Spurgeon, God does not send, "special messages"

 Our Lord'sPrayer for His people's Sarncification No. 1890 Sermon delivered March 77, 1886, by C.H. Spurgeon at the Mertropolitan Tabernacle, Newington   “Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is truth.” John 17:17.

 But what is the truth? There is the point. Is the truth that which I imagine to be revealed to me by some private communication? Am I to fancy that I enjoy some special revelation, and am I to order my life by voices, dreams, and impressions?






Brethren, fall not into this common delusion. God’s Word to us is in Holy Scripture. All the truth that sanctifies men is in God’s word. Do not listen to those who cry, “Lo here!” and “Lo there!” I am plucked by the sleeve almost every day by crazy persons and pretenders who think that they have revelations. One man tells me that God has sent a message to me by him, and I reply, “No, sir, the Lord knows where I dwell, and He is so near to me that He would not need to send to me by you.”

Another man announces in God’s name a dogma which, on the face of it, is a lie against the Holy Spirit.. He says the Spirit of God told him so and so, but we know that the Holy Spirit never contradicts Himself. If your imaginary revelation is not according to this Word, it has no weight with us, and if it is according to this Word, it is no new thing.

 Brethren, this Bible is enough if the Lord does but use it, and quicken it by His Spirit in our hearts. Truth is neither your opinion, nor mine; your message, nor mine. Jesus says, “Your word is truth.” That which sanctifies men is not only truth, but it is the particular truth which is revealed in God’s Word—“Your word is truth.”

What a blessing it is that all the truth that is necessary to sanctify us is revealed in the Word of God, so that we have not to expend our energies upon discovering truth, but may, to our far greater profit, use revealed truth for its divine ends and purposes! There will be no more revelations; no more are needed.

 The Canon is fixed and complete, and he that adds to it shall have added to him the plagues that are written in this Book. What need of more when here is enough for every practical purpose? “Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is truth.” This being so, the truth which it is necessary for us to receive is evidently fixed. You cannot change Holy Scripture. You may arrive more and more accurately at the original text, but for all practical purposes the text we have is correct enough, and our old Authorized Version is a sound one. Scripture itself cannot be broken; we cannot take from it nor add to it. The Lord has never re-written nor revised His Word, nor will He ever do so. Our teachings are full of errors, but the Spirit makes no mistakes.

 We have the “Retractations” of Augustine, but there are no retractions with prophets and apostles. The faith has been delivered once for all to the saints, and it stands fast forever. “Your word is truth.” The Scripture alone is absolute truth, essential truth, decisive truth, authoritative truth, undiluted truth, eternal, everlasting truth. Truth given us in the word of God is that which is to sanctify all believers to the end of time; God will use it to that end. Learn, then, my brothers, how earnestly you ought to search the Scriptures! See, my sisters, how studiously you should read this Book of God! If this is the truth, and the truth with which God sanctifies.

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