Why Has God Communicated With Man?

 

Our question for today is this;  Is there any reason for God to have any further communications with man, in addition to communicating with us through the bible?  In the bible, we have the entire history of God’s communications with man.  From Adam, up until the complete revelation of the new testament law of Christ.

We’re reminded of what it says in  2 Peter 1, verse 3;  “Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything, pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”   His word has revealed to us “everything”!

And we’re not allowed to add anything to it, or take anything away from it.  We’re told in  2 John, verse 9;  “Anyone who goes too far, and does not abide, in the teaching of Christ, does not have God!”   That’s pretty plain.  You either abide in the teaching of Christ, that has already been given, or you can’t be saved.  How could anyone be saved, if they don’t have God, right?  

We are living in a period of time, that the bible calls, “the last days”.   Hebrews 1, verse 2  says;  “In these last days (God) has spoken to us in His Son..”   And “in His Son”, we have the teaching of Christ, which is referred to in  2 John, verse 9.   

And since we’re now living in “the last days”, we know that there won’t be any more days when these are finished, and so those teachings of Christ will last until the end of time.  Therefore we know that nothing new will ever be revealed to us, because God has already revealed to us “everything that pertains to life and godliness..”  and no one is allowed to change what’s been revealed.

So then God isn’t going to reveal anything new to mankind.  Therefore that rules out that potential reason for any further communication with man.

What about the idea of God repeating the very same words that are already written in the bible?  Would God communicate with individuals today, simply to repeat to them, what He’s already said, to everyone?  Paul did say in  Philippians 3, verse 1;  “To write the same things again, is not trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.”  And he wrote in  1 Peter 1:12;  “Therefore I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you.”  

So if Paul, through the inspiration of God, was willing to repeat the same things that he had already said, why wouldn’t God be willing to repeat things to people today, even though He’s already said these same things in the past?

I can think of a couple of things which made the situation different for people of Paul’s day, than for people today.  First of all, people back then didn’t have the bible completely written and preserved for them.  They couldn’t just go to the bible to be reminded of exactly what the teachings of Christ were.  Why would we need someone to speak or write directly to us today, when we have the word written down for us, right at our finger tips?

Secondly, Paul wasn’t just speaking to one individual, he wrote to entire congregations, who were then in turn, supposed to circulate his letters to other congregations, so that everyone could be reminded of the word of God.  Paul wrote, in  Colossians 4;16;  “And when this letter is read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans.  And you, for your part, read the letter from them.”  

People today, who think that God communicates with them, think that its a one-on-one thing.  They think that they’re being singled out by God, as one of a few, or even as one of many people, who God chooses to communicate with, individually.

But why would God do that?  Why would God single out an individual, just to repeat something, that’s already been recorded for us in the bible?  Would it be just to increase THEIR faith?  Wouldn’t that be in contradiction to what the bible already says about God being no respecter of persons?  That’s what the bible says in  Acts 10:34.   That verse is specifically talking about God revealing His will, concerning salvation.

Here’s what it says in  verses 34 & 35;  (Peter speaking)  “As a truth, I understand that God is no respecter of persons.  (some versions say, God shows no partiality)  But in every nation, the one fearing Him, and working righteousness, is acceptable to Him.”  

It is a “truth” that God does not show partiality.  Every person, of every nation is equally acceptable to God.  But would God single out one person, or a select number of people, by communicating directly with them, to help them in their salvation, when He won’t communicate with the rest of us, to help everyone with their salvation?  God simply wouldn’t do that, would He?  He wouldn’t show respect to one person over another, when it comes to their salvation.  We’re all saved through the same written word.  Well, through our obedience to that written word, I should say.

The word has been recorded for us, for the express reason that through the word, we should come to believe and have faith.  That’s exactly what it says in  John 20, verse 31;  “But these have been written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name.”

And in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, when the rich man asked for Lazarus to be sent to his brothers, so that they might come to believe, do you remember that he was told?  He was told, in  Luke 16:31;  “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if someone rises from the dead.”  

So then if God expected the Israelites to believe the word that they had already received, then wouldn’t God expect us to do the same thing?  The bible is for the expressed written purpose that through that recorded word, we may come to believe.  Why would God go against His own word?  Well, obviously, He wouldn’t.

If someone has the word of god, and they choose not to believe it.  And even if someone rises from the dead, they still won’t believe it;  then how is it supposed to make a difference, just because someone claims to have had a direct revelation for God?  Is that supposed to be stronger evidence than someone rising from the dead?  I don’t think so.

So it sounds to me like that would rule out that possibility as a reason for God to continue to communicate with man.  Well, what about if God communicated with you, not for your own benefit, but so that you could relay that information to me, for my benefit?  Well that would show the same partiality towards me, that God’s word says, He doesn’t show towards anyone.  And both of those same verses that I just referenced would apply here also.

So if God wouldn’t reveal anything new to anyone, and if he wouldn’t directly remind you of anything to help you with your salvation, and He wouldn’t tell you to remind me of something, then is there ANY OTHER reason that God would continue to communicate with man?

God is not going to tell us anything about salvation, that he’s not already told us.  And God is not going to tell us anything about the resurrection and the judgment, that he’s not already told us.  And he’s not going to use further communication to produce faith in us, because He’s told us that the word that he’s already given us is for that precise purpose.  He tells us that in  Romans 10:17,  where He says;  “So then faith comes by hearing the word of God.”  And then what we already read from   John 20:31;  “But these things have been written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name.”   All that’s already been written.

What would God tell anyone about, that’s not already been told?  The purpose of man?  It’s already been told.  The plan of salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ?  It’s already been told.  How we should conduct ourselves in the home, in our marriage, in our social life, in business?  It’s all been told already.  Does God have to warn us about the “wiles of the devil”?  He’s already done that.

We talked about being reminded, right?  Well, once again,  2 Peter 1:3  says;  “Seeing that His divine power has granted to us EVERYTHING pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”   

There is not one thing that pertains to life and godliness, that hasn’t already been revealed to us in the bible.  And it’s all there, so that we can be reminded of it, every time we study the word.

But even though there is ZERO reason, to think that God would directly communicate with people today, there’s always going to be some people, who contend that God has directly communicated with them.  And so what can we do?  We can show them what the bible says on the subject.  Just like we show people that baptism is essential to salvation.  And just like we show people how the old covenant is no longer in effect.  And just like we show them that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.   And just like we show people that God spoke the ten commandments so that all Israel could hear His words.  And just like we show people that the blood of Christ, was required to actually wash away the sins, of those who lived under the old covenant, as well as those who live under the new covenant.  And we show people how we all need to assemble EVERY first day of the week.  And we show them how assembling together to study the bible, is expected of us by God.

 

We can show people the exact words of the bible, but we can’t make them believe those words.  It’s frustrating isn’t it?  So what do we do?  We keep plugging away, and we KEEP showing people the words of the bible.  And we keep praying for all people, and we keep praying for ourselves.  And we keep on making sure that WE believe every word that’s written in the bible.  Because let’s face it;  If we refuse to believe the new things that we’re introduced to in the bible, then what’s the sense of studying.  If we’ve already made up our minds that we know it all, then I guess that’s all were ever going to know.  We’ve condemned ourselves to never learn another thing.

 

That’s not what God wants.  God wants us to keep on learning, and not to be afraid of learning.  And not to let our pride get in the way of learning.  God wants us “to study”, He wants us “to be diligent, to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman who needs not to be ashamed, correctly discerning the word of truth.”   2 Timothy 2:15

And let me remind us all, that studying, is not just reading the bible.  And it’s not just perusing the bible.  And it’s not just skimming the surface of the words of the bible.  Studying is diligence.  Studying is  investigating, and study, is truly trying to understand everything that’s written.   If God didn’t want us to understand everything that’s written, He wouldn’t have had it written in the first place.

That’s our lesson for tonight.  I hope we can find it useful.