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GOD DOES NOT GIVE A FRESH REVELATION, BUT HE RIVETS THE OLD ONE
Now there are some persons who make a great mistake about the influence of the Holy Spirit. A foolish man, who had fancy to preach in a certain pulpit, though in truth he was quite incapable of the duty, called upon the minister, and assured him solemnly that it had been revealed to him by the Holy Ghost, that he was to preach in his pulpit.
“Very well,” said the minister, “I suppose I must not doubt your assertion, but as it has not been revealed to me that I am to let you preach, you must go your way until it is.” I have heard many fanatical persons say the Holy Spirit revealed this and that to them. Now that is very generally revealed nonsense.
The Holy Ghost does not reveal anything fresh now. He brings old things to our remembrance. “He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have told you.” The canon of revelation is closed; there is no more to be added.
God does not give a fresh revelation, but he rivets the old one. When it has been forgotten, and laid in the dusty chamber of our memory, he fetches it out and cleans the picture, but does not paint a new one.
There are no new doctrines, but the old ones are often revived. It is not, I say, by any new revelation that the Spirit comforts. He does so by telling us old things over again; he brings a fresh lamp to manifest the treasures hidden in Scripture; he unlocks the strong chests in which the truth had long lain, and he points to secret chambers filled with untold riches; but he comes no more, for enough is done.
Believer! there is enough in the Bible for thee to live upon for ever. If thou shouldst outnumber the years of Methusaleh, there would be no need for a fresh revelation; if thou shouldst live till Christ should come upon the earth, there would be no necessity for the addition of a single word.
If thou shouldst go down as deep as Jonah, or even descend as David said he did, into the belly of hell, still there would be enough in the Bible to comfort thee without a supplementary sentence.
But Christ says, “He shall take of mine and shall show it unto you.”
Charles Spurgeon
In 1998, gospel star Kirk Franklin said that
“homosexuality … is a problem today in gospel music–a
major concern–and everybody knows it” (Church Boy,
pp. 49, 50). The truth of this has been demonstrated more
clearly with each passing year. The most recent example
is a trio named Micah’s Rule which recorded their first
album in 2012. The band is composed of Greg McCaw, a
homosexual; Chasity Scott, a lesbian; and Mary Anne
Hewett, a “transgender.” Their first CD is “a mix of
Southern gospel, classic country, blues and a medley of
1960s peace songs–all with a Christian message” (“Gay,
Transgender Band Breaks Barriers in Christian Music,”
Religion News Service, Feb. 15, 2013). McCaw was a
Church of God pastor for 25 years and sang bass for more
than two decades for popular Southern Gospel and CCM
musicians such as Sandi Patty, Bill Gaither, and the Gatlin
Brothers. Currently, the members of Micah’s Rule attend
St. Jude Metropolitan Community Church in Wilmington,
North Carolina. Micah’s Rule wants their music to speak
the message that “in life, it’s how you walk your road, not
listening to people who say you’re not worthy of God’s
love.” McCaw adds, “We’ve all had that experience.”
This is a deceptive smokescreen. The issue is not whether
homosexuals are loved of God, or whether Christ died for
them, or whether they can be saved. It is not whether their
sin is greater than someone else’s. The issue is repentance.
The Bible plainly teaches that Christ shed His blood and
died because God loved the whole world of sinners (John
3:16). Christ came to seek and to save every lost soul. But
the Bible just as plainly teaches that men must repent of
their sin in order to be saved (Luke 13:3-5; Acts 17:30),
and homosexuality is most definitely a sin before God. In
Romans 1:26-27 it is called “vile,” “against nature,”
“lust,” “unseemly,” and “error.” Homosexuals today must
do what homosexuals did in ancient Corinth. They must
repent of their sin before God and receive the lifechanging,
sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit in
regeneration. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not
inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither
FORNICATORS, nor idolaters, nor ADULTERERS, nor
EFFEMINATE, nor ABUSERS OF THEMSELVES
WITH MANKIND, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the
kingdom of God. And SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU:
but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit
of our God’ (1 Cor. 6:9-11).
Source Way of Life Literature
Newsletter March 2013
Additional Source
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