Some Christians claim that the Bible is the final word of God. Others say that he still communicates. I personally would think that if God wanted to talk to man, he could. Is the Bible God's final word? Or have we already limited God to the Bible only?
2007-09-07 14:06:58 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes, God can speak with man if he wants.
2007-09-07 14:14:23 · answer #1 · answered by guest 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you. The Bible teaches that God does not change... not even a shadow of variableness. Therefore if He spoke to people in times past He can speak to them now. The only limit is man's unbelief and iniquity. The Bible also teaches that some of the gifts of the Spirit that belong in the New Testament church are prophesy and revelation. Therefore a church that does not have those gifts is not in tune with the Holy Spirit and is lacking. After all who put the gag on God's mouth? A church that does not believe in miracles is not fit to be named as Christ's church.
The Bible is only a tool of God... much like a hammer to a carpenter. There is nothing to prevent the carpenter from using other tools such as a saw or drill. Some worhsip the Bible (tool worship) as if it were the replacement of God, yet these same people cannot agree on which version of the Bible is this inerrant perfect example of God or how to interpret this perfect God.
However with revelation comes risks that people should be aware. There can also be revelations of man, and revelations of the devil. The Bible teaches that if it isn't according to the Law and the Testimony it is because there is no light in them. Jesus sternly warned us that in the latter days there shall arise MANY false prophets and false apostles. I firmly believe in the possibility of additional revelation, even addition scriptures coming forth, but they are only valid if they are harmonious with already established gospel and do not teach "another" gospel that contradicts what we already have. God may give additional light, but He is not going to change and oppose that which He already gave.
Some quote the passage in Revelation about not adding or taking away from "this prophecy" and say that is the end of the Bible. Yet in the Old Testament the same thing is said in:
Deut. 4: 2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Yet Moses and others kept right on adding. Was the cannon of scripture closed at Duet. 4:2 and all scripture past that false doctrine? Of course not. What God was telling Moses was that You, Man, do not add or alter that which I, God, give to you. Yet God is not forbidden to add more scripture as He sees fit. In Revelation the commandment to not add or take away was referring to THIS PROPHECY indicating the book of Revelation only. The Bible did not even exist at that time, and was not compiled into one work until years later. The Bible was put together by a committee of men, with many books omitted because it was their opinion to do so. Other books were lost such as the Book of Gad, the book of Iddo the Seer, lost letters of Paul, and many others. I do not believe the Bible could possibly be the perfect embodiment of God with it missing so many books. This does not mean the Bible is false, as the true teachings of God are repeated over and over again. Just as a saw that is a bit rusted and missing a few teeth is still a saw, quite suitable to cut wood still.
2007-09-07 21:27:15 · answer #2 · answered by Technoman 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Like most mythology, God is pretty much limited not so much to the bible as to popular imagination--Morgan Freedman played him pretty well in Bruce Almighty, and I'll bet that since that movie, many people have taken a more gentle, compassionate view about "Him". But my opinion concerning revelations and epiphanies is that I've only ever found them in math and science--like for example when Pythagoras's theorems first made sense to me "when an altitude is drawn to the hypotenuse of a right triangle..." These were just words on paper to me, until they one day made complete sense to me--and then a whole world opened up it's possibilities before my very eyes.
2007-09-07 21:19:11 · answer #3 · answered by starkneckid 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think there can be, obviously God still works and we can better understand and know God through more than just the Bible. However, other forms are not going to have the same authority as the Bible.
2007-09-07 21:11:42 · answer #4 · answered by keri gee 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that having us accept the Bible as God's final Word is His way of preventing His people from following after crackpots like Manson and Koresh and Jim Jones. So, yes, I think He is done speaking. Otherwise, why would He say in His Word that we are not to add anything to it? Also the Bible says that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been "once and for all delivered" to the saints.
2007-09-07 21:19:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
There maybe revelations to clear up the misconceptions that you hear from others. However, these revelations MUST agree with the Bible.
GOD bless
2007-09-07 21:13:39 · answer #6 · answered by Exodus 20:1-17 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋