Does God Still Give Revelation Today?

Continuationists believe God still speaks today. This happens not only through the word of God in Scripture, but even through specific words or what we might term as “revelations.” These revelations can come in various manners – prophecies, words of knowledge, words of wisdom, visions, dreams, etc. – but God still communicates and speaks today. He actually never desired anything less.

However, what can get easily leveled against continuationists, from a more cessationist camp, is the idea that such revelation would no longer be needed knowing we now have the completed revelation of God in Jesus Christ, which is, of course, summarized in the full canon of Scripture. This revelation is the final word and no other such revelation is needed. And I understand the concern, especially noting such doctrines as the sufficiency of Scripture. However, I believe there is a very balanced approach that allows for the God-breathed Scriptures to maintain their authoritative place as God’s written revelation while also maintaining that God still speaks, reveals and communicates today.

Here is what I believe we need to recognize.

We must confess there is no more needed revelation from God with respect to his redemptive purposes in Jesus Christ. No more! The work of Christ and the revelation concerning this work – summed up in his life, ministry, death and resurrection – are the final word on God’s redemptive revelation and purposes. And I believe the New Testament makes this quite clear.

Yet, I do not think it is out of bounds to believe God continues to communicate in what I might term as a non-redemptive measure. This is where continuationists part from cessationists.

Again, I reiterate that it would be quite detrimental to say there is still more for God to reveal concerning the redemption of humanity through Christ and the gospel of the kingdom. Christ remains the final word on such. But, to believe God still reveals today, in a non-redemptive sense, should not be seen as harmful to a faith that looks to be grounded in Christ, the gospel and the testimony of the canon of Scripture. Matter of fact, I would argue that, to not allow for God to still directly speak and reveal today, in all his various manners, would cut us off from something very dear to the heart of God.

In all, I want to give two pointers as to why I believe in continuing, non-redemptive revelation:

1) Even while the canon of Scripture was being formed, God was always speaking para-Scripture, meaning he was speaking alongside what would be included in the canon of Scripture.

A couple examples would be found in places such as 1 Samuel 10:10-13 and 1 Timothy 1:18-19.

In the first instance, we find Saul, empowered by the Spirit, prophesying amongst a group of prophets. In the second example, we read of Paul reminding Timothy of the prophetic words that were made about him.

In both situations, we find Spirit-inspired prophecy. But in neither case do we find those prophetic, and revelatory, words recorded within Scripture itself. The events are mentioned, but the specific words are not given to us. Even more, in the case of Timothy, these words enabled him to stay the course. We read that ‘by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience’ These must have been some pretty edifying and strengthening words! Of course they were, since we find this to be a major purpose of prophecy (see 1 Corinthians 14:3).

Remember, the Scripture does not record every word and act of God. Remember John 21:25? But knowing that God was always speaking, acting, revealing himself, even alongside the writing of what became Scripture, I think this encourages us towards the trajectory that he would not only do so para-canonical but even post-canonical.

2) Not every revelation in Scripture would fall under the greater category of redemptive revelation.

We can see plenty of these examples within the Gospels and Acts. For example, think of Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). Here we find some very detailed words from the Living Word himself. And, so, we recognize the redemptive purposes of God being outworked through Christ in this particular occasion. But what is interesting to note is one specific revelation that Jesus shared, mainly the word of knowledge about the women’s love life.

Now, the full details are no doubt extremely important in the interaction between Jesus and the Samaritan woman – she is a Samaritan, a woman, we have rich teaching about Christ as living water, the shift towards worship of our Father in spirit and truth rather than at a centralized building, and much more. I believe John recorded exactly what was pertinent to record about this encounter in helping us better understand his main thrust about Jesus Christ (i.e. John 20:30-31).

But that specific word of knowledge (about the woman’s love life) was one detail alongside the greater redemptive revelation, even within that situation. Jesus could have revealed a dream that she had the previous night. He could have laid forth another bit of knowledge about her life. I believe there were many possibilities in which this more non-redemptive measure of God’s revelation could have come forth. Yet, it would not have affected the central message of Christ and the gospel, as given us in Scripture.

And, so, to claim that God speaks and reveals today, that prophecy still comes forth today, should not be seen as any threat upon God’s redemptive revelation summed up in Jesus, as testified to in the canon of Scripture. To argue such is to overstate the case. Of course, abuse can and does take place. But that is not inherently accurate about prophecy today. Even more, this is where the biblical canon, the very useful measuring stick for our faith, becomes all-important. We have such a great tool in helping assess present-day revelations, prophecies, visions, etc.

Of course, there are plenty of other examples of this kind of non-redemptive revelation from God in places like the book of Acts.

• Peter’s word of knowledge in Acts 5 of Ananias and Sapphira’s lying.
• Peter’s word of wisdom in Acts 6 of the need to appoint a team to look after the tables, rather than having the apostles covering this task of service.
• Agabus’ prophecy at the end of Acts 11 that there would be a severe famine.

Of course, for the cessationist, many of these, if not all, were given as “sign gifts,” ultimately attesting to the gospel message proclaimed by the apostles. The argument continues that they were unique mainly to the apostles, as well as their associates. Therefore, since there are no more apostles today, we no longer need such attesting signs. The Scripture now takes that place.

But to argue such fails to note a few interesting points about these particular gifts:

1. These did not only come via the apostles. Consider this sampling of passages that show varying Christians being used in these gifts: the 120 at Pentecost in Acts 2:4; Stephen in Acts 6:8; Philip in Acts 8:4-7; Ananias in Acts 9:17-18; Cornelius & household in Acts 10:46; Agabus in Acts 11:27-28 & 21:10-11; the Ephesians disciples in Acts 19:6; Philip’s daughters in Acts 21:8-9; the Galatian believers in Galatians 3:5; the Corinthian believers in 1 Corinthians 12-14; the Thessalonian believers in 1 Thessalonians 5:23; the elders in Ephesus in 1 Tim 4:14. Quite a list!
2. These gifts were not only used as “signs,” but also to bring edification and strengthening. This is Paul’s great point in 1 Corinthians 12-14.
3. Scripture actually does not teach us that Scripture will one day take the place of “sign gifts”. To argue such, from places like 1 Corinthians 13:8-12, is a misunderstanding of the context. As most theologians note, this passage speaks of the final eschaton, the final completing of all things, when ‘we shall see face to face.’

What we must remember is that, all of these instances from points 1 and 2 just above speak of actual revelations given by God. And while some of the details of these instances found their way into Scripture, some of the details are left unknown. The content of the Corinthian prophecies, the Thessalonian prophecies, the prophecies of Philip’s daughters, etc, was not recorded in Scripture. Even more, they were not definitive redemptive revelation. This same kind of revelation comes forth today.

In summary, I have tried to show why I believe it is worth distinguishing between a) redemptive revelation and b) non-redemptive revelation. Of course, even non-redemptive revelation comes from our great redemptive God. But the redemptive revelation in Christ and the gospel is finalized. We need not add anything. Yet, we know our living God still speaks today through his living Spirit.

So let us be encouraged that God speaks today, as it is true to his nature, and that we are called, as the body together, to seek him, to listen to him through Scripture and the present-day work of the Spirit, and to even seek prophecy (e.g. 1 Corinthians 14:1). And thankfully, as we stay connected to Scripture, the church historic and the church present, we will have great tools available to us in helping us remain steadfast, being faithful to the revelation of God in Jesus Christ.

PR

Originally published in 2013, later included in the Fall 2021 issue.