How Big is Your God Box?
Several friends have initiated public discussions recently about whether an experience or revelation must be found in the scriptures in order for it to be from God. I’d like to share a couple of observations that may help readers settle these issues in their minds.
I have no reason to doubt the sincerity of people who ask such questions. I believe they’re simply trying to avoid error. I think there is great value in using the Bible as a plumb line for doctrine and experiences. The Bereans were known for searching the scriptures to determine if the things they heard were true. I try as much as possible to follow their example, but not all of my experiences with God and the revelation I received from Him were ones I could easily find examples of in the Bible. Although I applaud those who want to avoid error, I’d like to point out some inherent flaws with this approach, that if not recognized, may lead to a different kind of error. Allow me to illustrate:
If I were to ask you if there were any green Ford trucks in the city of Appleton Wisconsin, how would you know for certain if there were any?
Even if you lived in Appleton all of your life and even if you knew the city better than anyone else, your knowledge would not be adequate to determine with absolute certainty whether a green Ford truck was located somewhere in the city. There is only one way to know for certain. You’d have to examine every square inch of the city before you could confidently say they were none.
The same problem exists when we attempt to determine if something is mentioned in the Bible. Many believers feel their knowledge of the Bible is complete enough to answer such questions—after all, what good Christian doesn’t know their bible? But before we can know with absolute certainty whether something is mentioned in the Bible, we’d need to examine every jot and tittle of the scriptures. And searching an English translation will not suffice. The scriptures were not originally written in English, but Greek and Hebrew. Many of the words used in the original languages have no equivalent English word. In some cases, the words used to translate certain passages only render an imperfect (at best) and in some cases, a completely wrong meaning when compared with the original intent of the writer.
Unless you happen to be a Greek or Hebrew scholar, chances are your knowledge of the scriptures is not sufficient to say with certainty whether an experience can be found in the Bible. And if you can’t say with certainty whether something is there, you can’t answer the question beyond a reasonable doubt.
Restrictions We Place on God
We all apply filters to revelation and experiences that allow us to judge certain things as being “from God” while others are judged as being “not from God.” The restrictions we place on experiences and revelation tend to define our views of God, and they place Him in a kind of theological box. Inside the box is that which we’ve judged to be of God and everything outside the box is not. The real question behind these discussions is how big (or how small) is the box you’ve created for God?
Some people prefer a God who is boundless, unfathomable, and at times, a bit unpredictable. They’re willing to accept God on His own terms, even if they don’t always understand Him or the things He does. Although they often deny it, they place limitations on God but their limitations are less restrictive than the limitations others might have. There God box is pretty big.
Some believers are concerned that Satan might be doing things that are attributed to God. These people need clear definitions, reasonable rules for interpreting experiences, and non-negotiable guidelines by which the things of God can be evaluated. They prefer to confine God to a sphere that is safer and somewhat smaller. It’s a good idea to have some type of system by which we evaluate revelation and experiences, but some ways of doing it are better than others.
One safety net employed by believers is to restrict the actions of God to only that which can be found in the scriptures. The problem with applying this filter is that most of us aren’t expert enough in the scriptures to determine whether some things are biblical or not. I would agree that when things are clearly and consistently taught in the scriptures, we should let that settle the debate. But there are many things that are not discussed in the Bible and many places where the Bible offers conflicting views on a subject, depending on which verses you look at.
One example is the fact that James wrote that we are saved by works, while Paul wrote that we are saved by grace. Another example is the observation that there is “nothing new under the sun.” This observation, which is a quote from Ecclesiastes, was made by Solomon who was attempting to find the meaning of life apart from God. His search led to frustration and the conclusion that “all is vanity; a chasing after the wind.”
Because much of the book views life apart from God, Ecclesiastes is a poor place from which to build doctrine. As to whether or not there is anything new under the sun, in the book of Revelation God says, “Behold, I make all things new.” Here is a case where we have two verses of scripture in conflict with one another. One was made by a man seeking wisdom apart from God, and the other was God’s reply.
There are many conflicting passages found in the Bible and that creates a problem if it’s the only thing we’re using to determine whether an experience is from God. We may be misled if we fail to consider things like the context of a passage and what other passages on the same subject have to say.
Another safety net some Christians use is to define God in terms they can understand. This view is often expressed in statements like, “I can’t understand why God would need to do so and so…” What is revealed in these statements is the fact that some people need to understand the motives behind everything God does, and only that which seems logical (to them) is allowed. If they can’t understand something, it cannot be of God. (This is despite the Biblical admonition that we should not rely on our own understanding.)
Is There a Better Way?
Rather than evaluating experiences and revelation by our imperfect knowledge of scripture, or by what we can understand, we might instead use the method that was prescribed by Jesus.
Jesus taught that a good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Similarly, He taught that a pure spring cannot give polluted water nor can a polluted spring give pure water. A tree bears fruit according to its nature. Likewise, a spring gives water according to its nature. The origin (or nature) of an experience can be evaluated by examining the fruit that it bears.
If an experience is from God it will bear the fruit of the Spirit of God. According to Jesus, it cannot bear any other kind of fruit. These experiences will produce things like love, peace, joy, and kindness in the people who have them. If the fruit of the Spirit is not being produced we have reason to doubt that they are from God.
In case you’re wondering, in no way am I trying to undermine the authority of the Bible. I believe that the scriptures in their original language are inspired and authoritative on the issues they address. But the Bible is not a complete description of everything God has ever done or that He ever will do. I’m not suggesting that we should not use the Bible to validate our experiences. I’m only suggesting that we should not limit the validation process exclusively to the Bible. Examining the fruit that comes from an experience or revelation is just as valuable as examining what the scriptures have to say about it.
Just what I needed. A friend called wants me to watch a video. It’s about false prophets and things not lining up in the bible. This will be interesting to show them.
I find it abhorrent when leaders are slandered.
I totally agree Diana, especially with your last sentence.
me too, Diana
Sound Wisdom PM! I often tell people that if your experience is within the perimeters of “Steal, kill or destroy including fear, its from the enemy. However like you say, if it produces any fruit of the Spirit and draws the heart toward a deeper relationship with God, then it is certainly from Him. Warning in dreams can be disconcerting but the peace of God is always evident which is an indication He is the one giving the “caution signal” to us. This has happened to me a couple of times. Thanks for another edifying article 🙂
Good writing as usual PM. Always give me something to think about thank you. Be Blessed 🙂
Thanks for dropping by, Terry. 🙂
Thank you for the post! How many of those who had heard from God been “corrected” because of these small god box thinkers? How many voices have been silenced that were called to bring a renewed hope to the church and the community we live in? Well said, keep telling the truth.
Thank you for expounding on this topic. It’s a wall I often hear people bumping up against. I used to, until Father told me to do something that was explicitly against scripture (I had no idea what the original translation might have been). I waffled around afraid that I was not hearing God, until finally in exasperation, I did it. Then He proved Himself to me. The result was an unequivocal miracle that I would not have seen otherwise. Thank you for your eloquent explanation, PM.
PM….your words echo exactly what I have experienced. When there is no map, just rest. The fruit is the evidence of His work.
I love that. …good to remember….”when there is no map, just rest.”
Thanks P.M. This is just what I needed to read. I just finished reading discussion that never lead anyone to any greater understanding… and tossing around the heretic label. I just looked up the definition and it means advocating something that opposes accepted beliefs (which is not always a bad thing). Im going to read the Word so I can scrub my eyes clean of that mess hehe. Good day!
Father has told me that many of His children’s theologies and doctrines have been twisted and are not correct but it’s ok they don’t mean to do this and I know there hearts!!!
Excellent explanation! Thank you!
Good word, PM!
So love your messages PM. Thank you my dear friend.
Just a thought
John 14:12 says; Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
To me that means that if we going to do greater things, the revelation of the greater things it’s not find in the Bible.
I didn’t notice it when I was there, but then I was only in Arizona a week. But there must be something in the water in Arizona. Or maybe just in the water in your swimming pool. But your material is getting deeper and stronger since you’ve been down there. Whatever it is, it’s working.
It’s the lizards. Yeah..they get me in my happy place.
🙂
What if it’s a warning from the Lord? As we have heard many warnings lately, that could cause fear to rise in our hearts, Not that it was the intent of the Lord,for us to fall into fear. It should have produced fruit in our lives. I watched people get their undies in a wad. Rising up to dispute the Prophet. Just like they did to Jeremiah. We are always saying,Get ready for the Lord is coming. Indeed, we should prepare, our hearts to endure. Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
What the Lord has been saying to me is, I want you to know my Attributes. When you see me, you will become like me. There’s the grace, he wants us to walk in, rather then not knowing him, and not being prepared for changes that are here and are coming. Have I learned to love? Can I love my enemy? This takes up much of my thoughts.
I’m reading this on a warm Arvo with my windows open, as I was thinking about the English vrs Hebrew & Greek, I was in my spirit/mind sharing this with others, I then noticed a smell of flowers in my room, now I’m not a flower person so I don’t know which one, but I did look around my room and then go to the front door, but there was no smell there.
I sensed Jesus walked into the room when reading this. I’ve never had this experience before. Know the Author is the message I got.
Thanks for the confirmation, mate. 🙂
Great article. Here is an article on discernment and keeping the unity of the believers to check out for further reflection and exploration on this topic:
http://www.therisinglight.com/2015/spiritual-discernment/
Spot on article Tim. My sentiments exactly
…..Thanks
Spot on article Tim. My sentiments exactly. Thanks for posting.
Hi praying medic…its dodie(Hisbeloved) from Facebook…. This scripture came to mind.
“Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”- John 21:25
(I sure miss you, Mrs. PM and NWP on my “daily”!)
One man of God said, ‘God game Joshua the word Hallelujah for the first time to bring the wall of Jericho down, he has given me anointing water to bring healing’. Another one said ‘it does not need to be in the scriptures but definetly not contrary to the scriptures’.
As the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours. Isiah 55?
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now., John 16:12