The Final Revelation Of God

God's people Israel had killed all the prophets, so God saw it was necessary and sufficient to send His Only Begotten Son--if peradventure they'd listen to Him.  But Jesus is the complete and final revelation and message from God that we reject at our peril--there's no other way.  There is no other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be saved ( cf. Acts 4:12).   God spoke in divers manners in ancient times (dreams, visions, audible voices, prophet, etc.) but today in these last days, He speaks through Jesus as revealed in His Word (cf. Heb. 1:1). Even Plato longed for the day of God's revelation via a message to make everything plain and explain it all--to be the Answer.  All men seek the answer, but not the Answerer! They seek the benefits but not the Benefactor!   But we need more than answers--we need the vacuum in our souls filled with the living God. It doesn't satisfy to know God exists but only to know Him personally.

The philosophers of antiquity reasoned out that God was indeed immutable as their first premise:  they pondered the permanence or being versus the flux or motion of matter and realized all cannot change or it all would be chaos.  There had to be a stabilizing factor.  One philosopher said, "Whatever is, is."  This sounded ludicrous but if you think it does make sense--if something exists in a state of permanence, in reality, it cannot change.  God is not an "Is-ness," but an "Is-ing," meaning He's a living Being not a state of Being. One could add that God is not "past tense, "static present tense," nor "future tense," but ongoing present tense--a living Being--is always and forever active and alive, living beyond and outside the time-space continuum (time is no element or relevance to Him).

Note that they are saying, "You cannot step into the same river twice," to illustrate the concept of change or flux in things and all creation.  We also change constantly and learn but God remains the same or He couldn't be God--"I, the LORD, change not," (cf. Mal. 3:6).    Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (cf. Heb. 13:8). That's why God's name is best expressed:  I AM THAT [WHO] I AM ... ad infinitum. God exists in a way we cannot perceive, but we can still know Him with our perceptions.  On the contrary, God represents permanency and constancy, in whom is no variation nor shadow of turning (cf. James 1:17).  

They also saw purpose and meaning and even design in creation and reasoned a Logos or stabilizing power behind it all that held all things together. Logos has many meanings: one is self-expression or authentication [of God].  Jesus is how God revealed Himself to us.  This immutable and changeless Being is God just as Jesus changes not.  The Logos was the opposite of chaos and there must be logic and reason for there to be learning and science at all--you have to start somewhere with some certainty, a starting point of reality.

In philosophy, without logic, you have mere confusion and can know nothing.   All knowledge is contingent on logic. Plato also said that in order to know how to live in reality, we must know what God is really like!  It's a good thing we see Jesus as God's full and final Word or message.  Jesus fulfilled all time and space requirements to be its conclusion and last word and testament.

But the point is that there is a divine footprint on God's creation that shows His presence and power.  Look at DNA as His language in every living creature.  Look at the Anthropic Principle that shows how the earth is perfectly suitable for life and even the slightest change would rule out life altogether.  Think about how God makes kinetic or useful energy out of the random energy of the sun through the process of photosynthesis.  Think about the laws of physics; namely, entropy or the Second Law of Thermodynamics and even gravity, the relationship between time and matter in space, and the expanding universe all pointing to a beginning in time actually when time began, because things run out of usable energy with time elapsing ("In the beginning [implying an end?]").

Even the so-called Big Bang refers to a beginning point of all time, space, and matter--time being the corollary of space and matter and relative to them.  All this only proves there was a beginning which merely implies a Beginner.  We know that nothing (no effect or event) just happens by itself but must have a cause according to the law of causality; therefore, the universe had to have a cause or reason for being--nothing can create or cause itself but needs an explanation.  The wonderful balance of nature and laws of nature, even the harmony of the human body and its beauty imply a Designer and a Supreme Mind because of ID or intelligent design is so apparent.  This ordered cosmos shows an Orderer and that thought is present, but the divine order: Thinker, thought, thing.  

The wonderful news is that we have the full revelation of God in Scripture--the complete canon of the Word of God and this is better than if Jesus were still around doing itinerant teaching of the multitudes.  Jesus also gave us the Spirit to enlighten us and show us the Way, the Truth, and Life. We have no excuse for not knowing God!  We cannot plead ignorance in our day and age!  Ignorance isn't bliss! Even with modern technology, all of us are culpable if we don't heed to the written Word of God.

But just as God created space and time, He gives all of us space and time to repent and the average person does reject Christ 7.6 times before receiving Him as Lord and Savior.  No one is a lost cause!  We reject God before He rejects us, but He changes our hearts, not us.  But God doesn't give up on us; we are all bad, but not too bad to be saved!   Yes, we have an advantage over the ancients who relied on prophets, priests, and rabbis or teachers to explain everything--when He comes He shall guide us all into the truth (cf. John 16:13).  We have pastors and teachers prepare the flock and be a guiding light, the full canon of Scripture, and the resident Holy Spirit's anointing, but this is no excuse for falling prey to heresy; we are not captive nor slaves to church dogma and have the right to dissent, disagree, and protest if convicted--it's called being a Protestant.  

In sum, God's final Word and Testament to man is through His Son and God has nothing more to say to us if we ignore Him; God has created, acted, and finally, spoken His message--our last chance!.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Hearing God's Voice

"For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it.  He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds.  He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings"  (Job 33:14-16, NLT).

"My sheep hear my voice..." (cf. John 10:27).  Jesus speaks to His children through any means, even the voice of a child, as in the case of St. Augustine.  God speaks once, yea, twice, and man hears Him not, according to Job:  "Indeed God speaks once, Or twice, yet no one notices it.  In a dream, a vision of the night, When sound sleep falls on men, While they slumber in their beds, Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction"  (Job 33:14-16, NASB).  No one can claim they've never been the recipient of God's messages, no matter how limited--when he reacts positively, he opens the door to more opportunity.  C. S. Lewis has said that God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, and shouts to us in our pains!

Mystics claim a special ear to God's messages like Joan of Arc did, and to put some trust in them is not in the one firm foundation--this is how cults begin.  If God speaks to you on a personal level for encouragement, that's between you and God, and is personal--don't feel you should share it.  To prophesy to the church is another gift of communication.  In these last days, the Word of the Lord is rare and, since we have the complete revelation of God in the Bible, it is not needed--the Word is all we need, clear and sufficient!  If God speaks to you, you must test it with the truth of Scripture.  We are not receiving new revelations anymore since God's Word is complete and the canon is closed, and to add to His Word brings on a judgment of God.

Now, to the point of God speaking to everyone:  God woos His elect to open their eyes to the truth of the gospel message and to soften their hearts--no one would otherwise believe.  If you believe that God woos everyone, you must also ask if He woos everyone equally.  If He woos everyone equally, why do some respond and others don't?  You are faced with either believing in the sovereignty of God's grace in salvation or the necessity of some kind of merit of the person getting saved.

The Arminian will not admit that God doesn't even woo some, but he doesn't know why some people respond to the gospel, and others don't!  Romans 5:21 says that grace reigns through righteousness. Grace is sovereign and efficacious, in other words, and that means that God gets the desired effect and it works for His purposes, not being wasted.  God isn't frustrated and doesn't say,  "Well, I tried to save you, but you were too far gone!"  We are all bad, but not too bad to be saved!

Some people do need greater wooing and more intense grace to become believers, but they are not a bigger challenge to God, just more opportunity to demonstrate His grace and how effectual it is.  God doesn't destine people to hell as if they had no choice in the matter like some blind fate or kismet; however, He does let some go their own way without His intervention of grace--He doesn't owe grace to anyone, or it would be justice; God doesn't have to save anyone!

Point in fact:  Distinguish between the inward and outward call of the gospel; the inward one is from God and is effectual, and the outward call from man sometimes falls on deaf ears and can, therefore, be ineffectual.   God's Word says that He's never let the world without a witness (cf. Acts 14:17)--everyone has had the opportunity to hear from God!  Paul says He is not far from every one of us!

In summation, we are not to seek "voices" or special revelation, and we shouldn't feel left out if we have no extra-biblical experience, such as a vision, divine voice, or visitation.  The existence of Scripture as God's written Word does not preclude God's audible voice or any oral communication.  God has promised to speak to us in His Word which is all He has to say to us and need not be improved upon.  We must be faithful to the Word first, though other forms of communication are not retired!  The sheep hear God: "... Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice"  (John 18:37, ESV).   Soli Deo Gloria!

Why Doesn't God Answer All Our Questions?...

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV).
"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33, NIV).
"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever" (Deut. 29:29).

Wouldn't it be hunky-dory if God answered all our questions?  But wait a minute, we are assuming we have the capacity to apprehend God.  God is the ultimate mystery to never be fathomed!  The medieval theological maxim still holds water:  "The finite cannot grasp (or contain) the infinite."  We cannot plumb the mysteries of God, as it were.  This is called the profundity or incomprehensibility of God doctrinally speaking.  Our limited minds can no longer understand  God's motives than if we tried to explain the Internet to an ant.  The only info we need is enough to have faith, and faith is what pleases God and without faith, it is impossible to please Him (cf. Heb. 11:6).  The more we know the more responsible we are and if we knew all the answers we would ultimately be on a par with God Almighty Himself.

The supreme example of a man who demanded answers from the Almighty was Job.  He kept asking God "Why me, Lord?" But God countered:  "Who are you Job?"  God was saying:  Who do you think you are?  Let me ask you a few questions?  God is simply too profound to explain Himself.--the the profundity of God.  God had questions for Job to answer just to humble him and put him in his place.  God is not accountable to anyone and for anything He does.  He depends on nothing and no one for His existence.   Nebuchadnezzar said, "Who can stay His hand, or say unto Him, 'What hast thou done?'"  He stands alone, and who can oppose him?  He does whatever he pleases" (Job 23:13, NIV).

If God answered all our questions, we would not have faith, but knowledge.  However, John 16:23 says:  "In that day you shall ask me nothing." What Jesus seems to be referring to is that we will be satisfied with the knowledge that He gives us and the answers He does give to us about our loved ones and related subjects.  If God were obliged to answer all our questions, there would be no end to the inquiry.  Our questions would keep us from having faith and taking that "leap of faith."

Job was satisfied in seeing God or in having a revelation of Him, that humbled him and made him realize that even he had self-righteousness ("Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes," according to Job 42:5).  In spirit, all our questions will be answered, but technically they won't and cannot be.  We are finite and our minds cannot contain God's infinity.  Answering all our questions is akin to answering all our prayers, or doing miracles on demand--they weaken, not strengthen faith. We don't want all our prayers answered our way because we don't know what is best for us and would mess up our lives in the process--thank God all your prayers weren't answered the way you wanted.

Miracles only give a thirst for more miracles and don't make faith--actually, faith makes miracles. The key from Job is to know God, not know why He does everything.   Quite frankly, it may be none of our business!  He doesn't owe us; we owe Him!  And so in conclusion:  Just like Job's inquiry, we have to realize who God is and who we are, and not presume on His wisdom in withholding info from us (remember what Satan said to Eve, that God was withholding a secret?)--some things are better off not knowing. In sum, God is too kind to be cruel, too wise to make a mistake, and too deep to explain Himself.   Soli Deo Gloria!