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Originally posted by Me Died Blue
Basically, since God has stopped speaking and revealing His will through all means but Scripture and providence, those are the very two things we must use to make such decisions. We need to constantly fill and sharpen our minds with prayerful meditation on Scripture, and as we thus become more conformed to Christ, we will gain wisdom and be better able to make responsible, biblical decisions when God providentially presents us with life's options.
As Robertson put it, many charismatics think that they have more of God's direction in their life because they believe in God's continuing revelation today. However, he points out, quite the opposite is true: Cessationism gives us the responsibility and freedom to make responsible decision-making that is tempered and guided by our knowledge of Scripture, without having to wait for "a word from the Lord" before acting on a situation we see as an opportunity to fulfill God's purpose for us after analysing the situation with biblical principles and sanctified wisdom. While this way of decision-making is not as "automatic" as the mystical techniques for "finding God's very will for this specific situation," it is the biblical model and requires the Christian to be more responsible and more dependent on the Bible for their everyday life, since there is not an "easy answer" for every situation.
There is actually a full book on this very subject entitled Finding the Will of God: A Pagan Notion? by Bruce Waltke and Jerry MacGregor, both Reformed. It speaks against the mystical "searching" and decision-making principles so popular in evangelical circles today, and calls for a return to faith in God's providence and rational, responsible decision-making that comes from wisdom rooted in a mind saturated with Scripture.
Originally posted by satz
agree 100% Josh.
I'am sure we've all encountered ppl who claim they've been 'convicted' by God that alcohol is sinful. Since that is unbiblical we know that can't be true conviction.
On the other hand there are those who claim they have been convicted by God that they individually should not touch alcohol because of past temptations etc etc
Would God do something like this? If we feel a certain way about something, how do we know if it is conviction or emotion?
Originally posted by joshua
Originally posted by satz
On the other hand there are those who claim they have been convicted by God that they individually should not touch alcohol because of past temptations etc etc
Would God do something like this? If we feel a certain way about something, how do we know if it is conviction or emotion?
Sure...based on the same passages which we would claim our liberty to drink, they could, by the power of the Spirit and the testimony of their past, take the same Scriptures to heart to realize that one man's liberty is another's vice.
Originally posted by satz
hmm... lets say i am in situation X, and i feel very uneasy about it. I search the scripture and can find no condemnation of this situation, but my feeling of unease remains. Now i know that if we are doubtful we should abstain, but in such a situation how can i diffentiate between the spirit telling me something or just my mind acting up?
Chap. 1:
VI. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.(m) Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word: (n) and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.(o)
(m) II Tim. 3:15, 16, 17; Gal. 1:8, 9; II Thess. 2:2.
(n) John 6:45, I Cor. 2:9 to 12.
(o) I Cor. 11:13, 14; I Cor. 14:26, 40.
Chap. 20:
II. God alone is Lord of the conscience,(k) and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are in any thing contrary to His Word; or beside it, if matters of faith or worship.(l) So that, to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands, out of conscience,(m) is to betray true liberty of conscience: and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also.(n)
(k) Jam. 4:12; Rom. 14:4.
(l) Acts 4:19; Acts 5:29; I Cor. 7:23; Matt. 23:8, 9, 10; II Cor. 1:24; Matt. 15:9.
(m) Col. 2:20, 22, 23; Gal. 1:10; Gal. 2:4, 5; Gal. 5:1.
(n) Rom. 10:17; Rom. 14:23; Isa. 8:20; Acts 17:11; John 4:22; Hos. 5:11; Rev. 13:12, 16, 17; Jer. 8:9.
III. They who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, do practice any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord, without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.(o)
(o) Gal. 5:13; I Pet. 2:16; II Pet. 2:19; John 8:34; Luke 1:74, 75.
Originally posted by Michael Butterfield
What about Heberew 5:24?
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Originally posted by JKLeoPCA
When I hear that someone is waiting on God for an answer, It usually seems that they are in some situation where emotion is telling them to do one thing (usually unable to play out all consequences), and intellect is telling them to do something else (usually practical, and clear end in sight), And they want a deciding vote to come in on the feeling side of things, so they wait.