Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Matthew 12:34 "You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 12:34 "You brood of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. |
Subject: Does that happen today |
Bible Note: Greetings Jeff! May I touch upon this question? As a pastor, I can tell you how I approach this question. Scripture is closed. There is no more 'new - in the sense of added' revelation. God does still speak and inspire individuals. He may inspire me to preach on a particular passage, knowing that it will speak to the need of a particular person, at a particular time. He may even give me the rights words to say. However, what I preach is not inspired in the sames sense or to the same degree as something that the authors of the Bible wrote. Their words were infalliable, mine are not. So, to the extent that I remain faithful to God's written Word, I am preaching the Word of God. However, it is possible that I can stray from God's Word either by neglect, intent, or lack of understanding. If, or when, this occurs, I am no longer preaching God's Word. Further, nothing that I say or believe, can ever replace anything in Scripture. Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. So, yes, I do believe that the Holy Spirit still teaches, speaks, and guides believers today. However, Scripture alone is the final authority on all matters of faith and practice. So, if someone comes to me and says that the Holy Spirit told him that he should kill his children, I can say with absolute certainty and authority that he is wrong. God gave us His Word for several reasons, but one of them is that we might have an objective standard by which to judge doctrine and actions. If we did not have Scripture, anyone could claim that God told them anything that they wanted to claim. Who could argue? Who could say otherwise? But, with Scripture, we have an objective measuring stick by which all faith and practice can be judged. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |