You find a piece of paper....

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Timmy

Not my point. Would you have known whether God had really spoken to that man, before knowing the rest of the story? Should I have been able to say "No, God didn't say that to you", somehow?

What he said didn't contradict the Bible, of course. But as I have been trying to explain here, that doesn't prove that God actually did say it.

What exactly is your point? Unless God gives someone a special revelation, or unless the piece of paper contains information that only God and the recipient knew, then nobody could KNOW that the message on the paper was from God, anymore than they could know it was from ANYONE in particular.

Again, what's your point? A man said your brother would be healed of cancer. I presume from your later posts here such event did not take place as stated. Did the man hear from God? Maybe, maybe not.

Ninevah was told 40 days until Doomsday, but they continued about an additional 120 years or so. Did Jonah get it wrong? Not the message, but he sure misunderstood the character and activity of God as evidenced by his response to God's mercy.

So... what was your point?

[Timmy]

Originally Posted by Esaias

What exactly is your point? Unless God gives someone a special revelation, or unless the piece of paper contains information that only God and the recipient knew, then nobody could KNOW that the message on the paper was from God, anymore than they could know it was from ANYONE in particular.

Again, what's your point? A man said your brother would be healed of cancer. I presume from your later posts here such event did not take place as stated. Did the man hear from God? Maybe, maybe not.

Ninevah was told 40 days until Doomsday, but they continued about an additional 120 years or so. Did Jonah get it wrong? Not the message, but he sure misunderstood the character and activity of God as evidenced by his response to God's mercy.

So... what was your point?

Can you tell if a claimed message from God is really from God?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Timmy

Can you tell if a claimed message from God is really from God?

1: if it doesn't contradict the scriptures and is in accordance with them.

2: if it contains a prediction that comes to pass within its context.

3: if it promotes faith in God and draws the recipient closer to God.

4: if it reveals the secrets of the heart or otherwise contains information that otherwise could not be known.

5: if there is an absence of evidence indicating it is not from God.

I suppose if those conditions were met it would be safe to conclude a message is from God.

But keep in mind the conclusion to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. ..

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Esaias

1: if it doesn't contradict the scriptures and is in accordance with them.

2: if it contains a prediction that comes to pass within its context.

3: if it promotes faith in God and draws the recipient closer to God.

4: if it reveals the secrets of the heart or otherwise contains information that otherwise could not be known.

5: if there is an absence of evidence indicating it is not from God.

I suppose if those conditions were met it would be safe to conclude a message is from God.

But keep in mind the conclusion to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. ..

I can generally agree with your take on it. However, what if a message from God challenges a current interpretation of Scripture?

For example, the revelation of Oneness challenged the common Trinitarian interpretation of its day. There is also the Spirit's leading in regards to slavery that challenged the current interpretations of Scripture as it related to slavery in its day.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I can generally agree with your take on it. However, what if a message from God challenges a current interpretation of Scripture?

For example, the revelation of Oneness challenged the common Trinitarian interpretation of its day. There is also the Spirit's leading in regards to slavery that challenged the current interpretations of Scripture as it related to slavery in its day.

If a revelation agrees with scripture, then all else being equal it should be received. Trinitarianism was and is unscriptural. God is constantly trying to call people out of man made traditions and back to the Bible.

Re the slavery issue, the Bible nowhere commands any nation to continue slavery or maintain it. The Bible does give rules for its management assuming the institution exists. It should also be noted that antebellum slavery seems to have violated in some ways those Biblical commands.

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by Esaias

If a revelation agrees with scripture, then all else being equal it should be received. Trinitarianism was and is unscriptural. God is constantly trying to call people out of man made traditions and back to the Bible.

Re the slavery issue, the Bible nowhere commands any nation to continue slavery or maintain it. The Bible does give rules for its management assuming the institution exists. It should also be noted that antebellum slavery seems to have violated in some ways those Biblical commands.

If slavery was wrong the bible should say to free your slaves instead of giving rules on managing them...

[shazeep]

Originally Posted by jfrog

If slavery was wrong the bible should say to free your slaves instead of giving rules on managing them...

well, there are slaves and then there are slaves; it was not uncommon for a person to sell themselves into slavery then.