The purpose of this study is to discover the method where God can communicate with human race after Adam and Eve fell in sin. Inspiration is God’s way where His will, will be revealed through His servants the prophet. This study will enhance our knowledge on how important is it to be inspired by the Holy Spirit.
DISCOVER THE METHOD
What is inspiration? Is a special influence of a divine power on the minds of a person being inspired?
In other word, it is a divine guidance, an outward intervention to enable a person to express God’s will in written words.
“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 Tim. 3:16, 17.
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Pet. 1:20, 21.
Pleadings of the Holy Ghost
Read 2 Pet. 1:19, 20
“But the hue and cry of the opposition is, Away with prophecies at this time! For all the prophets and the law “Prophesied Until John.” Matt. 11:13.
If the a fore quoted scripture means that there were to be no more prophets after John, then there should have been none since that time. And were this the meaning, then the Scriptures would contradict themselves, for they bear evidence that while Christ was the Son of God, He was also “a prophet.” Luke 24:19. And although John the Baptist never wrote a single prophetic utterance, yet he was rated by Christ with the greatest of the prophets (Luke 7:28). Also Matthew, Mark, and Luke, under the Spirit of Inspiration, wrote concerning Christ and His work. Likewise John, Peter, and Paul, and others contemporary with them, prophesied in their own right of many things to come. All these are Scripturally accorded the title “prophet.“
As Inspiration unrolls the Scroll it is, of course, but to be expected that it will find us surprisingly ignorant of many things — the very reason that It unrolls. If we, therefore, fail to exchange our ideas for the Lord’s then what hope is there for us ever to become enlightened and fitted for eternity? Our ideas are to fall flat, and the Lord’s prophecies are to stand “high and lifted up.” Our duty is to prove God’s Word correct rather than to hold tenaciously to our preconceptions and misconceptions until God Himself steps in and puts us to shame.
There is no mystery in this, for everybody knows that the winds of doctrine blowing from all directions, one contradicting the other, cannot all be pure Bible truth. The only surprising part is that Inspiration foresaw it so long ago, and that no one discovered it before Inspiration Itself did unfold it.
“Awake, awake,” cries the Word, “loose thyself from the” man-wrought “bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.” Isa 52:2. “Quench not the Spirit,” O church of God! “Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thess. 5:19-21. Do not longer overlook the fact that the gift of prophets is second in order, and the gifts of governments and diversity of tongues are last. Mark, therefore, that those who despise the gift of prophecy but exalt the gifts of governments and tongues, are manifestly pulling the cart from its rear end, and are going in the wrong direction. To them Christ is saying: “Knowest not that thou are wretched and miserable, and poor and blind, and naked.’ Rev. 3:17.
Safeguard from misinterpretation of the Scriptures
Sure word of prophecy 2Pet. 1:19, 20
Take heed the light in it.
No private interpretation
Prophecied until John Matt. 1:19, 20
Prophet – Luke 24:19; Luke 7:28
Book of Revelation is a prophecy
Blessing in reading – Rev. 1:2, 3
No addition or subtractions Rev. 22:18
Promise gifts for the church – 1 Cor. 12:28
Quench not the Spirit – Isa. 52:2; 1Thess. 5:19-21
Sacred History
Prophets in the first division received the word directly from God through the medium of His Spirit. They are not obliged to prove any part of their prophecies by the writings of preceding prophets.
Prophets in the second division are appointed by the unction of the Spirit to interpret the writings of the prophets of the first division.
OT contains light of our salvation for both periods – Jewish and Christian.
Type and Antitype Met there’s TRUTH
Holy men of God were inspired.
Unified through inspiration – revealed truth. John 17:21-23
Disunity: Satan’s Predetermined Purpose
Satan is leading quasi Christian legions to parade as fools before the world.
Eye of the church can draw a state of oneness, of unbreakable unity.
Husk–fed Christians – being undernourished – are incapable of rightly judging.
Pen of the Columntator – satrical caricature
We must be unified through inspiration. Since the Scriptures explain that the church in all ages has been led into truth only through the gift of prophecy, the Christian has no choice but to conclude that God’s will and plan for this time is just as it was for times past; that is, that the knowledge of salvation be imparted through the writings of the Old Testament prophets, as interpreted by those upon whom, as the scroll unfolds, He bestows the same Spirit by which He moved upon “holy men of God” “in old time.” 2 Pet. 1:21. “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Mal. 3:6.
God would have ever kept Christendom unified through Inspiration, revealed truth, but uninspired men would not humble themselves and forego their own private interpretations, with the tragic result that they have brought the present shameful sectarian confusion.
This union through the Spirit, is forcefully taught in Christ’s Prayer.
“That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.” John 17:21-23.
Unceasing theological speculations on the Scriptures, with the resultant diversity of opinions and pleasing fables, are continually increasing confusion, dissensions, divisions which spawn conflicting creeds and sects. Whereas Christians should be doing nothing but proving to the world by perfect union that the Father has sent the Son.
Showing that He recognizes only one denomination, Christ said: “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” John 10:16. The existing disunion among Christians of today is not, therefore, fulfilling God’s, but Satan’s Predetermined Purpose.
The so-called Christian world of today has so far drifted from God’s ideal for His church as to have arrived at a point where even Christ’s own prayer fails to disillusion them, and to bring them to a realization that their varied beliefs of being all right are sure to be all wrong. Those who are not affiliated with any church, and for whose conversion the churches claim to be fully exerting their means and time, look on with scorn and laughter at this delusion and hypocrisy. Such Christians are only pleasing Satan and cheating themselves and those who watch them.
Satan is leading these quasi-Christian legions to parade as fools before the world, so that through their unconscious folly he may cast reproach upon Christ, and at the same time may make the world believe that the Father has not sent the Son. Unless these disunited ranks awake to their plight, Satan will shortly plunge them headlong into eternal destruction. This everlasting tragedy would be chargeable only to their despising the gift of the Spirit of Prophecy the eyes of the church (1 Sam. 9:9; Isa. 29:10) which alone can see to draw them into a state of oneness, of unbreakable unity.
Shepherds of the churches, in attempting to interpret the Scriptures “privately” (without the Holy Spirit), have set husks before the sheep, and as a result the flocks have been left to forage for themselves In Search of Something Better.
Husk-fed Christians, being undernourished, are incapable of rightly judging. Some, therefore, hope to obtain the “something better” from those whom they regard as most faithful; others expect to receive it from those who are regarded as the most learned Doctors of Divinity; while still others think to find it in this or that denomination simply because Father or Mother or some other influential person or relative belongs to it. By these foolish choices that require no exertion of mind or no personal experience, they are ironically, only led again to husks. And the non-Christian world, ever critically looking on, turns in disgust from this and other inconsistent and foolish practices in the Christian scene. Thus believers, instead of converting unbelievers to Christianity, are only driving them further from it!
That others, too, are well aware of this fatal sheep-like, follow-the-bell instinct, is pointedly demonstrated in the hypothetical case of the family seen in satirical caricature From the Pen of “The Columntator.”
Those who are honestly seeking salvation through Christ, must “join” Him by conversion for the Truth’s sake; and the only way one can do this, is gladly to welcome all The Gifts Of The Spirit.
“And He,” says Paul of the One Who alone, through all His gifts, can unify His church, “gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Eph. 4:11-13. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Rev. 3:22. Though the Spirit of God has spoken in these certain terms, yet one finds, upon polling the general opinion among Christians, that The “Spirit of Prophecy” Is Virtually Rejected.
Let’s therefore, know and understand God’s Communication Network in these last days, study Zechariah 4, Testimonies to Ministers pages 185-188.
God bless you all!
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A fascinating discussion is definitely worth comment. I do believe that you should publish more about this issue, it may not be a taboo matter but usually folks dont speak about such subjects. To the next! Cheers!!