Luke 11:1-13
New Revelation or Human Error
Have you entered Port Phillip Heads
on the top deck of the Tassie Ferry?
Glad not to be the captain navigating
one of the world's most treacherous
passages of water. By day and night they
bring the boats in and out confidently
and safely. How? Three light-houses.
When the Pt Lonsdale, Queenscliff and
Macrae lights are lined up at the right
angles the captain knows he is safe in
the channel. If only 2 lights are
aligned, he may go forward but much
slower because he knows he is slightly
off course and needs to make adjustment
If 3 lights are not aligned then its an
immediate stop because he and the whole
ship is in danger and immediate
adjustment is needed to bring him back
on course.
A challenges to modern scholars is
the question: How might the Church
distinguish between new truth revealed
through the Spirit and human error
masquerading as fresh revelation?
The doctrine of revelation says that
we know God's will, plan and guidance
because he has revealed himself through
creation, words and deeds, the law, the
prophets. Ephesians says the "secret" is
made known to us in Jesus and through
the Holy Spirit. Though this revel-
ation is of his complete nature it is
also partial - because we can not
apprehend or cope with the fullness of
God's glory or presence. Yet the
fullness of God is fully revealed in
Jesus and with this we can cope. In the
same way that only part of the moon is
ever revealed at any one time, that part
still points to the fullness of its
reality.
As we reflect on the word and deed of
the Good Samaritan and Mary and Martha
Jesus now teaches us how to pray. The
Lord's Prayer, of Asking, Seeking,
Knocking, helps us how we might know
when God answers and calls us to
undertake a new journey?
It could be said that God speaks to
us in 3 ways: there is the sense we have
within, God resonates with our spirit; a
prompting from someone else. Both these
are subjective. Then the objective truth
of God's word. Spirit, circumstance and
Scripture. Like the 3 lighthouses.
In our thinking and praying, we may
develop a desire to take a course of
action. It might be a bright idea. It
might be to offer ourselves to do
something, or give something. It feels
right.
We may decide to share this with
someone. In asking them to pray they may
have the same sense of rightness and
confirm our thinking. Someone may come
to us with a thought or invitation. God
does and can speak through other people
or circumstances which point us to what
we might assume is God's arranging.
In our regular study of Scripture we
may feel our heart strangely warmed or
our heart miss a beat as if what we are
reading has been written expressly for
us for that time - as if God knows our
situation and his Word addresses it
specifically for us.
How do we make sense of it, for we
are not sophisticated enough to identify
our true motivations? No light can stand
by itself. We know, as Luther put it,
that sin, the flesh and the devil can
distort our thinking, actions and words.
This is also true of the external
circum- stances and the Scripture. We
know that the masquerader par excellence
is probably more versed in Scripture
than we are. Satan in tempting Jesus
quoted Scripture at him!
Yet the Scriptures are the touchstone
of truth. We need to be wary of any
knowledge or revelation that is in
conflict with fullness of biblical
teaching. This is fundamental to
determining whether the guidance is from
God, our thinking, an external source,
or the product of our cultural
background. A primary rule is that we
can not expect God to lead us in any
other way than he has already done
through His word. Jesus doesn't abolish
the Law and the Prophets: he completes
or fulfils them.
God has given us a mind with which to
think and a free will with which to
decide. After checking facts, testing
with other people and searching
Scripture, how do we know we are safe in
the channel? If the 3 lights are
aligned, we have a deep peace - the
peace of God which passes all
understanding which keeps our hearts and
minds in the knowledge and love of God
and of His Son. A peace the like of
which only God can give and no-one can
take away - my peace I give to you, not
as the world gives, says Jesus.
God uses different ways of
communicating: different ways for
different people and different
circumstances. He will direct some
through the word of God - some through
circumstances, and others through
voices, dreams and visions or
impressions. We may have a strong
personal sense of rightness but all
these guidances or so called personal
revelations need to be tested and
brought under the scrutiny of the body
of Christ to ensure it is consistent
with the full counsel and plans of God.
Does this revelation create disharmony,
rivalry or division? God's Spirit alone
is definite, specific, recognisable and
offers solution. Anything else is
indefinite, vague, imaginary and problem
focussed.
We need to be aware that this
guidance or revelation is not being
sourced through occult practice where
the source is questionable and not
leading us to a fuller relationship with
and revelation of the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Ultimately there is but one test for
all prayer must be preceded by the gift
of the Spirit. Does the leading of this
spirit of guidance point us to and
reveal more of His Son: for that is the
function of the Holy Spirit: to lead us
to a fuller relationship with and
revelation of, the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God, found in
the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. God's
Spirit always leads us to truth. This
truth is not found in the Spirit, but in
Jesus - the Way, the truth and the life.
May each of us be aware of the ways
God talks to us, may we learn how to
tune in, and to recognise the
distinctiveness of His voice and, then
in our busy schedules, allow time for
two way interaction with God and with
each other. In this way may we practice
a godly submission and accountability
which will expose human error and
enables us to take the tentative steps
forward in the confidence that Christ is
with us.