Practicing Theology: "The Holy Spirit revealed to me...", or "God told me..."

"So, there is nothing new under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9

"Team Pyro" at Pyromaniacs is in the habit of posting one of Charles Spurgeon's sermons every weekend. This week the posted sermon deals with the matter of making claims such as "The Holy Spirit revealed to me...". Spurgeon's sermon serves as a reminder to us that there truly is NOTHING new under the sun--including the misuse and abuse of God and His Word.

There was a time during my early days as a Charismatic believer when I heard many claims tossed around--sadly, I was guilty of tossing some around myself--most served as an attempt to elevate the individual in some way. I now shudder as I remember the blatantly unbiblical things that were (and still are) proclaimed and held up as "God breathed".

If those who profess to be redeemed will devote their time, mind and energy to the things God has clearly revealed in his Word, they would have no "need" to add, embellish, or craft some new thought or understanding.

As Spurgeon has said, "Believer! there is enough in the Bible for thee to live upon for ever. If thou shouldst outnumber the years of Methusaleh, there would be no need for a fresh revelation; if thou shouldst live till Christ should come upon the earth, there would be no necessity for the addition of a single word; if thou shouldst go down as deep as Jonah, or even descend as David said he did, into the belly of hell, still there would be enough in the Bible to comfort thee without a supplementary sentence."

May we strive to know and share God's word which is more than sufficient and inexhaustible!