Part 7C: God Speaks to Us–He Never Quit Speaking

This post and the linked video discuss a few New Testament passages in which God tells us that he intends to continue communicating with us. This set of passages have at least plausible interpretations that do not require present-time vocal communication. The next video will cover passages that appear to require current-time spoken communication.

Here is the link to the video for which this linked post is the script:

Slide 1: You Are Not the One to Build—Part 7C: God Speaks to Us—He Never Quit Speaking

This part will be much shorter. It will read and very briefly discuss fifteen New Testament passages which either promise or suggest that God communicates or will communicate with us, but which can be read as referring to non-vocal forms of communication. I note that, because each of these has at least a plausible interpretation that does not require a voice, each of them is customarily read as prohibiting God from speaking to us with a voice. I don’t believe this to be a correct interpretation of any of them, but it is the most common interpretation.

The NEXT part of this presentation will deal with passages in which God speaks, or promises to speak, with a voice.

Slide 2: Creation through the Word of Truth

Slide 3: James 1:16-18 (WEB):

16 Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. 18 Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures
James 1:16-18 (WEB)

Slide 4: Prayers for God to Communicate

Why pray for something if it’s impossible?

Slide 5: Praying for Wisdom

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For that man shouldn’t think that he will receive anything from the Lord. 8 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
James 1:5-8 (WEB)

Giving wisdom is obviously a form of communication, but giving or teaching wisdom does not necessarily require that the lesson be spoken, or, indeed, that anything be said. Still, I am to ask in faith not doubting that God will give me the wisdom I have requested.

Slide 6: Praying God would give others the Knowledge of his Will

9 For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don’t cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, 11 strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, 13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love, 14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.
Colossians 1:9-14 (WEB)

Once again, the knowledge of God’s will can be communicated without anyone speaking. Indeed, God’s will conceivably could be limited to a closed set of written instructions, if and only if that “will” is limited to a relatively small finite number of subjects, leaving everything else to our human discretion, individually or collectively. This is, in fact, the way this group of promises has customarily been practiced since sometime in the Second Century. However, it is difficult to see how spiritual—that is, “breathed”—wisdom and understanding would be communicated in that way. But the passage does not absolutely require that anything be said or “breathed” in the present tense.

Slide 7: Praying God will give others Understanding of his Love and his Fullness

14 For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, 19 and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19 (WEB)

Once again, Christ theoretically could live in my heart, make it possible for me to comprehend the depth of his love, and fill me with all the fullness of God, without ever saying anything. But this theoretical possibility does not require it to be so.

Slide 8: THE HOLY SPIRIT

These passages are about the Holy Spirit being given to us, and testifying. The Spirit of God is his wind, breath, or voice. He might be able to accomplish everything stated in these verses simply by blowing, with a wind which I feel rather than hear and which I observe to be changing things around me in my world. But, again, the theoretical possibility does not require it to be so.

Slide 9: God gives good things to his children who ask

9 Or who is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:9-11 (WEB)

Slide 10: God gives the Holy Spirit to his children

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won’t give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, he won’t give him a scorpion, will he? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Luke 11:11-13 (WEB)

The first and most important good thing the Father wants to give us is his Spirit.

Slide 11: Those who are led by the Spirit are children of God, to whom the Spirit testifies

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God. 15 For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; 17 and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
Romans 8:14-17 (WEB)

We are led by the Spirit of God. We are given a spirit of adoption by which WE cry “Daddy, Daddy!” True—it doesn’t say the Spirit cries this, it causes US to declare this. And the Spirit “testifies” that we are God’s children, though it is theoretically possible that the Spirit presents only prepared written testimony on this point— that is, a 2,000- year-old sworn affidavit rather than live testimony!

Slide 12: Verses by John on the Spirit teaching, drawing, guiding and being heard, and on Jesus revealing.

Slide 13: We were drawn by the Father to Jesus, and are now taught by God

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who hears from the Father and has learned, comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God. He has seen the Father. 47 Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life.
John 6:44-47 (WEB)

Slide 14: We have been given and know the Spirit of Truth, who lives in us

I’m going to compare two translations of this passage. Both show that Jesus promised the Spirit would live within his hearers and give them the truth, but does not directly state that the Spirit will speak:

15 If you love me, keep my commandments. 16 I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever: 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.
John 14:15-17 (WEB)

Slide 15: Another translation emphasizes that the Spirit shows us what is true

15 Jesus said to his disciples: If you love me, you will do as I command. 16 Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you. 17 The Spirit will show you what is true. The people of this world cannot accept the Spirit, because they don’t see or know him. But you know the Spirit, who is with you and will keep on living in you.
John 14:15-17 (CEV)

Slide 16: Jesus will reveal himself, his presence in the Father, and his place in us

18 I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 One who has my commandments and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.”
John 14:18-21 (WEB)

Slide 17: The Holy Spirit will teach us all things AND remind us of everything he has said

25 “These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.
John 14:25-27 (NASB)

“He will teach you all things” and [he will] “remind you of all that I said to you” are in separate clauses.

Slide 18: Because Jesus has called us his friends, he makes what he is doing known to us

14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
John 15:14-15 (NASB)

Slide 19: The Spirit will declare to us everything he hears, guiding us into all truth

Again, I’m going to compare two translations of this passage. Jesus sent the Spirit to communicate, to declare, what he hears to us. But the language of the passage doesn’t absolutely require to him to make this declaration orally:

12 I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine, and will declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine and will declare it to you. 16 A little while, and you will not see me. Again a little while, and you will see me.
John 16:12-15 (WEB)

Slide 20: Alternate translation again emphasizes that the Spirit shows and tells what is true

12 I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand. 13 The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn’t speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. 14 The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.
John 16:12-15 (CEV)

Slide 21. All of this still applies to the present time

In his First Epistle, written long after the Resurrection, John shows that whatever Jesus promised about giving his followers understanding, however it is he promised to do it, is still in effect:

27 As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him.
1 John 2:27 (WEB)

Slide 22: Was this verse only for Pontius Pilate?

It was said to him, but is he the only one to whom its statement about listening to Jesus “voice” applies?

Slide 23: Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice

36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.” 37 Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no basis for a charge against him.”
John 18:36-38 (WEB)

Slide 24: Paul about God communicating

In this final group of passages, the Apostle Paul deals with God communicating with us in ways which are not necessarily spoken directly by him. As Paul states the matter, Christ doesn’t give us only a piece of his mind, he gives us his whole mind, to the extent we are able to receive and benefit from it.

Slide 25: Through the Spirit, we understand what Christ is thinking

⁷We speak of God’s hidden and mysterious wisdom that God decided to use for our glory long before the world began. ⁸ The rulers of this world didn’t know anything about this wisdom. If they had known about it, they would not have nailed the glorious Lord to a cross. ⁹ But it is just as the Scriptures say,

“What God has planned
    for people who love him
is more than eyes have seen
    or ears have heard.
It has never even
    entered our minds!”
1 Corinthians 2:7-9 (CEV)

Slide 26: We can understand what Christ is thinking, continued

¹⁰God’s Spirit has shown you everything. His Spirit finds out everything, even what is deep in the mind of God. ¹¹You are the only one who knows what is in your own mind, and God’s Spirit is the only one who knows what is in God’s mind. ¹²But God has given us his Spirit. This is why we don’t think the same way that the people of this world think. This is also why we can recognize the blessings God has given us.
1 Corinthians 2:10-12 (CEV)

Slide 27: We can understand what Christ is thinking, concluded

¹³Every word we speak was taught to us by God’s Spirit, not by human wisdom. And this same Spirit helps us teach spiritual things to spiritual people.¹⁴This is why only someone who has God’s Spirit can understand spiritual blessings. Anyone who doesn’t have God’s Spirit thinks these blessings are foolish. ¹⁵People who are guided by the Spirit can make all kinds of judgments, but they cannot be judged by others. ¹⁶ The Scriptures ask,

“Has anyone ever known
the thoughts of the Lord
or given him advice?”

But we understand what Christ is thinking.
1 Corinthians 2:13-16 (CEV)

Slide 28: Alternate translation: We have the mind of Christ

Or, in the New International Version, a more common translation:

13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:13-16 (NIV)

Slide 29: God’s Spirit speaks to us through each other, as a Body

Of course, God’s Spirit also speaks to us through each other, through the outflowing of his gifts:

6 God has also given each of us different gifts to use. If we can prophesy, we should do it according to the amount of faith we have. 7 If we can serve others, we should serve. If we can teach, we should teach. 8 If we can encourage others, we should encourage them. If we can give, we should be generous. If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:6-9 (CEV)

At the very least, prophecy and teaching involve the use of words!

Slide 30: Gifts which speak

8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
1 Corinthians 12:8-11 (NASB)

Slide 31: Gifts to the Church who speak

11 And he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13 (NASB)

Prophets, evangelists, teachers—all of these involve the us of language, of words.

Slide 32: Conclusion of the present matter and entering God’s rest

Finally, note that it is the word of God, that which God spoken and is speaking, that exposes everything. Whether I have entered into God’s rest is determined by whether I have rested from my own works to obey what he is telling me:

10 For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 11 Let’s therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.
Hebrews 4:10-13 (WEB)