The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum What's wrong with Charismatics?

nikolai_42,

You summed up your reply to Wes in this way:

In reply to:

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[color:"blue"]But the truth of the scriptures is not to be uncovered intellectually, but only experientially. Then the scriptures become life - unfolding truth to the seeker by the revelation of the Holy Spirit as one opens one's heart to Christ . . .

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Unfortunately, whether you are really playing "devil's advocate" or not, this statement and all that preceded it is contra biblical teaching itself. The Scriptures, in myriad places, enjoin those who occupy offices, e.g., bishop, elder, pastor, to preach sound doctrine, to preach the word, to present an apologetic against heresy, etc. All of these injunctions necessitate the reality objective and rational propositions; not experimentalism. Further, all believers are exhorted to "search the Scriptures", to hold fast "the truth once delivered unto the saints", etc.... all which likewise presume and necessitate an objective, rational and intellectual repository of doctrinal statements. These objective propositions are discerned by the intellect through the means of language, grammar, etc. They are not discerned experientially.

Further, all that you have said is a denial of verbal plenary inspiration and a closed canon. The Scriptures are a "closed book". God no longer speaks, dispenses or reveals revelation directly to individual believers. His revelation was given through his inspired Prophets, Apostles and finally through His Son:

Hebrews 1:1-2 (ASV) "God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in [his] Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds;"

And, to make this short.... what you have described is classic neo-Orthodoxy, aka: Barthianism, Crisis Theology, which posits that the Bible contains the Word of God but denies that it is propositionally the Word of God. Practically put, one can read a passage in the Bible and it is nothing different than any other piece of literature, UNTIL... God "speaks" to that individual directly in that reading and then it BECOMES the Word of God. Is this what you are trying to convey and in fact, embrace personally?

In His Grace,