, that it is also God's message to us. When anyone tells me 'Jesus told me', and the following to that is a message that does not agree with the Written Word of God, I know they are deceived. If Jesus has told anyone to not love the written Word, then they are not in agreement with the Written Word that tells us to 'study to show ourselves approved of God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth...'

Surely some misquote, mistranslate, misconstrue the Word... that is due to lack of 'study', lack of 'rightly dividing' God's plain and wonderful revelation of the Word.

When I speak to One of the Trinity, I find that I am led 'into all truth', for the Holy Spirit Who authored the Written Word, leads me to confirm all that I am told by the Trinity, and to find Biblical evidence of the truth.

So, do I hear the voice of the Lord, and do I talk to Him??? YES... yes... YES... and therefore, I gain more learning of the Written Word too... for they never disagree... The Holy Spirit is still wanting to help us 'rightly divide the Word of truth'.

If someone said the Lord told them to not study the Word, I would have grave and serious question on that supposed source ...

 

[K2K]

The Teacher chooses a textbook, so the textbook is not more important than the Teacher!!


And if you take a class, does not the Teacher explain the text book?

So how does someone write: "the Bible is the revelation of God’s will. "

Clearly it is the Teacher speaking that is the revelation of God's will?

And how does someone having listened to the Teacher talking to them, then write that the Bible is "God’s attempt to speak to mankind."?

The Word of God we preach is Jesus Christ - the Teacher!!

But you might say the Word of God that he teaches is the Bible. The problem with saying that is that not all the words in the Bible are God's words. Satan words are not God's words are they? Clearly not! Yet Satan's words are in the Bible too. Also the Bible was written by people inspired by God. And while it seems clear that over the years, the Teacher has made sure the Bible remains fine for His purpose, which translation are you saying is the exact "Word of God"?

So I don't have a problem with anyone calling the Bible the Word of God, because it is Holy Writ (Graphe in Greek). But as for those saying it is God speaking to me, that is just silly. God speaks to me via that still small voice. That is, the Spirit of God speaks to me, and He only speaks what He hears so He acts kind of like a living telephone line to the Father and Son. It's like David wrote "The Lord said to my Lord." So I hear from the Father, Son, and Spirit (God), but the Bible does not speak to me. The Bible is writings, written by men who heard from God and were inspired to write. The men were not wrong. They heard from God, but the writings are not God.

The Bible is clearly not "God’s attempt to speak to mankind"!!

The still small voice of the Lord's is God's attempt to speak to mankind!! The Bible explains that to us. Are we going to seek the voice of God and listen? Or are we going to lean on our understanding of the Bible?