A More Sure Prophetic Word - [2 Peter 1:16-21]

Our heavenly father we thank you for the opportunity to look into your word father, and I just pray that you would.

You would Superintend everything that I say father and that which is of you would last and

that which is of me would fade.

And I just thank you for your word your complete word.

Your inerrant word, and I just pray now that you would apply it to all of our hearts.

I pray in Christ's name.

Amen.

Have you ever strolled through your local bookstore?

And gone into the self -help section and Noticed all the references in there to the

Bible in terms of Books not even spiritual books.

Just let me read you a few titles.

Here's some.

Here are some titles that I found by doing a quick search on amazon .com on the word Bible.

The computer Bible.

The guitarists Bible.

I like that one.

I almost ordered it.

The barbecue Bible.

The longevity Bible.

The pregnancy Bible.

The crystal Bible.

I thought that was pretty interesting.

The Microsoft Excel 2003 Bible.

Yeah, that was my response to The screenwriters Bible a complete guide to writing

formatting and selling your script.

The color scheme Bible inspirational palettes for designing home interiors.

And The safe shoppers Bible a consumer's guide to non -toxic household products.

The use of the word Bible is meant to convey that these books deal with their particular subjects in an

exhaustive and authority authoritative way.

That there's no need Purportedly to refer to any other text that these these books contain all that

you would need to know about this particular subject.

My question is do we as believers treat the real Bible as?

Exhaustive and authoritative we may give it lip service in the way that We may

purport that we do.

But I'm going to ask a little bit deeper questions tonight as to whether we truly do.

These bookstore titles bear witness to the fact that even the world and secular authors Think that Christians live

by the scriptures in this way and that we are to be called people of the book.

All Christians would do well to refer to the Bible in that way and in the way that the world thinks we do.

Obviously they would not use the word Bible in their titles unless they thought that we Clinged

desperately to every word on the page.

But what does it mean to live by the scriptures?

And what does it mean to be called people of the book?

Well, the Bible makes the following claims about itself.

Claim number one it is from God and it's profitable for our lives.

Very familiar verse in 2nd Timothy 3 16 and 17.

It says all scriptures inspired by God literally God breathed and profitable for teaching

for reproof for Correction for training and righteousness so that the man of God may be adequate

equipped for every good work.

Another claim of the Bible knowing God's Word can constrain us from sinning and Psalm 119 11.

It says your word I have treasured or hidden in the King James your word I've treasured in my heart

that I may not sin against you.

It is the means by which we grow in personal holiness.

Christ in the high priestly prayer of John 17 and Verse 17 says sanctify them

through thy truth.

Thy word is truth.

The Bible claims that it is for all time until the consummation of time in reference to the Mosaic

law.

Jesus says in Matthew 5 18.

For truly I say to you until heaven and earth pass away.

Not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the law until all is accomplished.

The Bible is not to be altered.

Though speaking about the book of Revelation specifically in Revelation chapter 22 verses 18 and 19 We

get a clue as to how God wants us to treat the Bible in in regard to its integrity.

It says there I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book if anyone adds to them

God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book.

And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy God will take away his part from the tree of

life and from the Holy City which are written in this book.

We also learn from Scripture that God's Revelation is closed it is final.

There are no new books being added to the canon of Scripture in Daniel chapter 9 and the the famous

70 weeks prophecy.

In chapter 9 verse 24 we read 70 weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city to fan

to finish the transgression.

To make an end of sin to make atonement for iniquity to bring in everlasting righteousness to seal

up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place and.

Also in 1st Corinthians chapter 13 verse 8 the famous love chapter we read

love never fails.

But if there are gifts of prophecy they will be done away if there are tongues.

They will cease.

If there is knowledge it will be done away.

So in review the claims that I just put forward are.

The Bible is the standard direct from God himself.

It keeps us from sinning.

It sanctifies us it does not change.

It is not to be altered by man.

And it is complete.

The reformers rolled all of these attributes about the Bible up into the the saying sola scriptura or

Scripture alone.

Scripture alone is the sole inerrant rule of the believers life.

Sadly the church has separated scripture from its authoritative position and Have departed from sola

scriptura in a subtle, but very dangerous way.

When the church seeks spiritual guidance outside the pages of Scripture Sola scriptura is

practically denied.

When I say practically denied.

I don't mean just barely denied.

I mean it's denied in practice.

In what ways does the church seek spiritual guidance away from the pages of Scripture?

I'm not talking about obvious evils like seances or tarot cards or consulting mediums

things that Overt, but in more subtle ways we deny Sola scriptura in our daily

living and when I say we I'm referring to the church at large those who would call themselves evangelicals.

Let me give you some examples of this and these will be very subtle and there there are almost I want to couch this by Saying there are

maybe maybe right ways to say this.

But in general when you hear it, these are these are very dangerous things that would cause us to ask further questions.

Here are some examples of inactive or practical denial of sola scriptura.

God told me to this or that.

Or how about I feel God telling me to X Y Z whatever?

Or a more subtle version God spoke to my heart.

Now God spoke to my heart.

Sometimes people say that we know what they're intending.

It's the more literal application of that sentence that is troubling.

These statements are so commonplace within the vocabulary of Christianity.

That it may surprise you that anyone would take exception with such sayings.

Another subtle form of this God really opened the door for me.

So I know that it's his will for me to do this or that or when

Circumstances seem to work seamlessly together in some situation.

It's said to have been a God thing.

Have you ever heard that before?

Oh, that was a God thing the way that worked out.

This meaning an act of providence or divine intervention over and above the norm.

This is often said to be proof of God's approval for a particular situation.

But our fortuitous circumstances truly the stamp of approval from God.

This I suggest is a misunderstanding of revelation how God reveals himself to us and of

providence.

For situations that don't work together seamlessly are as much an act of God's providence as those that do

work together seamlessly.

Statements like God spoke to my heart in many ways approach the caliber of thus saith the Lord made by the prophets

of the Old Testament who as a side note would be killed if the prophecy didn't come true.

I'm not suggesting we hold people up to that standard yet.

We hear these sort of statements all the time.

So my purpose tonight is twofold one.

Demonstrate that the script from scripture that all experiences in life are to be made subject to the

scriptures especially those experiences of a religious nature and.

To that it is not until we return the Bible to its authoritative place.

Return to sola scriptura that we can rightfully be called people of the book within

evangelicalism.

Please with me if you would open your Bibles to 2nd Peter chapter 1.

Where we'll see from the Apostle Peter that not only are we to be people of the book.

But we are to be people solely of the book

in Peter chapter 2nd Peter.

I'm sorry 2nd Peter chapter 1.

We're going to concentrate on verses 16 through 21 tonight.

So let me go ahead and read those for you.

Starting at verse 16.

For did before we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

For when he received honor and glory from God the Father such an utterance as this was made to him by

the majestic glory.

This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased and we ourselves heard this utterance Made from

heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

So we have the prophetic word made more sure to which you do well to pay attention as a lamp shining in a dark

place.

Until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts, but know this first of all.

That no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation.

For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will but men moved by the Holy Spirit

spoke from God.

Peter here is writing to the dispersed Gentile believers in Asia Minor, which is modern -day Turkey

around AD67 -68 somewhere in that time frame.

Just prior to his execution as they believe.

And he's going to spend most of the letter warning these believers about false teachers who would lead them astray and in doing

so he reveals How he views Scripture and how we ought to view Scripture as

well and of course at the time to Peter Scripture was the Old Testament.

An interesting fact that struck me is since in 2nd Timothy 316

we learned that all I'm sorry we learned that God superintended the writing of all Scripture

and we know that Peter's writings passed the test of Canonicity and are therefore Scripture and

Any pronouncement regarding Scripture that Peter might make is is actually going to apply to his own

letter.

So it's kind of an interesting thing.

But let's look at verse 16 to start off.

For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

Here Peter attempts to differentiate himself from the false teachers of the day.

And he did that by saying that the Apostles were not following anybody.

They were Eyewitnesses firsthand accounts the false teachers had no such

eyewitnesses as they crafted their own doctrines and teachings.

The word cleverly devised has to do with sophistication almost a connotation of trickery and

Complexity and he uses the word tales or in I believe it's in King James.

The word is fables.

And he immediately discredits the teachers the teaching of the false teachers by implication.

Now the scholars are not a hundred percent sure what heresies he was addressing.

He may may have just been addressing all false teachers at the time.

But there were three sort of things that were going on in Asia Minor at the time.

There were pagan myths about God's descending to earth in human form.

Which is very interesting because Satan always seems to take a spinoff of the truth in order to deceive people.

That was going on.

There were also Jewish Sort of I guess embellishments regarding the Old Testament

that were clouding people's understanding of the second coming.

And then also thirdly the Gnostic heresies were all over the place and Gnosticism coming from the

Greek word gnosis which is a type of understanding understanding that one

gains only through personal experience and.

The main gist of their teachings were that things pertaining to the spirit and spirituality was good.

But things pertaining to matter or the flesh or things we see here smell touch those were evil.

So those were the three heresies that were sort of rampant at the time and they don't really know.

Peter was probably just addressing everybody.

The main point though the main point of contention with the false teachers in this statement has to do with

Christ's second coming in glory.

We look at the phrase the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is a phrase used specifically of a second coming not his first which I admit I thought that this verse was

referring to his first coming.

But as I studied further The power and coming that word coming has to

do almost it could be rendered appearing and Peter confirms that he is in fact talking about the second

coming.

Later in chapter 3 verses 3 and 4 where he says know this first of all that in the last days Mockers will

come with their mocking following after their own lust and saying where is the promise of his coming?

So apparently these false teachers were skeptical.

Since he was writing to believers.

They would have properly understood the basics of the gospel or they You know wouldn't be believers.

He uses an eyewitness account of Christ's radiant glory.

While here on earth as a foreshadowing of the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ when he shall come in

power and glory.

That's why Nate read the the account of the Mount of Transfiguration for

us earlier.

Power and coming is actually a secular Greek phrase that was used when a royal Would visit a

city or a district and there's a little bit of pomp and circumstance and he comes in power and authority.

The babe in Bethlehem certainly was not an appearing in power.

He came in meekness initially, so It's confirmed that this is in regard to the second coming.

So how were they eyewitnesses in verse 17 and 18 we have Peter's sort of account his recounting about what

occurred on the Mount of Transfiguration he says for when he Christ received glory and honor

from God the Father.

Such an utterance as this was made to him by the majestic glory.

This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased and we ourselves Heard this utterance

made from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

We see that Peter was present by the Matthew 17 account and therefore an eyewitness.

Interestingly enough.

I noticed that this is a wonderful Testament to Christ's deity.

In that his deity was confirmed by receiving honor and glory from the Father.

When I when I read that I instantly thought of Isaiah 42 8 where God the Father says I am the Lord that is

my name.

I will not give glory to another.

God will not give glory to another.

Yet he gave glory to Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration very interesting.

The voice that they heard was an objective reality that came from outside of them.

It did not they didn't hear it in their minds.

They didn't perceive it in their heart.

It the the words that Peter uses here Convey the thought that it was something that came from

outside of them.

It wasn't a spiritual euphoric occurrence.

It was actually an audible voice.

If we could jump in a time machine and go back to the Mount of Transfiguration with a tape recorder it could have been recorded.

It was not a spiritual event.

It was an audible event and This was I just think about this how

powerfully this was the confirmation of everything that they had been learning from Christ and about Christ

and surely it was the most Spiritually euphoric moment in Peter's life up until that point

up until the day he went home to glory.

I'm sure that was a little bit more euphoric in Verse 19 we read

so we have the prophetic word made more sure.

To which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place.

Until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your heart.

This verse 19 really is getting down to the crux of the matter and the point of my message tonight

the first word in verse 19 is the Greek word Chi or the English word and

Now I would not be so bold as to take translators to task.

But you'll notice if you're reading an NAS that the first word there is rendered.

So New King James they get it pretty good and that they

start with the word and but then they add so afterwards King James uses

also which is which is much better.

But NIV and ESV start the verse with and now why is this such a big deal?

This is important because and is used to introduce the second means of assurance regarding

Christ's coming in power his second coming.

Verses 16 through 18 make the case for his coming based on a personal unrepeatable

experience perceived by the three Apostles Peter James and John.

And verse 19 makes a new case based upon the

reliability of the prophetic word or scripture if The first word of verse 19

were so or therefore and not the weaker.

And it would make verse 18 the verifying force behind verse 19.

So in other words just to boil this down into shirtsleeve English.

I'm gonna read to Charlie Crane paraphrases of the verse and you see which one is the

proper rendering if such a thing could be proper.

So here's the here's the first one Peter witnessed Christ's glory.

Therefore scripture is made more sure or confirmed.

I Suggest that's the wrong rendering.

The next one Christ's second coming in glory will happen because Peter witnessed that glory and

Scripture says that he will come.

You see the One is sort of a cause -and -effect relationship between the two verses

and the other rendering is two different arguments placed together in the same sentence, but by using a

conjunction.

So this will be borne out a little bit more as I continue here now in verse 19.

There are two little words that are a big deal.

And those are more sure.

This has caused a lot of confusion.

And I suggest these are two of the most important words in Scripture regarding the reliability of Scripture.

There are two takes on verse 19 of all the commentators that I read.

The first is like we were just discussing Scripture is made more sure due to Peter's eyewitness account of

Christ's transfiguration.

So the experience validated the Bible and the other take which I believe is the correct take is

Scripture is more sure than Peter's eyewitness account of Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Well, let's see if there's any.

If there's if we can build a case for the latter.

Interpretation point number one if Peter had meant to stress that the event on the Mount of Transfiguration

was to confirm scripture he would have used a stronger word at the beginning of verse 9 such as thus or

therefore or whereby and not have used the weaker preposition and.

Okay.

Point number two, there is no sequence between verse 18 and verse 19.

Yes, they're part of the same sentence, but they're two separate thoughts attached together like a shopping list almost

if you will.

And the words made more sure in English is actually one Greek word.

Which is a comparative adjective in the predicate position and placed emphatically forward in the sentence.

Properly rendered.

If you transliterated it right into English properly, it would say we have more sure the prophetic word.

It ascribes the prophetic word the quality of being more sure.

Not because of any outside testimony like seeing Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration.

But simply because it is more sure okay, it's not a comparison between the two and

another point for the latter Trans or the the latter interpretation is that it would

be contrary to the entire testimony of the New Testament.

If we were to validate scripture by means of experience the Bereans in Acts 17 they

tested everything by the scriptures they doubted and then tested and they were commended for such a

For such practice.

They wouldn't experience something and say it's true because of the experience.

They always screen stuff through the scripture.

Now listen to the English Standard Version rendering of verse 19, and I think they really nail it.

Verse 19.

It says and we have something more sure the prophetic word to which you do well to pay attention.

That is I think that's an excellent rendering.

The words pay attention.

The Implication there is actively apply it in your daily life.

You have something you hold something in your hand that is more reliable Than the testimony

of someone who beheld the glorified Christ you do well to pay attention.

I mean, that's the it's couldn't be more clear than that.

The lamp and I like the phrase a lamp shining in a dark place.

Experience.

Things we experience are perceived and understood from a vantage of a dark place.

That's our fallen state this world in which we live.

Experiences rarely perceived properly.

Only God's Word is the lamp.

Commentator hybrid says the prophetic lamp is not yet the morning Sun and Windish says

prophecy is to fulfillment as a nightlight is to the morning Sun and that morning Sun and the phrase the

day dawns refers to the eschatological day of Christ's return.

So the Bible is our lamp and it illuminates just right around us as we navigate our way through

the dark place.

Okay verses 20 and 21.

But now this first of all that know or but know this first of all rather that no prophecy of scripture is a

matter of one's Own interpretation for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will but men

moved by the Holy Spirit Spoke from God.

Now the is in no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation that

is is a present tense verb meaning comes into being or occurs or arises.

So this is talking about the source of the prophecy and one's own interpretation.

For years I thought this referred to the reader Interpreting the word.

But in fact it refers to the inspired author who penned the words or the prophet if we're referring to Old

Testament.

The prophets of the Old Testament did not interpret God's message.

They just delivered God's message.

In fact Interpreting God's message is what the prophets the false prophets in Jeremiah 23

got in trouble for doing.

So you don't interpret it you just deliver it and I think that's that that speaks of the dynamic

Equivalency versions of the Bible versus the word -for -word translations.

It's very dangerous when you mix translation and Commentary together and I believe this

is an admonition against that scripture while retaining the

personality of the author is superintended by God as

We read in 2nd Timothy 316 where all scripture is inspired.

Literally, that's that's expired not died, but it's God breathed.

It comes from God, but you still get the personality of the author through the scripture.

And verse 20 and 21 attests to the origin the divine origin of scripture.

Okay.

So as pastor Mike likes to say so what what's the application?

All experience as we said before is to be made subject to scripture.

If Peter did it while face -to -face with the glorified Christ surely we can do it and

surely we should do it and I thought is there anywhere else in the New Testament that we get the same message

that Experiences to be to be made subject to the scriptures and one came to mind Right

away, and that was in Galatians 1 8 where Paul is writing about Keeping the message

of the gospel pure in Galatians 1 8.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to that what we have

preached to you He is to be accursed or anathema.

While it's not the main intent of this verse we can include that the apostolic preaching which for us now is contained in the

pages of scripture.

That we should put the scripture before any Apparition or phenomena or experience especially when it

contradicts the scripture now.

I was thinking about that, and I thought Sunday evening service we're all here, and it's a cool August night and you just

imagine if the calm of the service was ripped in half and some sort of glorious angelic being were

standing here and They and this being began to tell us that you know we have

justification and salvation wrong.

We've been teaching it wrong.

We've misunderstood the Bible.

Justification is not for individuals.

It's for people groups or something.

You know your gospel is wrong.

You have to change it if we saw something that shocked our senses and experience that was very emotional.

We are prone to give credibility to that.

Because we instantly trust things that are different from us.

And while Paul was likely using exaggeration he was arguing to an absurd Extreme in

using the angel metaphor.

I think it's still pretty amazing that even if an angelic or in this case demonic Visitor

were to put forward a different message.

We're to cling to the book.

We're to not pay attention.

We're to stick to the book.

The implication of these verses are very far -reaching.

The scriptures are the only source of objective truth in all things pertaining to life and godliness.

Again Jesus said thy word is truth.

We would be deceived without objective truth without the objective truth of the scriptures our propensity is towards

Deception because we're fallen.

Every aspect of us has fallen.

Our will is fallen our emotions are fallen our intellect is fallen and our ability.

To rightly interpret experience is fallen as well.

Anyone who's married knows that you say something and your your wife smirks.

And you get all huffy because you think she's disrespecting me and later after a big four -hour argument.

You learn she had an itch on her cheek.

Right.

We do not perceive experience.

Properly we're we're prone to error

our senses and our hearts can be easily deceived.

Jeremiah 79 a very famous verse the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.

Who can know it.

Now another point that I want to bring up in this is you're gonna have to stick with me for this on this for a second.

But God's purposes do not hinge on our experience now.

What does that mean think about salvation for instance salvation is a very unique situation?

But I think it's still a relevant example, and I'll give a couple others.

In Ephesians 2 8 through 10 we learned that God initiates salvation.

That faith is a gift and not the cause of salvation.

No one ever came to faith simply because of evidence or experience.

It's a spiritual transaction and not one solely of reason or merely a reason.

You think about people in Bible times.

Thousands of people experience the miracles of Christ firsthand and yet never came to faith in him.

He fed thousands of people.

Many of the Pharisees saw him do miraculous things.

Many onlookers saw the various miracles throughout the New Testament and Yet they

experienced something and yet they did not pull the truth morsels out of the experience.

They interpreted it wrong.

You think about Job.

Somebody I think mentioned Job this morning you see him.

He's lost everything in his life.

He's on the ash heap covered in boils, and we would experience him much like his wife Did and say

he's cursed of God, but was he cursed of God?

No, he wasn't he was being tested.

By these facts we see that there's no direct connection between experience and the ability to perceive truth.

That's a biggie.

Let me repeat that there's no connection between what we experience and our ability to perceive

truth.

An Angel preaching another gospel can be mistaken for good God in the

flesh.

Healing a leper and raising the dead can be called a blasphemer or considered a blasphemer.

In so far as spiritual things are concerned.

There is no objective correlation between what we observe and truth except

When filtered by the Word of God as applied by the Holy Spirit.

This is called discernment when we are able to rightly perceive what is going on around us.

This is why Peter rightfully elevates the prophetic word above viewing the glorified Christ.

He realizes that our ability to experience reality is marred by the fall in our sinful state.

And this is why we must be saturated with God's Word.

We are guaranteed to go astray when we ignore our Bibles.

Looking beyond God's Word for guidance is a recipe for making shipwreck of our souls.

This is why it seems a subtle thing when we discuss it practically, but it is a very serious and

dangerous thing.

Looking beyond scripture for spiritual guidance will also eventually be the downfall of modern evangelicalism.

Here's a list that I put together.

Of ways and practices that deny sola scriptura and go beyond scripture to find

guidance in our life.

And I'll list a few of them here.

And again just to qualify what I'm saying and we'll talk more about illumination versus revelation, but

some some Poor saints use this vocabulary and we know what they're talking about and they don't mean it

in the in the dangerous way.

But let's let's just go through my list here.

God speaking directly into our heads or hearts.

Illumination yes revelation.

No, let's talk about that.

Illumination is when the Holy Spirit or your the Holy Spirit and your conscience.

Or your conscience is pricked by the Holy Spirit applying scripture or a sermon or something that

you've learned for instance in convicting us about sin about constraining us while we're

considering sinning about.

Maybe we remind we're we're we're beginning to respond in anger and we're reminded.

We need to be meek and lowly and in humility consider others better than ourselves.

That's the Holy Spirit illuminating our minds.

He's not depositing new data into our heart.

He is applying what is already there.

Okay, that's the difference between illumination and revelation.

If he is revealing new data as a old teacher of mine used to say it's time to start the newest book of the

Bible.

Because anytime God reveals something about himself, I mean the Bible's closed.

So we know that that's just not a possibility.

I used to say that in jest and Nowhere in Scripture are we commanded to operate this way to guide

ourselves on impressions or Thinking that we're hearing God speak

directly to us.

Another in the list of dangerous practices that the open door lists God opened a door for me, you know,

it's very interesting.

I love this guy.

The word is so great in in 2nd Corinthians.

The Lord gives us a glimpse into that very thing.

Paul writes that he had a door wide open for ministry in Troas.

But he decided to go to Macedonia instead the door was wide open.

But he went somewhere else just because the door is open doesn't mean you should walk through it.

It could be a test.

Serendipity or the fortuitous aligning of circumstances is not

always a stamp of divine approval.

Very important.

Another dangerous practice is over sensitivity to impressions.

There was an author named Henry Blackaby who wrote a book in the mid 80s called experiencing God and in that book

He says that God speaks to us by means of impressions of the heart.

Well Whitfield said we had diseased hearts that were not to be trusted.

That's that there's nothing in Scripture that aligns with that.

He claimed that if we don't feel these things regularly, then we are not truly or fully experiencing God.

That that does not come from the pages of Scripture.

He also said when a believer receives a receives a word from the Lord.

Regarding the church.

He is to instruct the entire church.

I Think if I did that in here, I'd probably be ushered out rightfully, so.

There's no hermeneutical test for such occurrences.

How do you how do you reveal whether that's from God or not?

There is no way for instance.

You know if I were to stand here and I would I said, you know.

So -and -so the Lord told me that so -and -so has the spirit of disunity and we need to discipline him.

How do you test that?

Are you gonna go up against the Lord supposedly if that's what he said?

It's just it's not found in the pages of Scripture yet.

This has become very popular in in many denominations.

There's another gentleman whom actually I respect and still respect for the what benefit he brought to my life but

his name is Bill Gothard and he taught a series of seminars called the Institute

for basic youth conflicts.

I believe it was and there were many excellent things in that seminar and I was a young believer.

So he was he was more Paul to my Timothy at the time and I grew because of it.

But he taught things called checks in the spirit.

Have you ever heard of checks in the spirit?

This is when you meet somebody and there's just something wrong.

I don't.

I don't know what it is about that guy.

But I met him and I don't know the Lord's just telling me that there's something I need to keep clear of this guy.

That's he said that we were to listen to those things and conduct ourselves accordingly now interestingly

enough I've met many people.

For whom I've had those feelings many of you are in this room.

No, no.

And and those people went on to be good godly friends who helped me grow closer to the Lord so

You know.

Two abstentions.

Yes.

Yes, and I was proven very wrong.

Our Perceptions are fallen and flawed.

One other thing that Gawthard instituted he started this and this is you should recognize this.

Do you have peace about this situation?

Have you ever heard that saying Bill Gawthard initiated that that is commonplace now?

In the language of Christendom.

Second Timothy again going back to that verse tells us that we're thoroughly furnished.

For all good works.

There's no need for extra biblical data.

Interestingly enough Gawthard claims to have received some of his teachings in this way extra biblically through

impressions of the heart so I Guess there's you know, RC Sproul said at any one

time and any man's life.

He has only 80 % of his theology correct.

So I'm hoping that constitutes Bill Gawthard's 20 %.

But we don't need direct revelation from God.

Regarding what college to go to what job to take whom to marry.

Whether to move or not whether to go into the mission field.

We are to obey the explicit commands of Scripture and the implicit principles found in Scripture and

God promises that he will direct our steps.

When living obediently submitted to the Bible you may step out in faith and God through providence orders

your steps.

That's a quote of Phil Johnson.

So, how do we make these types of decisions?

You know, this is you're telling me I don't need to petition God on what college to go to what job to take whom to marry.

Those are frightening decisions.

How do we make decisions in a biblical way?

Well I was taught a wonderful decision a very I believe biblical decision -making tool and I

will Hopefully impart it to you tonight.

So is there are four five steps technically but for practical steps.

When making decisions in What might be perceived as gray areas of our life.

Step number one?

Does the scripture speak explicitly regarding your situation?

Here are some here.

I don't know why I picked these but I just grabbed some topics that the Bible speaks explicitly about murder.

You should I murder my neighbor?

No adultery.

Lying being unequally yoked with unbelievers how to be saved.

Divorce.

Bringing a charge against an elder becoming an elder for that matter in these areas and many others.

We don't need a sign.

We simply need to obey if there are no explicit

scriptures regarding your situation.

Do the implicit principles of scripture provide a strong clue as to what God would have you to do in your situations?

That's step number two.

So the gut and so the Bible is silent your potential spouse's name is not found in the New Testament.

That's a high likelihood.

But do the implicit principles of scripture provide a strong clue as to what God would have you to do in your situation.

For instance some some gray fringe areas joining a church.

Well, of course, we know that the Lord wants you to be a part of the local body.

That case is built from many scriptures.

There isn't a verse that says thou shalt join a church, right?

So we're using implicit principles.

How about abortion?

There is no verse in the scripture prohibiting abortion.

Yet it's very easily gleaned from the pages of scripture that the Lord abhors abortion.

Things like gambling.

Gambling, you know that there's casting lots all through the New Testament.

What does God have to say about gambling?

You have to turn to a systematic approach and build a case which I believe is easily built against gambling.

So if the scripture is silent regarding your situation explicitly and implicitly.

The third step is to seek a multitude of godly counsel.

Proverbs is rife with these types of admonitions.

Proverbs 1 5 a wise man will hear and increase in learning and a man of Understanding will acquire wise

counsel.

Proverbs 14 11 where there is no guidance the people fall but an abundance of counselors there is victory.

12 -5 the way of the fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to

counsel.

And you could go on and on the last one here Proverbs 15 22 without consultation plans are frustrated.

But with many counselors they succeed.

Okay, so the Bible doesn't speak explicitly to your decision your your conundrum.

It doesn't speak explicitly to it and You seek a multitude of godly counsel.

You want to start when you seek the multitude of godly counsel?

You don't want to stack the deck first.

I recommend you goes you go to those who are in authority over you.

For instance children start with your mother and father.

You know if you're weighing running away from home.

It's probably good to seek the counsel of your mother and you know you obviously want to go to those who are in authority over

you wife.

Start with your husband.

You you don't want to be making a life decision and consulting 50 friends none of whom are your husband so start those

who with those who are in direct authority over you you can also petition the elders or a pastor and.

Especially older godly saints who have wrestled with this particular decision in the past.

You know there's nothing new under the Sun.

Don't reinvent the wheel.

There are older saints who can help you quite a bit.

Okay, so the logical question is what if the council is 50 -50 right down the middle?

The Bible doesn't speak to my problem implicitly or explicitly.

I got counsel all over the map.

What do I do?

Then I'd call that the psalm 37 verse 4 situation which says.

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Now notice this is step 4 and not step 1 that's important to remember.

Don't consult your heart right out of the gate.

And there's a bunch of restrictions as well of all the people not to

trust you top the list.

Okay of all the people of all the shady characters in the world.

Yourself is the is the one whom you should trust the least.

Okay, the heart is deceitfully wicked.

Your old man is looking to tear you down.

Not that's a little bit of personification.

But you will you will left to your own devices make shipwreck of your soul.

Okay, so in terms of delighting yourself in the Lord.

What's that all about.

Well?

Let's look at that first.

You must be a regenerated believer.

You must be living in tune with the scriptures not perfection, but generally you must be obedient to

authorities in your life.

This is interesting.

Back to authorities.

For instance if you're considering marriage and your spouse obviously it's not mentioned in the Bible.

And the council is split 50 -50.

You've asked people.

Do you think this this this guy or this girl would make a good life partner and some people have concerns other

people say?

Oh, I think that's wonderful.

Yet your parents have not given you their blessing.

Stop consultation.

You don't need to go any further.

Your authority figure in your life.

Has found problems, and it is advising you not to do in Ephesians 6 1 children obey your parents in the Lord, okay?

We don't need to go any further.

Stop.

Do not pass go do not collect $200 so.

You're a regenerate believer.

You're living in tune with the scriptures obedient to authorities in your life.

You're actively seeking to increase your knowledge of the Lord by spending time in his word.

You're serving in the local body.

You're not harboring any unrepentant sin.

God allows you to step out in faith and choose.

His will is going to be accomplished through his sovereignty and providence.

The problem is people start here.

They start with their hearts instead of going through the whole process.

Okay, people logically ask what if I still make a wrong decision?

Well We know in Romans 8 28.

We know that God causes all things to work together for good for to those who love God.

To those who are called according to his purposes.

God can use error to achieve his purposes.

Okay.

This is not a license to choose badly however.

But as Phil Johnson says we don't need to beat ourselves up with introspection.

Continually testing the Lord.

You know you're wondering if you're going to if you should go to Cambridge for your postgraduate or Harvard.

And you're driving down the road, and you go by Harvard Avenue.

You say oh, thank you Lord for telling me that that is that is.

That's not good.

Okay in conclusion the Evangelical Church regularly practices something that the first century church knew

nothing about.

With the exception of the apostolic age except by watching pagans.

Divining using mediums consulting things like this.

Divination promptings being led by impressions and direct revelation was never part of Christianity after the close of the

apostolic age.

You know you look at all the history of humankind, and it's only punctuated by small sections

of miraculous occurrences and direct revelation.

The Old Testament prophets.

Way back in the beginning in the garden the apostolic age but God.

I Can't begin to understand the heart of God, but I I think just in my knowing him through

scripture.

It should not be incumbent upon God to do parlor tricks in order to verify his message.

That's why he does not punctuate what he reveals to us with the miraculous.

We have his book.

You know what more could he say than to you he has said.

I love that line from the hymn.

The apostolic age is closed and we now have God's written word settled forever.

Individual personal revelation has never been normative at any time throughout the Christian

Church.

Nothing in the Bible commands us to listen to voices in our heads to be governed by impressions of the heart.

The Holy Spirit certainly provides illumination of God's Word and conviction of sin.

But never he never dispenses new information or revelation.

Even when the experience seems real enough to touch like an angel coming down out of heaven if it doesn't square with the

scripture.

It's not to be trusted period as Christ said thy word is truth.

Let's close in prayer our Heavenly Father.

We thank you for your word.

We thank you that you have not left us adrift in our fallen perceptions and

Just trying to divine who you are and what you would have us to do.

Lord we apologize for Having a vast volume

of scripture at our disposal and not turning to it not hiding it in our hearts.

The father I pray that we would just hide your word that we would consume your word.

That we might know you we might know your heart.

And Lord that the Holy Spirit might apply your scripture to our heart in these moments when we need to make decisions.

And we ask you to forgive us if we if we have been Just looking

for you in places outside of the scripture for Revelation.

Father help us to have a longing to be in your word.

And father we just thank you for your word from Genesis to Revelation.

We just praise you for it and Lord I pray that you give me and all of us here

a new fresh commitment to be in your word.

And to know who you are.

And we thank you again in Christ's name Amen.