Does a closed canon imply that God is totally silent at the present time? If it does, how can one logically pray for wisdom and expect an answer? If God is not totally silent, does that mean that a closed canon is just that verbal revelation lacks the second step? The second step would be the inspired writing of verbal revelation. It seems to me that anyone who prays for wisdom with an ounce of faith is thereby negating a closed canon in the sense of a totally silent God. Where is my logic off-base in this?
What is the meaning of a closed canon?
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Scott1
Puritanboard Commissioner
"Closed" maybe is not the best word- rather "completed" might be better.
It means that as the foundation of the church was laid by God through the prophets and apostles (Ephesians 1), and that it was "once delivered" to them (Jude 1), those unique offices established the special revelation of God for the church age.
They are not "added to" or in competition with other revelation. Not in any ordinary sense anyway.
God the Holy Spirit illuminates our understanding as we read or hear the special revelation (His Word). Indeed, it is an ordinary means for strengthening our faith.
I need it right now.
It means that as the foundation of the church was laid by God through the prophets and apostles (Ephesians 1), and that it was "once delivered" to them (Jude 1), those unique offices established the special revelation of God for the church age.
They are not "added to" or in competition with other revelation. Not in any ordinary sense anyway.
God the Holy Spirit illuminates our understanding as we read or hear the special revelation (His Word). Indeed, it is an ordinary means for strengthening our faith.
I need it right now.
May God grant it to you right now. Example: The scriptures say not to judge and they also say not to throw pearls before swine. At some point one must judge that Joe Blow is a spiritual swine and stop dealing with him. But that involves judging. So one prays about which of these two passages applies under these particular circumstances. That is asking for extrabiblical revelation, is it not? So God gives wisdom. We are not permitted to record the account of our dealings with Joe Blow and tell which way the Lord led us to deal with him. It's not new scripture, but neither is God totally silent. If we need to make lists of why Joe is or is not hopeless and use our human reasoning to lean one way or the other, then perhaps He is silent. In that case one should save his or her breath and not pray for wisdom in the first place.
Scott1
Puritanboard Commissioner
We pray because God tell us to. The same God who ordains the ends, ordains the means.
Prayer builds faith. It helps us focus on God, His Word and His Ways (revealed through His Word). God may use prayer as a means to change circumstances (and us).
Scott1
Puritanboard Commissioner
One of the debts of gratitude we owe our forefathers in the faith was their systematizing of the whole teaching of the Scripture. That is, letting the whole of the Bible interpret the whole of the Bible. Things that are unclear are interpreted in light of what is clear.
This prevents many errors that come by taking one Scripture out of context.
Where the Scripture is silent, we remain silent also, not speculating into the "secret" counsel of God. Or not, as limited creatures, demanding condescension from an omniscience, omnipotent, omnipresent God to our limited understanding.
Such is the "fear" of God- whose ways are not our ways, above our understanding, etc.
Praise God!
This prevents many errors that come by taking one Scripture out of context.
Where the Scripture is silent, we remain silent also, not speculating into the "secret" counsel of God. Or not, as limited creatures, demanding condescension from an omniscience, omnipotent, omnipresent God to our limited understanding.
Such is the "fear" of God- whose ways are not our ways, above our understanding, etc.
Praise God!
Peairtach
Puritan Board Doctor
The canon is closed
E.g.
but the Holy Spirit has been illuminating it - giving insight into it - for circa 1900 years.
E.g.
God is constantly working in and through His Word to achieve the salvation of His people - including their sanctification - and the transformation of the World:
He is constantly in the process of "opening up" His Word. It's a process in history.
E.g.
but the Holy Spirit has been illuminating it - giving insight into it - for circa 1900 years.
E.g.
God is constantly working in and through His Word to achieve the salvation of His people - including their sanctification - and the transformation of the World:
He is constantly in the process of "opening up" His Word. It's a process in history.
Does God illuminate us as we read the Bible, showing us where a particular passage or principle is applicable in our lives? If so, then He is not silent. There is non-canonical divine communication with our minds and hearts, guiding us into truth. This seems to be the assumption of even those who defend divine silence most vigorously. Pastors will both pray for God's enlightenment before preaching and deny there being any non-canonical divine communication. It doesn't compute.
Scott1
Puritanboard Commissioner
The Holy Spirit illuminates our understanding (as believers) as we read God's Word.
That doesn't mean, in the same way, He illuminates our every application of the Word of God to a fact pattern we face. Not the same thing.
The Word of God has a power all its own. We don't have the same thing (not to make light, but only an example) when choosing whether to buy a red dress or a blue dress.
There is no such thing as "Divine silence."
God speaks through His Word, in a sense through circumstances He controls, even, in a sense through general revelation.
Peairtach
Puritan Board Doctor
God is speaking through His already revealed Word. The insights of converted pastors and theologians must be tested by God's Word because although they have the Holy Spirit they are still sinners and not given inspired, infallible and inerrant prophecies.
When we say the canon is closed we mean that new prophetic inspired, infallible and inerrant revelation has ceased.
It computes fine once you understand it.
The question seems to carry with it the hidden assumption that the Word is not living and active. Is the Word of God able to fully equip a man for every good work or no? Is the believer without any help as he studies the Word to make application of its precepts to search out his heart and to illumine reality around him?
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