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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | dear friend | 1 Cor 14:29 | Hank | 173622 | ||
Salutations, Mark. Your perspective on modern-day prophets interests me, and I just must pick your brain (what a gross metaphor!). If you will, compare what you invisage as a prophet today with the prophets of old. Today we have the complete written word of Jesus Christ; the ancient prophets did not. Does this in any way change the dynamics, the job description, if you will, of a prophet today? Can you, in fact, produce incontrovertible scriptural evidence that prophets exist in the this age? How could one recognize a prophet if he should meet one? I happen to be a sola scriptura guy, and as such view the likelihood of meeting a prophet this side of heaven with an enormous amount of skepticism based on my study and understanding of Scripture; as, for example, Hebrews 1:1,2. Tell me, if you can and will, wherein I err. One parting comment, Mark. I cannot see that your illustration of a pastor who, in your words "prophesied to me concerning God's plans for me" validates your position on modern-day prophets or lends credence to your contention of their existence. Neither does it address the issue of what the Bible teaches on the topic. Cordially, and with every good wish that God will bless you and your family richly. --Hank | ||||||
2 | dear friend | 1 Cor 14:29 | mark d seyler | 173653 | ||
Hi Hank, Thank you for your kind wishes for me and my family! I pray for every good blessing upon you and yours! Pick my brain at will - but only metaphorically, please!! I would have nothing to add to the how the Bible describes a prophet. The prophet of God is one who speaks the words of God at the prompting of God to those chosen by God to be spoken to. These words may be foretelling the future, they may be exhorting our obedience and faithfulness. They may be any of the things we see in the Bible. There is one change that I do see, in that the OT prophet who gave a false prophecy was to die, Deu 18:20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, that which I have not commanded him to speak, and who speaks in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. I do not see that instruction reiterated in the New Testament, 1Co 14:29 And if there are two or three prophets, let them speak, and let the others discern. We are to be discerning about what we listen to and believe. I think (IMHO) that this is because we do have the written Scripture to judge everything by. Incontravertible proof that prophets exist in the world today? Only the Scriptural evidence which we have already covered in past threads. I think we have been clear on this discussion in the past, and that you have presented your views well to me, and I have offered what I believe. Should one be interested, they may search the archives. The simplest argument I would offer is that Eph. 4 teaches that there will be apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers until the church is fully matured and finished, in the complete stature of Christ, which will not happen until we are all in glory. I did not offer my examples of prophets to try to prove or validate my views. I offered them because I was asked for examples of a modern day prophet. I know of other people who would have answered that request with Billy Graham as an example of a modern day prophet. Between you and me (and the rest of the www), I was reluctant to respond because I know this is a highly disputed topic, not crucial to salvation, but I decided to anyway. And I am glad that, should I be challanged, that it should be you, as I know that our discussion, however long it shall be, shall be agreeable. On the one hand, if I steadfastly reject any who claim to speak for God, I will ignore those many who claim to do so wrongly, and will have no need to be discerning. But will I then be rejecting what God might minister personally to me through another of His children, as He describes in 1 Cor 12? I would say let each be fully persuaded within his own mind. Love in Christ, Mark |
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