When “God Told Me” Becomes a License to Lie

[bdavidc]

Some of the most dangerous words spoken in Christianity are not, “I reject the Bible.” They are, “God revealed something to me that the Bible does not say.” That claim may sound spiritual, but sounding spiritual does not make it true. When someone claims new revelation, a hidden meaning, or a higher spiritual truth that cannot be shown from Scripture, they are asking you to accept their words as though God Himself had spoken.

God never told believers to accept every spiritual claim. He commanded the exact opposite. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” 1 John 4:1. That verse should destroy the careless idea that questioning a claimed revelation means someone is resisting the Holy Spirit. God commands us to test the claim because false prophets do not normally introduce themselves as false prophets. They speak as though they have heard from God.

The standard for testing spiritual claims is not how confident the speaker appears, how sincere they sound, or how powerful their experience felt. Isaiah said, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” Isaiah 8:20. God’s written Word is the standard. A dream, vision, impression, voice, or private message does not become truth simply because someone attaches God’s name to it.

Some claim that insisting on Scripture alone puts a limit on the Holy Spirit. That is backward. The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, and He does not lead people away from the truth He gave. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” John 17:17. The Spirit of truth does not reveal one thing in the written Word and then secretly reveal the opposite to someone else. God does not contradict Himself.

The faith was not left unfinished, waiting for modern teachers to complete what Jesus and the apostles supposedly failed to explain. Jude wrote that believers must “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” Jude 3. The church is commanded to contend for the faith already delivered, not chase after new doctrines, secret interpretations, or messages that cannot be found in the text.

Paul’s warning was severe because spiritual deception is serious. He wrote, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” Galatians 1:8. He repeated it in the next verse: “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” Galatians 1:9. Even an angelic appearance would not be enough to overturn the message already received. A supernatural claim does not outrank Scripture.

This does not mean the Bible has no depth. It means its depth is found by studying what God actually revealed, not by inventing meanings He never placed in the text. Moses wrote, “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever” Deuteronomy 29:29. God owns the secret things. We are responsible for what He has revealed. Pride begins when a person claims access to truths God has not made known in His Word.

Some also appeal to God writing His law on the heart as though this promises new doctrines or private revelation. Scripture says, “I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts” Hebrews 8:10. The promise concerns God placing His revealed law within His people, not giving individuals authority to announce doctrines that cannot be tested from Scripture. God writes His truth on the heart. He does not turn every private impression into divine revelation.

Even prophetic speech in the early church was not accepted without examination. Paul wrote, “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge” 1 Corinthians 14:29. He also said, “Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” 1 Thessalonians 5:20–21. Testing a claimed prophecy is not unbelief. Refusing to test it is disobedience.

The Bible also warns against private control over the meaning of Scripture. Peter wrote, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” 2 Peter 1:20. A faithful teacher draws the meaning from the text in its context. A false teacher forces his own ideas into the text and then claims the Spirit revealed them. That is not illumination. It is manipulation.

Scripture is sufficient to teach, correct, and equip God’s people. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” 2 Timothy 3:16–17. If Scripture thoroughly furnishes the man of God, believers are not spiritually incomplete without someone’s hidden message.

The practical response is simple. Stop being impressed by claims of special access to God. Open the Bible. Read the passage in context. Compare Scripture with Scripture. Follow the example of the Bereans, who “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” Acts 17:11. When someone says God gave them a truth that cannot be demonstrated from Scripture, do not bow to their confidence. Test it, expose it, and reject it.

Will you stand on what God has written, or surrender your discernment to someone who claims God told them more?

 

[ScottA]

Some of the most dangerous words spoken in Christianity are not, “I reject the Bible.” They are, “God revealed something to me that the Bible does not say.” That claim may sound spiritual, but sounding spiritual does not make it true. When someone claims new revelation, a hidden meaning, or a higher spiritual truth that cannot be shown from Scripture, they are asking you to accept their words as though God Himself had spoken.

God never told believers to accept every spiritual claim. He commanded the exact opposite. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” 1 John 4:1. That verse should destroy the careless idea that questioning a claimed revelation means someone is resisting the Holy Spirit. God commands us to test the claim because false prophets do not normally introduce themselves as false prophets. They speak as though they have heard from God.

The standard for testing spiritual claims is not how confident the speaker appears, how sincere they sound, or how powerful their experience felt. Isaiah said, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” Isaiah 8:20. God’s written Word is the standard. A dream, vision, impression, voice, or private message does not become truth simply because someone attaches God’s name to it.

Some claim that insisting on Scripture alone puts a limit on the Holy Spirit. That is backward. The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, and He does not lead people away from the truth He gave. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” John 17:17. The Spirit of truth does not reveal one thing in the written Word and then secretly reveal the opposite to someone else. God does not contradict Himself.

The faith was not left unfinished, waiting for modern teachers to complete what Jesus and the apostles supposedly failed to explain. Jude wrote that believers must “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” Jude 3. The church is commanded to contend for the faith already delivered, not chase after new doctrines, secret interpretations, or messages that cannot be found in the text.

Paul’s warning was severe because spiritual deception is serious. He wrote, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” Galatians 1:8. He repeated it in the next verse: “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” Galatians 1:9. Even an angelic appearance would not be enough to overturn the message already received. A supernatural claim does not outrank Scripture.

This does not mean the Bible has no depth. It means its depth is found by studying what God actually revealed, not by inventing meanings He never placed in the text. Moses wrote, “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever” Deuteronomy 29:29. God owns the secret things. We are responsible for what He has revealed. Pride begins when a person claims access to truths God has not made known in His Word.

Some also appeal to God writing His law on the heart as though this promises new doctrines or private revelation. Scripture says, “I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts” Hebrews 8:10. The promise concerns God placing His revealed law within His people, not giving individuals authority to announce doctrines that cannot be tested from Scripture. God writes His truth on the heart. He does not turn every private impression into divine revelation.

Even prophetic speech in the early church was not accepted without examination. Paul wrote, “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge” 1 Corinthians 14:29. He also said, “Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” 1 Thessalonians 5:20–21. Testing a claimed prophecy is not unbelief. Refusing to test it is disobedience.

The Bible also warns against private control over the meaning of Scripture. Peter wrote, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” 2 Peter 1:20. A faithful teacher draws the meaning from the text in its context. A false teacher forces his own ideas into the text and then claims the Spirit revealed them. That is not illumination. It is manipulation.

Scripture is sufficient to teach, correct, and equip God’s people. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” 2 Timothy 3:16–17. If Scripture thoroughly furnishes the man of God, believers are not spiritually incomplete without someone’s hidden message.

The practical response is simple. Stop being impressed by claims of special access to God. Open the Bible. Read the passage in context. Compare Scripture with Scripture. Follow the example of the Bereans, who “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” Acts 17:11. When someone says God gave them a truth that cannot be demonstrated from Scripture, do not bow to their confidence. Test it, expose it, and reject it.

Will you stand on what God has written, or surrender your discernment to someone who claims God told them more?

It is a hollow rant or claim that itself "cannot be shown from scripture."

And the claim that "they are asking you to accept their words as though God Himself had spoken", is a show of ignorance regarding God's established method of speaking through those He has indeed sent, saying such things as "Thus says the Lord", or "Hear the word of the Lord" often without any such confirmation as you would like to demand. But you don't get to make demands.

By this, "you have taken away the key of knowledge" and attempt to "quench the Spirit" by your own devises. Which, as it is written, are nothing new. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"