Prophecy Accountability Pt 2

[Maximilian]

Originally Posted by Cindy

Yes, but you have to trust someone to be accurate. And we all know doctors make mistakes, too. And with some of these guys claiming thousands of miracles, it would be hard to keep track of.

I didn't realize prophecy was to be a "profession," nor one that could be compared to a person practicing medicine. I was under the impression that it was a spiritual event where God was speaking to the edification of the Body.

If these guys are saying so many prophecies and claiming so many miracles that it's hard to keep track of, perhaps that's another reason why this discussion is important.

The miracles in scripture always were for significant reasons -- validating the ministry of Jesus, the Apostles and Early Church or God intervening in a personal way to a unique situation.

[Maximilian]

Originally Posted by Sam

19 Quench not the Spirit.
20 Despise not prophesyings.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

In the NLT it says:
19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

In the Amplified Bible that is expanded as:
19 Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the [Holy] Spirit;
20 Do not spurn the gifts and utterances of the prophets [do not depreciate prophetic revelations nor despise inspired instruction or exhortation or warning].
21 But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast.
22 Abstain from evil [shrink from it and keep aloof from it] in whatever form or whatever kind it may be.

So don't scoff prophecy, but test it. Which is exactly what we are talking about.

In The Message:
Don't suppress the Spirit, and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

[Maximilian]

I did a search before this thread and found this: http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...accountability

This is why I labeled my thread Part 2, so I didn't hijack anyone else's. The one contradiction I'd have with what Jeffrey seems to have expressed, is that there are clearly people in the Bible (NT church) called "prophets." Jeffrey's attitude toward the prophetic as available to all and not a position as much as a role, however, I think are mostly accurate.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Maximilian

So the question is... do we assume all who claim authority, in fact, have authority to speak for God? All that say "Thus saith the LORD" can't be questioned?

1 Corinthians 14 was written with this in mind. Including the idea that not more than one person should prophesy at a time, and each prophecy should then be tested by two or three elders before being spoken to the congregation.

In the thread Prophetic Accountability (Part 1), there are various scriptures that showed the accountability these prophets in the OT had. Their errant speaking for God earned them a permanent eviction from being able to speak for God in an official role, and in some cases, death.

So the committee would be elders to that congregation.

Of course, there is no spiritual discerning if one claims a miracle. It either is or it isn't. There's not discerning if one foretells an event that never happens. It either is or it isn't.

Let the spiritual judge...

I am not against accountability at all. I just wonder who is going to judge the truth and keep the records. Because I think there are a lot of healings that aren't miracles, just as there are true miracles we may never know about.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Maximilian

So don't scoff prophecy, but test it. Which is exactly what we are talking about.

In The Message:
Don't suppress the Spirit, and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

I like that one too...

if...we are allowed to like anything in any version but the KJV...

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Maximilian

I did a search before this thread and found this: http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...accountability

This is why I labeled my thread Part 2, so I didn't hijack anyone else's. The one contradiction I'd have with what Jeffrey seems to have expressed, is that there are clearly people in the Bible (NT church) called "prophets." Jeffrey's attitude toward the prophetic as available to all and not a position as much as a role, however, I think are mostly accurate.

Prophecy being one of the gifts of the Spirit?

[Maximilian]

Originally Posted by Cindy

I am not against accountability at all. I just wonder who is going to judge the truth and keep the records. Because I think there are a lot of healings that aren't miracles, just as there are true miracles we may never know about.

Good question. I suppose I suggested a record tracker in jest and with tongue-in-cheek.

When you said "a lot of healings are not miracles" -- what do you mean?

Also, don't you think God's character when he performs miracles is to get attention and glory? He loves showing off

[Maximilian]

Originally Posted by Cindy

Prophecy being one of the gifts of the Spirit?

I'm not sure what your question is.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Maximilian

I didn't realize prophecy was to be a "profession," nor one that could be compared to a person practicing medicine. I was under the impression that it was a spiritual event where God was speaking to the edification of the Body.

If these guys are saying so many prophecies and claiming so many miracles that it's hard to keep track of, perhaps that's another reason why this discussion is important.

The miracles in scripture always were for significant reasons -- validating the ministry of Jesus, the Apostles and Early Church or God intervening in a personal way to a unique situation.

I agree, just because someone says it doesn't make it true. Man of God or not, not that they might be lying, but just that it is not a genuine miracle.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Maximilian

I'm not sure what your question is.

A gift of the Spirit available to all, not just a select few.