Questions tagged [special-revelation]
Special revelation, as contrasted with general revelation, refers to knowledge which people cannot infer from studying the universe but instead must be communicated by God
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What is the Biblical support for learning to hear the voice of God as a trainable skill, as part of an interactive relationship?
T.M. Luhrmann cites many instances of this practice in her book When God Talks Back: Understanding the American Evangelical Relationship with God. Below I share some quotes to illustrate this point:
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What is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' perspective on gaining a testimony through prophecies, dreams, and visions?
Latter-day Saints often claim to gain a personal witness of the truth of their beliefs through the Holy Ghost. Sometimes this has been described as a "burning in the bosom":
A Latter-day ...
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What is the biblical basis for the Holy Ghost revealing truth privately and personally in an absolute and unmistakable manner?
I understand this belief is held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as indicated by the following quote:
This is the true, solid evidence of religious faith. Millions upon millions ...
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Were any new doctrines introduced in the non-Gospel Greek scriptures?
After the Gospels, the Greek scriptures contain many instances of application, clarification, and detail about Christian doctrine.
For instance:
The Book of Revelation certainly gives many specifics ...
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What is the biblical basis for encouraging non-Christians to pray for God to "reveal Himself"?
In diverse contexts, I've encountered encouragements aimed at seekers, skeptics, non-believers, and non-Christians in general, urging them to pray to God, beseeching Him to "reveal Himself" ...
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How is the concept of validating one's beliefs through personal experiences reconciled with the principle of not putting God to the test?
Some Christians find it essential to validate their beliefs through personal experiences, as discussed in How crucial is it for Christians to 'gain a testimony' validating the truth of their beliefs?. ...
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How crucial is it for Christians in general (not only LDS) to “gain a testimony” validating the truth of their beliefs?
The idea of “gaining a testimony” is a key aspect of Latter-day Saint teachings, suggesting a special kind of revelatory spiritual experience serving to establish the truth of specific doctrines.
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Natural Theology (Intellect) vs. Spiritual Experience (Heart)?
How integral is a personal experiential aspect to Christian belief in addition to natural theology? Can one rely solely on natural theology, or is a personal encounter or experience considered ...
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How do Christians who believe in a witness of the Holy Spirit via thoughts & feelings respond to the claim that thoughts & feelings are unreliable?
Many Christians believe that the witness of the Holy Spirit can come through thoughts & feelings (example). A common objection is that thoughts & feelings are unreliable:
Some Christians ...
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Are experiences of revelatory “impressions of the Holy Spirit” reported by Charles Spurgeon common among cessationists?
According to https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/should-you-earnestly-desire-to-prophesy:
Charles Spurgeon (1834–1892) once described a remarkable experience he had while preaching:
He suddenly ...
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According to the LDS, why is there large amounts of new revelation if Jesus is the fulfillment?
Matthew 5:17-18 says:
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth ...
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What is the basis for the claim that "we have the completed revelation from God in the Bible"?
The GotQuestions.org article Are there prophets in the church today? asks the following rhetorical question (in bold):
Are there true prophets today? If the purpose of a prophet was to reveal truth ...
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How do different denominations explain the apparent silence or hiddenness of God in our time?
It's a matter of fact that God's actions can be seen tangibly in the Old Testament and New Testament. Why did God so favor the ancient ancestors but seems to have left us now? How does God communicate ...
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What does it mean to be "in the Spirit"?
I keep coming upon the phrase "in the Spirit" in the NT. One search result of that phrase is here: https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=%22in+the+spirit%22&t=NKJV#s=...
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Does Sola Scriptura entail Cessationism?
As a follow-up to my previous question What is the difference between Sola Scriptura and the belief in a closed canon?, I would like to know now about the implications that the doctrine of Sola ...
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What is the difference between special revelation and (biblical) inspiration?
From the Wikipedia article on special revelation:
Special revelation is a Christian theological term that refers to the belief that knowledge of God and of spiritual matters can be discovered through ...
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According to Trinitarians, can the personhood of the Holy Spirit be confirmed through personal experience?
First of all, I'm well aware of the existence of scriptural arguments both for (link) and against (link, link) the personhood of the Holy Spirit. Whether one finds the arguments either for or against ...
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Are there published testimonies from Christians who had the truth of the Trinity revealed to them through the Holy Spirit?
Has either a non-Trinitarian Christian or a non-Christian ever had the truth of the Trinity specially revealed to them, personally, unquestionably, beyond any reasonable doubt, through the Holy Spirit,...
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How do Cessationists interpret 1 Corinthians 14:24-25?
1 Corinthians 14:24-25 (ESV):
24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, ...
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Which Christian groups or denominations openly invite people to ask God for confirmation that said group/denomination is the right one for them?
Let's say someone is looking for the best Christian church/group/denomination, a place where they hope to find the right kind of fellowship, support and the teaching of accurate and sound doctrines. ...
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What is an overview of how contemporary Christians discern that God is giving them instructions to follow a very specific course of action?
By 'very specific course of action' I mean some specific assignment that cannot be inferred from just reading the Bible. For example, in the case of missionaries, the question about when and where to ...
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How often do Christian missionaries follow the example of Acts 16:6-10 in order to make decisions as to which country/place they are to go to preach?
Acts 16:6-10 (NIV):
6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they ...
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What precedent is there in the bible for a 'further revelation' of fundamental truths about Deity?
In an answer to a Question regarding Deity the answer relies on the BoM (see LDS) to explain what is seen in Genesis :
And God said, Let us make man in our image [Genesis 1:26 KJV]
And God saith, `...
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Are there published testimonies from people who had experiences with the Christian God of which they had no prior knowledge?
More restrictive version of the question:
Has the Christian God ever revealed Himself to someone who had never heard of Him before? By this I mean someone who never heard about the Bible, who never ...
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Does any denomination believe that it's not possible to be a Christian full of the Holy Spirit without being eventually led by the HS to join them?
Inspired by a previous related question I asked specifically targeting LDS, I would like to ask a generalized version of said question:
If a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and ...
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According to Latter-day Saints, are all Christians who are full of the Holy Spirit unequivocally led by the Spirit to accept the truth of Mormonism?
Many passages in the Bible suggest the crucial importance of being filled with/full of the Holy Spirit and being led by the Spirit for an optimal Christian walk. Below a few examples:
And Jesus, full ...
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Do any Christian groups/denominations encourage their members to seek personal revelations from the Holy Spirit to accurately interpret Scripture?
The notion of relying on God's guidance to walk the right path has ample support in Scripture. Jesus was in intimate connection with the Father and relied on His direct guidance at all times to carry ...
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Do Cessationists believe that the Holy Spirit still speaks specific messages or instructions to Christians today?
The book of Acts includes several examples:
Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” Acts 8:29
While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three ...
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What are Andrew Wommack's most foundational truths?
Andrew Wommack Audio Teachings
Andrew mentions in lesson 1 at around the 02:20 mark that the 'You've Already Got it!' revelation is ranked 2nd or 3rd in terms of the most foundational truths that ...
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What is the biblical basis for hearing God's audible voice today?
I've watched hundreds of Christian testimonies, and from time to time I come across a few ones where people claim to have heard God's audible voice in certain occasions, for example, because God ...
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The calling and experience of Ministry [closed]
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh ...
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If God is beyond our comprehension how can we comprehend what he wants?
According to many christian practitioners one of their most famous answers to a lot of questions in that "God is above our understanding" or another similar answer.
If this is true then how can we ...
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Is there any relationship between Aquinas teaching on the analogical knowledge of God and Christ teaching in parables?
Is there any relationship between Aquinas teaching on the analogical knowledge of God and Christ teaching in parables (ie. via analogies)?
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Which denominations believe in modern (ongoing) revelation?
Which denominations believe in the concept of modern revelation?
The one that immediately comes to mind is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but what about other denominations?
EDIT: ...
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How does the revelation of Blessed Emmerich harmonize the teaching of Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy in Mary's Assumption?
Pope Pius XII proclamation on the Dogma of Mary's Assumption in 1950 (Munificentissimus Deus) was silent on how Mary's death description was.
Eastern Orthodox believed in dormition.
There are also ...
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Is it true that if we make a good confession and receive the sacrament of Eucharist on the following Sunday of Easter all our sins will be forgiven?
Did Jesus Christ promise to St. Faustina that if people make a good confession and receive Holy Communion at mass on the second Sunday of Easter they will have a fresh (forgiveness of sins and the ...
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How to reconcile Aquinas' analogical view of God with God's self-revelation?
We use language to describe God. However, Aquinas argues in Summa Theologiae that we can only make analogical statements about God, in which our language is incapable of truly grasping or describing ...
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According to Catholicism, how does God expect us to realize the truth of Christianity?
I am sincerely sorry if this is under-researched/sourced, but according to Catholicism, how does He want people to discern [Catholic] Christianity's veracity? I have posted this on other SE religion ...
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Are there other sources for the belief in Catholicism that the Apostles composed the articles present in the Apostles' Creed between them?
In the section Origin of the creed in the article Apostles' Creed | New Advent, it states that throughout the Middle Ages it was generally believed that the Apostles, on the day of Pentecost, while ...
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What is an overview of Protestant critiques of Swedenborgianism?
Swedenborgianism, or the New Church, is a religious movement based on the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772). My understanding is that he saw a series of visions, and based on what he learned ...
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Is there a doctrine that God grants revelation in layers?
I've heard my school religion teachers say that God didn't reveal his true intent to humans all at once.
The Old Testament doesn't talk about heaven or hell.
The Trinity concept is not revealed in ...
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What are the best ways to refute the position that Paul started Christianity? [closed]
It is a position that many Christian scholars and thinkers have espoused over the years. I think that this link would provide a good exposition of the position I am referring to.
http://www.sullivan-...
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When did the idea start that divine revelation is "finished"?
When did the idea start that divine revelation to the church ceased? Or in other words, the idea that no more scripture is going to be revealed than is already in the Bible (or in tradition passed on ...
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What is the difference between Tradition and Revelation according to Catholicism?
From what I think I understand, the Catholic Church believes that there is no direct revelation from heaven to lead the church, and that the scriptures alone are not enough to rely on, this is why ...
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What's the name of the process by which the scriptures were written down?
The word 'concoursis' was used by a Sunday school teacher to describe the process by which Scripture was revealed by the Spirit to the Apostles and then written down. However, I can't find the word ...
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By what process were the Scriptures written down? [duplicate]
In a Sunday school class I recently attended, the teacher used a word to describe the process by which Scripture was revealed by the Spirit to the Apostles, then written down. I believe the word he ...
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Where do Christians believe the Qur'an came from? [closed]
The "prophet" Muhammad stated that the angel Gabriel visited him with revelation and he put great importance upon Gabriel.
So my question is, where do Christians believe Muhammad's revelation came ...
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What are the views of Evangelical Christians on whether it is possible to go to heaven and back to earth?
I've heard some stories about how kids have died and come back to life a couple of minutes later with a note or something from heaven (e.g., Colton Burpo). Is this biblical? Is it possible? Could it ...
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What is the Catholic Church's view of Anne Catherine Emmerich - can her visions and prophecies be trusted?
What is the Catholic Church's view of Anne Catherine Emmerich - can her visions and prophecies be trusted? Is she a true prophet by the biblical standard?
(This question has been prompted by the ...
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What's the justification for believing that God interacts with us today the same way He did thousands of years ago?
Most Christians I have come across believe that because
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8
God must interact with people today the same way He did back then. ...
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