2 Peter 1:12-21, Special Revelation (9)

We are asking if Special Revelation is continuing today.  We talked about the Catholic Church.  We should be aware that cults often are based on the writings of something/someone beyond the Bible.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, for example relies on the Book of Mormon, Doctrines and Covenants, as well as the prophesies of the President of the Church is also “the prophet of the church.”  There are times when our “Pentecostal” brethren seem to allow for continuing revelation.  I am convinced they would say it is not the same as the Bible.  But stop and think about, for example, recent books that record either visions or near-death experiences where people saw heaven and reported on what it was like.  The content of these things goes beyond the Bible and we are expected to believe these reports since we have no proof that they are hoaxes. 

All this leads to this question: what's wrong with continuing special revelation?  Consider the following.

     i)       Continuing special revelation denies the effect of the Incarnation: Who Christ is as the Son of God, the Word, the Light, etc. We believe the point of Heb. 1:1-3 is to say that God is done with the previous modes of communication and has firmly and finally spoken in Christ.  He can do no more than to come to earth Himself, in the flesh, and to dwell among us.

     ii)      Continuing special revelation denies the Scripture's description of them-selves as finished.  Jude 3 refers to the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 

     iii)     Continuing special revelation takes revelation out of the realm of eyewitnesses.  Peter, in a context having to do with Special Revelation, says the NT human authors were eyewitnesses of His (Christ’s) majesty (2 Peter 1:16).  Heb. 2:3 says the message of salvation was first spoken by Christ, and then confirmed by those who heard Him (i.e. the Apostles; cf. Eph. 3:5).

     iv)     Continuing special revelation would demand endless miracles for confirmation. (Heb. 2:4; While extreme Charismatics claim this neither Mormons nor the RCC do.)      

     v)      Continuing special revelation denies the finished work of Christ in providing for our salvation. It tells us that more must be revealed of God's plan for eternal and experiential salvation.  Yet, the Bible says we have all we need for life and godliness (words spoken by Peter in the first century, 2 Pt. 1:3-4).  In Christ we have every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3).  What can be added to that?  As Paul told the Colossian Church, chasing after knowledge that takes us beyond Scripture to some other philosophy or tradition actually cheats us from the fullness we have in Christ (Col. 2:8-10).  If you want a good illustration, in Catholicism the doctrine of Mary and the Saints does just that: it adds to Scripture and leads to something that is less than Christ, and that is actually contrary to Christ.  In any other context (LDS, 7^th Day Adventism and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, Unification, Scientology, etc.) this kind of doctrine would be branded heresy.