If Jesus appeared to you today and said something that is not in the Bible or even contradicted it, would you believe him or the Bible?
This question was asked a few months ago on a Christian page (on the social network Facebook) and, while about 90% of the people who responded stated that they would believe in the supposed Jesus, only a negligible portion of users said they would believe in the Bible.
This is a misconception\u2026 and not just any misconception: it's something extremely dangerous!
Jesus himself warned about the emergence of false Christs and false prophets, and that his coming will not be through "normal" means, that is, in a way that anyone could accomplish. This is quite evident in the text of the eschatological sermon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nSo if someone tells you:<\/mark> Behold, Christ is here, or there, do not believe him;<\/mark>
For false Christs and false prophets will appear,<\/mark> and they will perform such great signs and wonders<\/mark>
who, if it were possible, would deceive even the elect.<\/mark>
Behold, I have foretold it to you.<\/mark>
Therefore, if they tell you:<\/mark>
Behold, he is in the desert; do not go out.<\/mark>
Behold, he is in the inner rooms; do not believe him.<\/mark>
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.<\/mark><\/p>\n(Matthew 24:23-27 \u2013 ACF)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nAnyone who readily accepts the words of an alleged "Christ" who\u2014before the day of judgment\u2014presents himself in a visible and tangible way is invariably believing in a false Christ or false prophet, if this person does not claim to be the Son of God but preaches things that contradict Scripture.
The fact is that in modern times, the Bible\u2014even within many "churches"\u2014has been used as a mere pretext, a way to "justify" the most absurd thoughts and ideologies, and for that very reason, because of this campaign of distortion and discredit, many believe in supposed "Christs" and self-proclaimed "prophets," even though they declare nonsense.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAlleged \u201cpastors\u201d \u2014 such as Caio F\u00e1bio \u2014 often record videos claiming that the condemnation of same-sex sexual relations, something explicitly stated in the Scriptures, was simply a \u201ccultural issue\u201d\u2026
That is why one of its admirers, Ed Ren\u00e9 Kivitz, claims that the Bible is "insufficient" and needs to be "updated.".
Considering the context of today's world, where what matters is "being happy" and having all desires fulfilled, many\u2014including those who frequent church businesses\u2014end up believing in this discourse, which is completely contrary to what the Scriptures present.
All of this goes against a very strong statement Paul made to his friend Timothy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nI therefore charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ,<\/mark>
who will judge the living and the dead at his coming and his kingdom,<\/mark>
That you preach the word,<\/mark>
insists on time and out of time,<\/mark>
redarguas,<\/mark>
reprimands,<\/mark>
exhorts,<\/mark>
with all patience and doctrine.<\/mark>
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.;<\/mark> but having itching in his ears,<\/mark>
They will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires;<\/mark>
And they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn to myths.<\/mark><\/p>\n(2\u207f\u1d48 Timothy 4:1-4 \u2013 ACF)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nThis divine truth, found in Scripture\u2014reveals the complete depravity of human nature, which does not submit to God's law and cannot do so (see Romans 8:7)\u2014is not pleasing to human nature corrupted by sin.
As Charles Spurgeon said:<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Bible contains what men hate: the truth!<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Only through accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is reconciliation with the Father possible (see John 14:6<\/mark><\/strong>), because accepting Jesus implies renouncing one's own desires, taking on a burden\u2014contrary to the sinful longings of humankind\u2014of renunciation and submission to the divine will, being willing to suffer hostility, being despised by the world, and persevering in this condition to the end (see Matthew 10:22<\/mark><\/strong>).
That is exactly what it means to \u201ctake up the cross and follow Christ,\u201d according to Luke 9:23<\/mark><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThus, in a way, it is understandable\u2014though not justifiable\u2014that many prefer to believe in \u201cfables\u201d like those of false Christs and false prophets: both because divine truth is unpleasant to the fallen nature of man, and because the message of these ravenous wolves is, in general, much more \u201cpalatable\u201d to the human ego.
generally not exhorting anyone to repentance, not calling sin by its name, and "liberating" a good part (if not all) of human desires and lusts.
However, the consequences of believing in fables, or, to put it bluntly, LIES, are never good, and in the case of spiritual lies, these bad consequences are eternal.<\/p>\n\n\n\nI want to clarify that I am not a cessationist.
I am not the type of person who thinks that God no longer manifests himself in our days, that spiritual gifts ceased with the end of the apostolic era.
If such an idea were true, Ja Huss's prophecy concerning Luther as he was being led to the stake could not have come true. Huss, condemned to death for heresy, stated:
\u201c"Today, you are burning a goose (Huss means "goose" in the Bohemian language), but in 100 years a swan will appear that you will not be able to burn.".
Exactly a century later, Luther began preaching in his first parish.
I recount this story only to clarify one of the reasons why I disagree with the thesis that the gifts of the Spirit no longer manifest themselves after the end of the apostolic era.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHowever, great caution is needed when analyzing alleged "revelations.".
First, because there is nothing more to be revealed concerning salvation: that revelation has already been completed, so much so that John affirms that, although Jesus performed other signs while he was physically in the world that were not recorded, what remains is already sufficient for one to believe and have life in his name (check John 20:30-31<\/mark><\/strong>).
Therefore, any supposed "revelation" that changes anything that has already been said is, without a doubt, the work of a false prophet.
And secondly, because any revelation, now without quotation marks, needs to be fulfilled in order to be true.<\/p>\n\n\n