Do yourself a favor. If you ever hear this from behind the pulpit of your church, get up and run like Joseph from Potiphar’s wife.
There is nothing Biblical that is about to follow “God told me…” unless it is a verse of Scripture rightly divided.
Drop your hymnal and communion cup and get out!
Saying, “God told me…” is telling you that what follows is not mere man’s opinion, fallible conjecture, or human insight. What follows has the authority of God behind it. After all, God said it, not the speaker.
Who can doubt what is said then? No one can.
What’s that? You say you can compare what is said to the authoritative words of God in the Bible?
Saying, “God told me…” is telling you that God revealed something not found in the book God inspired to make you perfect (2 Tim 3:16). In other words, the Bible you hold is incomplete.
Beware. Presumably, what this person says is from God’s mouth; God told the speaker because the printed words were insufficient. You need to hear this anointed speaker as a messenger of God without question.
Nope! Grab the kids, jump the pew, and practice your 40-yard dash down the center aisle like the roast is burning. You can wave to the ushers on your way out.
Allowing pastors in front of the church to say “God told me” is dangerous because it means either they are delusional or deceptive. Either one is enough to disqualify them from teaching or leading the church.
Truly, there is nothing to add to the perfect and inspired revelation of God found in the pages of the Bible you hold in your hands except your understanding.
The job of the man behind the pulpit is to help you understand the words of God, not to be your source of new words from God, nor to assume authority over what God has already inspired.
The Bible is complete. You are complete in Christ.
You can learn to understand the Bible, but you won’t from someone who resorts to saying, “God told me…”
“And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.” – Colossians 2:4
For Christ’s sake,
Justin “feet are for running” Johnson