However, not only do I serve a non-profit organization (a church), we
are also ‘Non-Prophet.’ In other
words, we do not believe that some kind of modern prophet is necessary to
correctly understand the Bible, God’s holy Word.
“Now hold on just a minute,” you may say. “Then who decides what the Bible means?”
Good question! And the
Bible can help us. It is the best
commentary on itself. We are not
free to change the meaning of the Bible to suit our opinions. That’s why many churches require
leaders to be trained to interpret the Bible correctly.
Bible interpretation and application require great care and
accountability. Many times I have
reminded people I teach, “If you wonder how I came to my conclusion or where I
got it from, you have every right to ask me. And if it’s my opinion, I will say so.”
Suppose someone claims to be a modern prophet. That they alone have God’s truth. The Bible warns us to test such a person: “If what a prophet
proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message
the Lord has not spoken.”
In the Bible, the penalty for being a false prophet was death. God is serious about his words.
What if a ‘prophet’ claims to be called to ‘restore’ Christianity? Then his claim requires a close
examination in the light of the Bible.
It alone is the authority on Christianity.
The New Testament declares that “In the past God spoke to our
forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in
these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all
things and through whom he made the universe.”
The Bible tells us that Jesus’ “divine power has given us everything we
need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him.” So why would another prophet be
necessary?
Paul, the Apostle, adds, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should
preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally
condemned!”
I encourage you to pick up a Bible and read it for yourself. Not to prove a point or demonstrate
that you’re right. Read it like a
child and ask God to speak to you through it. The Gospel of John in the New Testament is a good place to
begin. And then keep reading.
The Bible warns, “Don’t let anyone deceive you.” It says that in the last days people
will “perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” It warns
that many will “believe the lie” and be condemned by God. –Don’t let that be
you or your family!
If you allow a religious leader or church to determine your beliefs,
here’s a question to ponder: “Are
you willing to stake the eternal future of your soul on your belief in that
person or church?” Have you done
due diligence and made a careful investigation of what you’ve been taught to
see whether it is true to the Bible?
We
must always be careful. The Bible
warns Christians, “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the
truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!”
Why do people believe a lie instead of the truth? Marilyn von Savant answers in her
November 13, 2011 newspaper column.
She said it’s “because people get freaked out by the notion of being
wrong about anything. It makes
them feel insecure.”
“After we leave school,” she writes, “we tend to head down one of two
roads: (1) We close our minds to new or different information while becoming
more and more sure of ourselves; or (2) we watch, listen and learn as we get
older. The second path, is also
the path to wisdom.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your
soul!
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