No Private Revelations

"I received a message from God that everyone who will send $2000 to this TV station" (Trinity Broadcasting Network)" will have all their debt forgiven, no matter the amount." This statement was made, during a fund-raising period, by a 'so-called' preacher on TBN (a supposedly religious broadcasting TV station seen in our area). This "message" has continued to be repeated during the last few months. About 2 months after his "great revelation," and while the fund-raising continued (which never ends), a contributor called in and stated this: "We sent our $2000 to you in hope and expectation of our debts being forgiven, and they have not been yet. When are they going to be, because we are under extreme pressure from those we owe to pay them." No doubt, there are others in our area who heard this broadcast, and heard the "preacher's" reply: "You did not send $2000 in faith. You must send $2000 more in faith before your debts will be forgiven."

Why are we allowing this type person to continue robbing people not only of their money, but also of their hope of eternal salvation? Does the one who speaks at your assembly state that God has spoken to him, or laid a particular message on his heart to deliver to you? Is God a respecter of persons? He is, if it is the case that He speaks to individual persons. One who claims a direct message from God today is saying God is still revealing His Word and commands through, and to, man today. In 2 Timothy 3:16,17, notice: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." Even at the time Paul, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, wrote this, the man of God could be perfect. Notice this also by the apostle John: "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed: For he that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds" (2 John 9-11).

God has spoken to you and to me. He said, through the apostle John, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). The apostle Peter writes: "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that brought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not" (2 Peter 2:1-3). Friends, when a person states that God has privately revealed something to him, he is not to be believed!