Extra biblical revelations

ByTheSpirit said:

Are revelations we get that are not contained in scripture still from God?

Click to expand...

It might be easier to answer that question if you provide an example or two.

The word and spirit are one.
Its supposed to work that way.

You learn to see and hear things, you learn to file it all away, sooner or later it either pans out or not.

Not sure but it seems that any revelation that would add to or take away from events described in the Bible (especially those spoken of in the book of Revelations) might be wrong.

Since the Bible says God's eternal power and divine nature can be seen in His creation, that might classify as "extra biblical revelation."

Romans 1:19-20 ESV For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. (20) For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Well I admit I had a reason for asking this because I do hear a lot that unless a revelation has a specific foundation in scripture, then it cannot be from God.

Click to expand...

Cessationists often say something like that.

Revelations may be from God or from the other guy or from our own minds.

In the 1970s Derek Prince published a pamphlet called "Judging Prophecy" that goes into a checklist as to whether a prophecy (really any revelation) is from God or not.

Someone online reduced the booklet to an outline. Here it is:

1) The end purpose of all true prophecy is to build up, to admonish and to encourage the people of God
1 Corinthians 14:3, 2 Corinthians 10:8, 13:10 - authority is given to build up, not tear down.

a) Edification - to build up
b) Exhortation - admonition, stirs up
c) Comfort - encouragement, lifts up

2) All true prophecy always agrees with the letter and the Spirit of scripture.
2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.”

3) All true prophecy centers in Jesus Christ it, exalts and glorifies Him alone.

a) John 16:13-14 “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.”
b) Revelation 19:10 “At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

4) True prophecy produces fruit in character and conduct that agrees with the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
a) Matthew 7:15-16 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but
b) inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick
c) grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?”
d) Romans 14:17 “The kingdom of God is.... righteousness, peace and joy int eh Holy Spirit.”
i) Read the following scriptures: Ephesians 5:9; Galatians 5:22-23

5) If a prophetic revelation contains predications concerning the future, are these prediction
a) fulfilled? If not ,the revelation does not come from the Holy Spirit Deuteronomy
b) 18:20-22 OT prophets were stoned to death if the prophecy did not come to pass.

6) Even correct predictions are not proof, if the prophecy draws others away from obedience. Read Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Acts 8:9-11, 16:16-18

7) True prophecy given by the Holy Spirit produces liberty not bondage.
a) Romans 8:15 warns against the “spirit of bondage”
b) 1Corinthians 14:33 God is not the author of confusion
c) 2 Timothy 1:7 God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of sound mind.
d) Be discerning about “directive” prophecy of spiritual dictators: Matthew 23:8 “But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers.”

8) True prophecy given by the Holy Spirit produces life, not death.
2 Corinthians 3:6 “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the
letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

9) True prophecy is attested by the Holy Spirit within each believer who hears it
1 John 2:27 “..The anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need
anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing
is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.”

ByTheSpirit said:

Well I admit I had a reason for asking this because I do hear a lot that unless a revelation has a specific foundation in scripture, then it cannot be from God.

Paul in 2 Corinthians 12 says he was taken up into heaven and saw and heard things no one is allowed to speak of. So those things could not be scriptural (in the sense that they are not in scripture).

So perhaps there is an element of revelation a person may receive in which the Bible does not speak of and yet is perfectly in line with God.

Click to expand...

What do you think about the fact that Paul didn't tell anyone what he saw? I think that he did that purposely, in that he did not want his conversations with the churches and saints to become about his trip to heaven, but his focus remained on the gospel almost exclusively.

I often wonder if and when we do get revelation if it is really meant to be interpreted or shared because it becomes a conversation that is based on interpretation and if it was a sign in the first place. That has always been my thought. It could just be a revelation to the person that had the experience.

They may be from God or our God given imagination. We can't preach them like gospel but that doesn't mean they're not important to our lives.

ByTheSpirit said:

Are revelations we get that are not contained in scripture still from God?

Click to expand...

For others to judge someone else's 'revelation' we could ask does it line up with scripture?

For the person who received the revelation. You'll know if it was from God or not. One word from God turns the world on it's head.

I love what Kat Kerr says about it. Each additional revelation of God's Kingdom or person was a new thing. Much of it (possibly not all of it) was recorded in scripture. The flock of God had to judge for themselves with a hungry heart for the truth.

John the Baptist came along and said a totally different thing than what the law required. You kind of felt sorry for the Pharisees because they wanted to follow it to the letter, and yet missed the revelation of the long awaited Messiah.

Obviously stuff has to agree with the Word. If you don't bear witness to it, put it on the shelf and consider it and pray about it. The stuff you do bear witness to, bring it to the light in godly counsel with those you trust. Look for the fruits. Avoid judgmental people who speak unadvisedly.

Think of all of the stuff you really knew that was of God (just regular teaching), yet you didn't have any "quivers in the liver". You knew it was of God, in fact, entire congregations of Spirit filled believers were gloriously praising God, and you didn't get anything out of it!

We should always be reaching and searching (carefully). Our "God box" may be getting bigger, but we're far from the way things are. I think we should be open just like the early disciples were when they heard John.

At the same time, watch closely for fruits from God to the contrary because the world is full of charlatans. Just look hard at Youtube. A big load of crackpots are out there. More freaks than the 70s!

ByTheSpirit said:

Are revelations we get that are not contained in scripture still from God?

Click to expand...

We have no record of God saying, "There will come a time when I will no longer speak to my people, or give them dreams and visions. Because in the future I will only speak to them through the scriptures."

All throughout the Bible God spoke to people, and led them through direct contact. To say that "God doesn't do that anymore" is to add to scripture with an extra-biblical revelation.

That's why I say file it away, you can judge things by content and/or just wait.
You will hear plenty of things over the years and count those few things that will ever make it.

Since the Bible says that His sheep know His voice He still speaks to His sheep, and since the Bible never ends that or any other form of direct communication from God, those who want to end revelation with the close of the cannon must be doing so by extra-Biblical revelation after the close of the cannon. "I'll take self-defeating argument for a thousand, Alex."

Way too vague a question. Jim Jones quoted chapter and verse on why he moved everyone to Guianna. Then chapter and verse on why they should commit suicide en mass. So his extra biblical revelation was certainly not God.

There is a former poster here that left his wife and children b cause he believed God was telling to. So how extra biblical revelation was certainly not God.

Likewise when we pray for direction it certainly can be God.