I often hear people say one of two things about the revelation of the Bible: that God speaks to them, or they wish God would speak to them. Those who say God speaks to them often pull the 'god card' to validate and justify something they have done, a message they have given, or the way they have interpreted the Bible, or receiving an experiential fresh/new/special revelation that supersedes what is written in the Bible because the "books" of the New Testament (NT) were not compiled until after AD 324. Therefore, because the Disciples in the first century had to rely on hearing the 'rhema' (spoken) Word from God, the Church today should as well because God still speaks today, which supersedes His 'logos' (written) Word. After all, they say, "God's sheep hear His voice constantly, and they follow Him" (see John 10:27).
The question arises of who is it that becomes the human arbiter of truth to rightly divide and disseminate differing subjective 'supernatural' interpretations of specific Scriptures supposedly given directly by the Holy Spirit to one of many 'interpreters' who have contradictory definitions of words from the original language and the grammatical and historical context they used?
The Bible says that those who are ignorant and unstable twist the Word of God to mean something quite different than what they were originally intended to mean in their context (2 Peter 3:15-16).
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrines; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
The question that remains is, 'Does God still speak today? 'The short answer is a resounding, Yes! God did not become silent at the close of the first century.
"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world." (Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV)
Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27-28 ESV). He also said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20 ESV). The Bible tells us that when we hear His voice, we should not "harden" our hearts (Hebrews 4:7).
Fresh/New/Special Revelation?
There is teaching in the church today that the Greek word 'rhema' is exclusively the 'right now' spoken Word 'from' God (Holy Spirit) to people today to personally lead them. It is also taught that the Greek word 'logos' is exclusively God's general written Word as we have in the Bible for direction, which has caused the belief that a 'spoken' word through prophecy, dreams, visions, or a Word of Knowledge is a 'fresh revelation' that is greater than, and even supersedes, the written Word, the Bible. It is reasoned that because the Bible is a living Word, one Scripture can apply a certain way to a person today and touch on an aspect of their life. Then, in the future, they can read the same Scripture, and it impacts something else in their life. Therefore, they posit that because God is timeless, the Bible is timeless so that He can bring meaning to something in His Word in different ways at different times.
This belief is being used to validate and justify teaching that is contrary to traditional orthodox Christianity. A simple word study of the original Greek language used in the NT quickly reveals that there is no significant difference between the words 'rhema' and 'logos.' The words are used interchangeably in the Bible because they irrefutably mean the same thing and are not subtle differences from each other. Also, the Bible often uses the Greek word 'graphe' to refer to the written Word of God and 'logos' to refer to that which Jesus had spoken (Matthew 21:42; 22:29; John 2:22, 5:39, 14:23-24, 17:6,14; Acts 17:11; 18:24; Romans 1:2).
A text cannot mean what was never meant. The words used can only mean what the original writer meant them to mean in their original grammatical and historical context. The usage and definition of words in the Bible are God-breathed and do not change with the culture or history because God doesn't change (Malachi 3:6). The illumination of a Scripture is not the same as a revelation because it is the Scripture alone that is God's revealed revelation. There are no mysteries or riddles found within it.
The original meaning of the words can be USED to speak to modern culture, but they cannot be CHANGED to try and fit INTO modern culture. They mean what they mean. A definition is exact. Trying to make Scripture say or mean something different than what is clearly shown in its grammatical and historical context to fit a personal confirmation bias and validate a personal supposition is called eisegesis and is what is used by false religious cults and teachers who are wolves in sheep's clothing. The Bible forbids seeking fresh/new/special revelation (Isaiah 8:19-20; 19:3; 29:4; 47:12, 13; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6; 2 Kings 21:6; 23:4; 1 Samuel 28:8).
“Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:31)
Too many today seek fresh/new/special revelation from God. Books, such as the Book of Mormon, claim to be a revelation from God. That church also claims to receive continuing revelation from God regularly. Pagan religions make the same claim to receive revelation through their priests. Unfortunately, there are also way too many so-called Christians who seek information from God through fortune tellers or seek to communicate with the spirits and devils – or speak to the dead through séances. Born-Again Christians are forbidden to seek fresh/new/special revelation because God said He would not give more revelation, and secondly, the demons deceive and lead many astray (1 Timothy 4:1).
Fresh/new/special revelation ceased with the completion of the NT. God has given no additional fresh revelations beyond the Bible. Anyone who claims to have new visions or new revelations contrary to the Word of God violates the biblical prohibition against such new teachings and ignores the teachings of the church through the centuries.
Rhema vs Logos
The words "rhema" and "logos" overlap in their definitions. The actual difference between the words is simply a matter of writing style and expression. The word "logos" occurs 330 times, and the word "rhema" occurs 70 times in the NT. There are 218 times when the word "logos" is translated as "word." "Rhema" is translated 56 times as “word.” The word "logos" also occurs 50 times as "saying." Nine times "rhema" is also translated as "saying." The words "logos" and "rhema" are equally associated with “word” and 'saying.' "Rhema" is a 'saying' that could be in a written form, so therefore, many "rhema's" put together could constitute a "logos."
The Greek word "logos" refers to a word, decree, the act of speaking, teaching, reason, or account; first sense of collection, counting, or conversation; expression of thought, a complete statement description, thoughts expressed in words, relates to speaking and thinking, a divine declaration recorded in the Old Testament (OT); systematic and formal treatment of a subject, the content of what is preached; pertaining to matter.
"Logos" also refers to the Gospel as preached by the Apostles, and not to all the Scriptures (Acts 4:4). It is used regarding the supernatural gifts of prophecy, wisdom, knowledge, and tongues (1 Corinthians 12:8, 14:9). The "logos" is also 'spoken' by Angels (Hebrews 2:2, 12:19) and refers directly to Jesus (John 1:1,14).
The Bible often uses the Greek word "graphe" to refer to the written Word of God and "logos" to refer to that which Jesus had spoken (Matthew 21:42; 22:29; John 2:22,5:39,14:23-24,17:6,14; Acts 17:11;18:24; Romans 1:2).
Jesus is the "logos" who spoke the "logos," and everything came into existence (John 1:1-3). Both "rhema" and "logos" are meant to be synonyms and are equated with each other (2 Peter 3:5). The word "rhema" can be seen as referring to what was written. Although the prophets "spoke" words from God, they were written to the people (1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 3:2,5; Hebrews 12:19,11:3; Jude 1:17).
The word "rhema" is also used in the Gospel of Jesus being preached, and not the written word that is used to sanctify and cleanse, or the spoken word (Romans 10:8,17; Ephesians 5:26; 1 Peter 1:25). The "logos" word is also equated with the "rhema" word that was delivered on the day of Pentecost (Acts 10:44). The "rhema" words of Peter were seen as a "logos."
The Septuagint translates both 'logos' and 'rhema' from the Hebrew word 'dabar,' which means 'that which is uttered in speech, or writing, discourse, the subject matter of speech; a minimal unit of discourse, a single word, a focus on the content of the communication.
During the early years of the Church preaching the Gospel, words said were not completely written down yet, but the Gospel is just as well contained in the OT as it is in the NT. The word of faith is "preached" and not "written." Whether the Bible uses the word "rhema" of God or "logos" of God, it still points to that which is spoken in the majority of cases. The word 'logos' cannot be interpreted as only the written Word (example: Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 6:5). The words "rhema," "logos," and "graphe" are used interchangeably in the Scriptures.
God the Father, just as He spoke in the past in the OT through His prophets, continues to speak to His people today through the NT by using His Words spoken to Jesus, who then spoke to His Apostles, who wrote them down, which are the books of the NT (Hebrews 1:1-3; Luke 10:16; John 13:20, 17:17-20). The writers of the NT constantly appealed to the Scriptures alone as their base of authority in declaring what was and was not true biblical teaching (Matthew 21:42; John 2:22; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Peter 1:10-12, 2:2; 2 Peter 1:17-19; Acts 17:11).
The Bible Is Reliable
There are approximately 5,700 copies of the Greek manuscripts that were made very close to the time of the originals, and they all agree with each other with 99.5% accuracy. The .5% variation would include textual misspellings or minor word alternations. There are also over 19,000 copies in the Syriac, Latin, Coptic, and Aramaic languages, which bring the total supporting NT manuscript purity to over 24,000 copies.
The Bible is the absolute perfect revelation of Jesus Christ and the only infallible, inerrant, inspired source of knowledge about Him and the only reliable source to hear His voice. Everything in the Cosmos is sustained by His Word (Hebrews 1:1-3).
The Scribes of the NT fully believed that they were recording the very inspired words (Scriptures) of God (John 14:26, 16:12-13). Because the Bible is already inspired, it does not need any fresh revelation to be relevant. Dreams, visitations, or prophetic words are not reliable. Only the written Word of God is. Jesus is God. The Holy Spirit is God. The Father is God. All three are ONE God. Their Word can be trusted, and it does not need extra-biblical help to be interpreted. The Bible only needs the Bible to do that.
The Bible says that "no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of any personal or private or special interpretation" (2 Peter 1:20 NIV). It must not be used as only a source of inspiration for anecdotal stories in 'feel good' messages or consulted and used merely to support an idea or pet belief. It is the ultimate authority for the Christian and must point directly to the character and work of the Triune God. The Bible warns that there will be ignorant, uneducated, and unstable people who will try and distort the Scriptures by bringing in meaning that forces them to conform to their opinions, thoughts, ideas, and agendas (2 Peter 3:16).
Upon review of the Scriptures, the usage of the words 'rhema' and 'logos' and their intertwining meanings, it would seem a logical conclusion to say there is insufficient distinction in Greek to establish a doctrine that "rhema" words are only spoken words from God in the present, and "logos" words are only the written text of Scripture. God's written Word, the Bible alone, is sufficient for doctrine and daily living. There is no other replacement for it - ever!
The Divine Illuminator
The Holy Spirit is the one who illuminates the written Word of God. It is alive, active, and unchanging because ALL "Scripture (Gk: graphé) is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV).
When a person sees or understands a word or verse differently, that doesn't mean it now has a different meaning. The Bible states that fresh/new/special revelation was terminated (1 Corinthians 2:9-10; Hebrews 1:1, 2; 2:1-4; John 17:4, 8; 15:15; Jude 3). The warning given by Jesus at the end of the book of Revelation can apply to every verse of Scripture.
The Book of Revelation
“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-19)
This warning simply does NOT apply only to the book of Revelation but to the entire Bible because it is intimately linked to it. The underlying fact is that fresh/new/special revelation has ceased.
The book of Revelation is the last chapter written by the ultimate and final Author, the Holy Spirit. It is chronologically, positionally, and doctrinally last in the Bible, which is a collection of several documents that are considered one book and written by one Author (John 16:13; Revelation 22:17). It deals with the last things, which are God’s plan for the consummation of history which started with Genesis, and culminates in the return of Jesus and the final state of the Earth (Revelation 22:10; 12,20; 1:1,3). It was written down by John, the Beloved, who was the last Apostle to write a book of the Bible. The Apostles were the duly authorized messengers of Jesus (Matthew 10:40,20; Luke 10:16; Ephesians 3:5; Hebrews 2:3; John 14:26; 16:12-15; 17:8,20).
All the great doctrines of Christianity found in the rest of the Bible are taught in the book of Revelation, such as the Deity of Jesus, Heaven, hell, resurrection of mankind, substitutionary atonement of Jesus, the Trinity, the Resurrection, Ascension and Return of Jesus, and salvation by the faith of Jesus, plus nothing (Revelation 1:5; 3:20; 20:5,11-15; 21:1; 22:11-13,16-18). The book of Revelation and the rest of the Bible, both Old and New Testament, are intimately linked and woven together.
Adding or subtracting from the teaching of the rest of the Bible is the same as adding or subtracting from the book of Revelation because the truth found in the Bible is also found in the book of Revelation, which is the summary of doctrine and prophecy throughout the Bible.
The Sufficiency and Authority of Scripture
The Bible is the absolute perfect revelation of Jesus Christ and the only infallible, inerrant, inspired source of knowledge about Him and the only reliable source to hear His voice. His Word sustains everything in the Cosmos.
"In the past, God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." (Hebrews 1:1-3 NIV)
The Bible says that "no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of any personal or private or special interpretation" (2 Peter 1:20 NIV). It must not be used as only a source of inspiration for anecdotal stories in 'feel good' messages or consulted and used merely to support an idea or pet belief. It is the ultimate authority for the Christian and must point directly to the character and work of the Triune God. The Bible warns that there will be ignorant, uneducated, and unstable people who will try and distort the Scriptures by bringing in meaning that forces them to conform to their opinions, thoughts, ideas, and agendas (2 Peter 3:16).
Modern translations and paraphrases of the Scriptures have changed God's Word in such a way that it has watered down the message. There are even some translations that have led people to the belief that Jesus is merely a "son" of God, inferring that He is God's offspring.
There is no need to seek God in any other place, including the traditions of men. It must be the foundation and center of all teaching and preaching in the life and worship of the church and within the daily lives of every Christian through reading, study, and sincere contemplation. Christians need to be continually taught how to become true Bereans and learn how to understand what is written clearly. They must be encouraged each week from the pulpit to daily read, search, and study the Bible rather than rely on anecdotal stories, testimonials, and extra-biblical sources or expect a fresh direct revelation, dreams, and supernatural words of knowledge or personal prophecies.
Every Christian should be hungry for more of Jesus and less of themselves and not have the aberrant desire or compulsion to experience something "fresh" from Heaven to "feel" filled with the Holy Spirit. They have already been given "fullness" in Christ. The Bible warns Christians about being seduced through "hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority" (Colossians 2:8-10 NIV).
The Bible is Reliable
The Bible has been translated numerous times in a one-step process from the original languages into multiple languages throughout history. However, it has never been rewritten. There are approximately 5,700 copies of the Greek manuscripts that were made very close to the time of the originals, and they all agree with each other with 99.5% accuracy. The .5% variation would include textual misspellings or minor word alternations. There are also over 19,000 copies in the Syriac, Latin, Coptic, and Aramaic languages, which bring the total supporting NT manuscript purity to over 24,000 copies.
God the Father, just as He spoke in the past in the OT through His prophets, continues to speak to His people today through the NT by using His Words spoken to Jesus, who then spoke to His Apostles, who wrote them down, which are the books of the NT (Hebrews 1:1-3; Luke 10:16; John 13:20, 17:17-20). The writers of the NT always appealed to the Scriptures alone as their base of authority in declaring what was and was not actual biblical teaching (Matthew 21:42; John 2:22; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Peter 1:10-12, 2:2; 2 Peter 1:17-19; Acts 17:11).
When contending with the religious leaders, those who abused God's law, as well as the devil, Jesus, responded: "It is written," and NEVER "it was said" (Matthew 4:4-10, 21:13; Mark 7:6, 10:5). Jesus warned that anyone who claims to be a Christian and does not keep or believe in the complete sufficiency of His Word is deceiving themselves and are of their Father the devil (John 14:25-26, 17:17-21).
The Bible is the absolute perfect revelation of Jesus Christ and the only infallible, inerrant, inspired source of knowledge about Him and the single reliable source to hear His voice. Everything in the Cosmos is sustained by His Word (Hebrews 1:1-3). Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would bring to mind all that He had said, as well as what He taught the 12 Apostles, thereby confirming that what was written in the NT was inspired and authoritative. The writers of the NT fully believed that they were recording the very inspired words (Scriptures) of God (John 14:26; 16:12-13).
That is why every Born-Again translator of the Bible has used the rules of biblical hermeneutics since the first century after they had "received the word with all readiness, on every day examining the Scriptures, whether these things were so" as the only reliable way to translate them from the original language, with all of the grammatical and historical meaning of each word used in context of what was said, and then in context with the entire written Word of God (Acts 17:11 ESV).
The Bible must not be used as just a source of inspiration for anecdotal stories in 'feel good' messages or consulted and used merely to support an idea, tradition, or pet belief. It is the ultimate authority for the Christian and must point directly to the character and work of the Triune God. The Bible warns that there will be ignorant, uneducated, and unstable people who will try and distort the Scriptures by bringing in meaning which forces it to conform to their opinions, thoughts, ideas, and agendas (2 Peter 3:16).
False Prophets
The Bible also warns that many false prophets will come and try to add to the Bible, but the church should continuously be guarding against such perversion.
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse thing to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert... And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:28-32).
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
Sadly, many teachers and prophets will come and give fresh/new/special “revelations” that are false, and they will even try to confirm these false doctrines with signs and wonders. The people of Jesus must be on guard and alert for such perversions and vigorously resist the constant attempt to undermine the Bible.
Traditions of Men
The NT speaks of the teaching traditions by the Apostles that are to be passed down and taught to later generations.
"We called you to this through our Gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter." (2 Thessalonians 2:14-15 NIV)
"I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you." (1 Corinthians 11:2 NIV)
The word "teachings" (Gk: paradosis) means a handing down of instructions (doctrine) for everyday conduct, like the ordinances of the traditions passed down by the Rabbi's, which were made null and void by the divine teaching of the Apostles (Acts 17:11).
The Bible says that the Scriptures alone, and not church traditions, are divinely inspired. The Bible must be used to verify and test the traditions and teachings of the church and not the other way around. Jesus continually rebuked the Pharisees and called them hypocrites because they made their traditions equal to the written Word of God (Mark 7:6-13). Traditions should support the teachings of the Apostles and not those that contradict or transgress "the commands of God" (Matthew 15:3) or exceed what they say (1 Corinthians 4:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:15).
Experiential Revelation
It is true that normal Christian life is filled with miraculous and supernatural experiences. God does speak today personally and directly, just as He spoke to His people in the past, by using His own words of the Scriptures. That is quickly affirmed by anyone who has heard His call to church ministry. However, He will NEVER contradict or add to what He has already said in the Bible. The authority and sufficiency of Scripture cannot be separated.
Christianity, without the supernatural, has no legitimate power, yet those who actively believe in the miraculous are often held with contempt, and their beliefs are ridiculed and even condemned. You will most often find more skeptics in the church than outside of it.
It is my belief that ALL Christians are called to live supernatural lives every day that have the touch and power of God upon them to affect change in those they come in contact with. Living a supernatural life is the most powerful yet practical way for a Christian to live.
The biblical truth is that the supernatural is the natural environment of God. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit lives in and empowers every Christian (1 Corinthians 6:19). It would be logical to posit that the natural environment of God exists within them as well. Taking that thought a little further, it would also seem sensible to surmise that God wants every Christian to live naturally in the supernatural, with the miraculous accompanying them as they live normal lives. That is purely an ambitious objective because it is a lived reality for only a minimal number of Christians who are often scoffed at for their so-called experiences.
The Christian Walk cannot be established upon sensory spirituality or experiential interpretation that is based upon the belief in the abstract and subjective "I hear - I see - I feel - therefore, it must be real" feelings, emotions, and experiences. The five primary senses: taste - feel - hear- see - smell - are all rooted in the flesh of man. Jesus asked, "Have you believed because you have seen (i.e., felt or heard) me?" and then said, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29 ESV). In the life of a mature Christian, it must be God's written Word, which is the cognitive, concrete foundation on which to base all decisions and beliefs.
The relating of experiences or "divine revelation" outside of the Word of God is what the Bible calls "fables" (1 Timothy 1:4,47: 2 Timothy 4:4; Titus 1:14; 2 Peter 1:16). The minute a person opens the door and begins to teach by anecdotal experience, they lose authority and introduce confusion. They should consider the experience but also note the limits of the knowledge which God has revealed. Experience does not add to the truth of Scripture. Believers are not to be "tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14 NKJV).
God's Word is absolute truth. Human beings hypothesize, theorize, formulate, speculate, and postulate because they do not have the infinite mental capacity for complete knowledge about anything in this life. It is the Bible that must be the most important source of authority in a person's spiritual life. The Scriptures say, "Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely" (1 Corinthians 13:12-13 NLT).
Conclusion - The Plumbline
The voice of God is the Bible, His written Word, and must be used as the only source to confirm a person has heard the voice of Jesus. God speaks with absolute authority from the Bible alone. He alone is truth, and Christians must learn to hear His voice within the pages of the Bible. Jesus said in an allegory, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27 NIV). When the devil tempted Jesus, it was not His opinions or experience that defeated him. He was defeated with 'It is written!"
It is virtually impossible for a finite human being to comprehend the infinite God on their own. God can only be perceived as He is manifested in His creation (both the Cosmos and within humankind) and spoken of in His love letter to humanity – the Bible. The only 100% reliable way to confirm that the voices in one's head are biblically accurate and true is to compare them to the written Word. When a person actually hears God's voice, it must align with His character and nature and not contradict His written Word. If a person "hears" something that does not align, then it is a "different gospel," and that 'source' should be accursed" (Gal 1:6-9 ESV).
The Bible is the only single special revelation from God that human beings possess today. Experience cannot be trusted, as it is a type of hearsay. Christians are commanded to believe what is written in the Bible because it is the only pure word from God and is unquestionably sufficient in itself (Psalm 119:160).
In the great high priestly prayer of Jesus for every Christian, He said, "Sanctify them by the truth: your word is truth" (John 17:17 NIV). The daily sanctification work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of every Christian is to bring them closer to Jesus by pointing out both strengths and weaknesses and reminding them that the blood of Jesus has washed away all past, present, and future sins. His job is to illuminate what has already been written in the Bible. He does not provide through Angels or by direct "fresh" revelation anything that would add or change in any way, manner, shape, or form.
Just as food, air, and water are essential and adequate to keep a human being alive, the inspired Scriptures are essential and sufficient to give the "wisdom that leads to salvation." The Bible is more than sufficient to fully equip the Christian for profitable service and "every good work" because it is the very counsel of God.
I once heard it said correctly that the Bible is entirely true about everything to which it speaks, but it does not speak about everything there is to know. The Bible reveals that human beings can acquire knowledge of God by general revelation and draw conclusions about right conduct through observation, rational, reflective reasoning, and astute observations of the Cosmos (Proverbs 24:30-34, 30:24-28; Psalm 19:1-4; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 11:14). However, those are just tools to direct a person to the perfect revelation of Jesus Christ.
It is vital that every Christian rely entirely upon the Holy Spirit to direct and guide them in understanding and effectively applying God's Word in every situation they find themselves in. The Holy Spirit has the responsibility to illuminate the Scriptures so that God's will can be understood. It is His responsibility to see that the "good work" that was started in each Christian at the moment of salvation "will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6 NIV). Christians have the responsibility to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and respond to Him. The Holy Spirit will never give meaning to a Scripture that is different than what He first inspired the original writer to write down in its grammatical and historical context.
The Bible is also the primary source for interpreting the Bible. Without reliance upon the Bible as the infallible and supreme source for knowing God's voice - and as the authoritative rule of faith and conduct - a large door is opened for the possibility of error and heresy to creep into a person's beliefs. It must be God's written Word, which is the concrete cognitive foundation on which all decisions and beliefs are based. The Bible must be studied from God's perspective. Only the Bible is truly God's Word, and it declares the author is Jesus Christ, who is the "Word of God" (Revelation 19:13 NIV).
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1 NIV)
Asking God to show a sign through a prophetic word, supernatural manifestation, or personal experience is an act of spiritual immaturity, rejection, and unbelief. God's eternal will for every Christian is found in His Word alone. If a person wants to hear a word from God confidently, they should read His written Word, the Bible, out loud.
According to the Bible, fresh/new/special revelation from God of any kind is unconditionally and absolutely impossible without exception because the giving of fresh/new/special supernatural doctrine to humanity terminated with the book of Revelation.
