DRAWING NEAR
October 12
Modern-Day Revelations
"Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all
delivered to the saints" (Jude 3).
Scripture contains everything you need to know for godly living.
For many years I've watched with deep concern as a significant number
of Christians have drifted from a thoughtful, biblical, God-centered
theology to one that is increasingly mystical, non-biblical, and man-
centered. One of the most disturbing indicators of this trend is the
proliferation of extrabiblical revelations that certain people are
claiming to receive directly from God.
Such claims are alarming because they dilute the uniqueness and
centrality of the Bible and cause people to lean on man's word rather
than God's. They imply that Scripture is insufficient for Christian
living and that we need additional revelation to fill the gap.
But God's Word contains everything you need to know for spiritual
life and godly living. It is inspired and profitable for teaching,
reproof, correction, and training in righteousness so that you may be
fully equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16). What more is
necessary?
When the apostle John died, apostolic revelation came to an end. But
that written legacy remains as the standard by which we are to test
every teacher and teaching that claims to be from God (1 Thess. 5:21;
1 John 4:1). If a teaching doesn't conform to Scripture, it must be
rejected. If it does conform, it isn't a new revelation. In either
case, additional revelation is unnecessary.
God went to great lengths to record and preserve His revelation, and
He jealously guards it from corruption of any kind. From Moses, the
first known recipient of divine revelation, to the apostle John, the
final recipient, His charge remained the same: "You shall not add to
the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you
may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you"
(Deut. 4:2; cf., Rev. 22:18-19).
Don't be swayed by supposed new revelations. Devote yourself to what
has already been revealed.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Ask God to guard your heart from confusion and help you to keep your
attention firmly fixed on His Word.
For Further Study:
According to 2 Timothy 4:1-4, why must we preach and uphold God's
Word?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
2 Timothy 3:16
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness
1 Thessalonians 5:21
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
1 John 4:1
4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits,
whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out
into the world.
Deuteronomy 4:2
2 "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from
it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I
command you.
Revelation 22:18-19
18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of
this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the
plagues that are written in this book;
19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this
prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from
the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
2 Timothy 4:1-4
4:1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who
will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince,
rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine,
but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears,
they will heap up for themselves teachers;
4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned
aside to fables.
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
http://www.gty.org/Gospel
http://www.gty.org/
http://www.nwbible.org/
To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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