Please Stop Saying — “God Told Me”

Delivered by Grace ^ | Josh Buice

[SeekAndFind]

It happened again recently. I was listening to a sermon online and the preacher said, “God told me.” Apparently everyone in the congregation enjoyed it from the response I heard, but I immediately turned it off. This type of communication is becoming more prevalent in Christian circles. It’s showing up in conversations because people are hearing it from the pulpit and reading it in books they purchased from the local Christian bookstore. Perhaps it sounds spiritual or is emotionally stirring to the congregation.

Although the “God told me” method of communicating makes for interesting, suspenseful, and entertaining stories, what people need most is to hear from God. I would like to make a simple request. Please stop saying “God told me” unless the phrase is immediately followed up with a text of Scripture. Have you considered the connection between the “God told me” language and the sufficiency of Scripture? What connection does the “God told me” phrase have with the third of the Ten Commandments?

The “God Told Me” Language Violates the Sufficiency of Scripture

If God spoke to Moses from a burning bush (Ex. 3:4-6), to Samuel in the dark of night (1 Sam. 3:1-9), to Elijah in a cave (1 Kings 19:9), to John the Baptist and others at Jesus’ baptism (Mark 1:9-11), and to Saul (subsequently Paul) and his traveling companions on the road leading to Damascus (Acts 9:4-7)—why would God not speak to us today? That’s a fair question, but it might surprise you to know that God does still speak to us today. He does so through His sufficient and authoritative Word.

In chapter 1 and paragraph 6 of the 2nd London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689), we find these words:

The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men.

During the days of the Old Testament, God was communicating to prophets in order to write Holy Scripture and to prepare the way for Jesus’ birth. All of the audible communication of God has direct connection to the redemptive plan of God to save sinners. God’s direct communication with His people was not centered on what to eat for breakfast, the need to give money to a random person at a bus stop, or to go join a group of college students at a morning workout.

During the days of the New Testament, and the early church period, God’s audible voice, although rare, was connected to the redemptive plan of God in Jesus Christ. Once the Bible was completed, there was no longer any need for God to speak to people audibly or to provide direct (divine) communication. God has communicated everything necessary for faith and life, worship and service, in His sufficient Word. To use the “God told me” language violates the sufficiency of Scripture. Simply put, it needs to stop.

It’s strange that many churches that once stood courageously for the inerrancy of Scripture in the past frequently employ the “God told me” language in their pulpit today. We don’t allow Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses to play the “God told me” divine revelation card, and we shouldn’t allow Baptists or Presbyterians or Methodists or mainstream evangelicals to have a free pass on this crucial issue.

The “God told me” language majors on our stories rather than God’s story. We need more of God and less of us in our singing and preaching today. If people are genuinely hungry to hear from God, we must direct them to God’s Word. To raise children on “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so” and to emphasize the authority of God’s Word is a good thing. But, when those same children arrive in the worship service on the Lord’s Day and hear a preacher waxing eloquent about how God talked directly to him in the early hours of the morning — that’s severely inconsistent. John MacArthur writes:

Preoccupied with mystical encounters and emotional ecstasies, [many] seek ongoing revelation from heaven – meaning that, for them, the Bible alone is simply not enough. [With them], biblical revelation must be supplemented with personal “words from God,” supposed impressions from the Holy Spirit, and other subjective religious experiences. That kind of thinking is an outright rejection of the authority and sufficiency of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16–17). It is a recipe for far-reaching theological disaster. [1]

The “God Told Me” Language Uses God’s Name in Vain

Although some people unintentionally use the “God told me” vocabulary without understanding the implications, in other cases, certain people and preachers use the phrase as a means of claiming that they actually heard directly from God. This intentional use of God’s name is a clear violation of the third commandment (Deut. 5:11).

For whatever the reason, some people feel compelled to us God’s name as a stamp of approval on their stories, their decision to move churches, their decision to go into the ministry, or their decision to take a job transfer. Either way, it’s not true. It’s intellectually dishonest. We as evangelicals must not allow people to continually get away with using this language. We certainly shouldn’t celebrate it. Hear the word of Charles Spurgeon from a sermon he preached titled, “The Paraclete,” October 6, 1872:

Take care never to impute the vain imaginings of your fancy to Him [the Holy Spirit]. I have seen the Spirit of God shamefully dishonored by persons – I hope they were insane – who have said that they have had this and that revealed to them. There has not for some years passed over my head a single week in which I have not been pestered with the revelations of hypocrites or maniacs. Semi-lunatics are very fond of coming with messages from the Lord to me, and it may spare them some trouble if I tell them once for all that I will have none of their stupid messages… Never dream that events are revealed to you by heaven, or you may come to be like those idiots who dare impute their blatant follies to the Holy Ghost. If you feel your tongue itch to talk nonsense, trace it to the devil, not to the Spirit of God. Whatever is to be revealed by the Spirit to any of us is in the Word of God already – He adds nothing to the Bible, and never will. Let persons who have revelations of this, that, and the other, go to bed and wake up in their senses. I only wish they would follow the advice and no longer insult the Holy Ghost by laying their nonsense at His door. [2]

It is through the Word of God that we hear God proclaim to us the reality of sin (Rom. 3). From the Scriptures, we hear God declare good news that makes us wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:14-15). God speaks from His Word to correct us and warn us of error (2 Tim. 3:16-17). As we continue to hear God speak through His Word, we grow into spiritual maturity and experience the ongoing renewal of our minds (Rom. 12:1-2). God speaks today, but we must not cling to extrabiblical revelations. Such words are empty and impotent sayings that are more closely associated with mysticism than Christianity.

Important questions to ask when someone uses the “God told me” language:

1. If the “God told me” language is used in the context of a sermon preached by one of your pastors (or a guest preacher), rather than attacking him online, setup a private meeting to discuss the matter in person. Show respect and ask for specifics to be sure you are not misunderstanding.
2. Is this direct communication from God necessary if we already have the completed canon of Scripture (all 66 books)?
3. Is the person using the “God told me” language in order to manipulate you in some way?
4. Is the person seeking to validate their poor life decision by attaching God’s name to it?
5. Is the “God told me” language being employed in the context of asking for money?
6. Is the person using the name of God to aspire to an office in the local church?
7. Is the “God told me” language in direct contradiction to any doctrine or truth revealed in Scripture?

An appeal to those who preach and teach the Bible:

1. Remember Paul’s words to Timothy—Preach the Word (2 Tim. 4:1-5). We should preach the Word and not our stories.
2. According to Ecclesiastes 12:14, one day we will give an account of every secret thing and every careless word that proceeds from our mouths (Matt. 12:36).
3. It is our duty to maximize God and minimize ourselves in the pulpit. If people leave church services remembering your riveting story about God talking to you instead of remembering God’s Word, you’ve done the people a great disservice.
4. Your “God told me” language makes others who obviously don’t hear Him speak in an audible voice (everyone in the congregation) feel sub-par in their Christian life. It also serves as a means of puffing up your spiritual level to an elite status above the normal Christian. This shouldn’t be the goal in preaching.
5. If God didn’t actually speak to you in audible voice, please stop using the phrase, “God told me” when you’re telling stories in your sermons.
6. Brother pastor, if you have someone speak in your pulpit who uses that type of language, it’s your responsibility to correct it with your people. Their spiritual maturity and development depends upon you being faithful in this area.

Don’t immediately classify a friend as a lunatic or a heretic if they use the “God told me” language in their communication. However, when you hear people talking in this manner, it should serve as a big red flag. Exercise wisdom and gentleness when confronting this error among friends or church members, but in the case of calling out false teachers, mark them so that others will not be led astray.

---

1. John MacArthur, Strange Fire, (Nashville, Nelson Books, 2013), 218.
2. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “The Paraclete,” October 6, 1872 [Sermon].

[Mermaid Girl]

It’s kind of weird. I’ve had what I call The Voice that has guided me through difficult situations. I’m pretty sure it comes from The Big Guy as I call him, and my justification is that 1) it never appeals to my vanity, in fact, it usually calls me out when I’ve done something or am doing something that contradicts His teaching and guidance, and 2) it tells me things that I have n way of knowing (for instance, the specific kind of cancer my dog would be diagnosed with, that family members had just passed away, etc.)

I don’t take it for granted, and always give all the glory to God the Father for everything.

If it comes from a ‘dark’ source, as one holy roller I knew suggested, it certainly didn’t achieve its ‘dark’ goal.

Oh, and it doesn’t come like a Magic 8 ball, either.

And when my husband was in the hospital after getting hit by a car, He was virtually on speed dial, and I could feel Angels around me. That was a very strange, grace-filled time.

But, sometimes, He makes me wander the wilderness, and it isn’t fun.

[babygene]

I disagree with most of this. Although I don’t expect that God speaks to us in an audible voice, he did bestow upon us (believers), the Holy Spirit that guides our lives in a very personal, individual way.

Although he does clearly speak to us as believers, but I can’t imagine that he speaks to others through us.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate,(S) the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

- Gospel of St John

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Before Jesus left He promised his followers the Holy Spirit.

[linMcHlp]

A friend of mine in his 80’s and still working (by then, an office building janitor), would occasionally sing while mopping the floor.

His singing was a wee bit louder than a calm speaking voice, yet his voice had depth and breadth that I have never heard.

He would sing songs that spanned his life, and were rooted in old, post-Civil War West Virginia coal mining villages.

Most of his songs were based on some story from the Bible.

I do not know, if you have ever been to a top fuel drag strip day, where the cars line up to roar down the straight-away.

But what the film and videos do not relate, is the sound. The exhaust and shaking of the engine, can cause your diaphragm and lungs and other parts, to vibrate and literally shake you away from the cars, to some safe distance.

My friend’s singing voice can move you like that, but somehow the notions of Bible, Jesus, and God - that I hear in my mind, when he sings, do not move me away.

Instead, I would look around him, to see what might be glowing, because his singing lights up the place.

Not loud, not a show; he is bent over, moving the mop around the floor.

I cannot deny that he is singing for Jesus, for truth, for love.

As I know him, and he is always trying to bring all three of those, more to the front, in the lives of young people who are occasionally near him -— somebody who might have moments before, he had a conversation with, or somebody whom he knows a little from previous conversation or greeting.

My friend just kind of knows, that that somebody needs a bit of guidance, a lift.

My friend is a shepherd, perhaps, always at work, trying to lead people just a bit more, toward Jesus. It’s his way.

He is kind of like a tuning fork; he sings and the sound is around you and in you.

It makes a person turn toward him, and think. Especially a person wondering about which way to go.

[Wiser now]

The Bible says very clearly that some are given a “Word of Wisdom” or “knowledge”, AND that God speaks to us in a still, small voice.
A very long time ago one of our daughters was accepted at a nursing school we simply could not afford. One morning as I was going about my routine and wondering how we would pay for this school, that still small voice said “ ——, (a member of our church) will pay for it.” Two weeks later our pastor called to tell us an anonymous donor was going to pay for her first semester. I already knew who that donor was, of course. By the end of the school year, events proved to me the accuracy of God’s Word that morning.
God absolutely does still speak directly to his people, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. That’s what the Spirit is for.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: The Bible says very clearly that some are given a “Word of Wisdom” or “knowledge”, AND that God speaks to us in a still, small voice.

OK, What guidelines do we have to differentiate between someone to whom God is speaking through His still small voice and someone who is merely imagining things?

[mongrel]

You’re a long way from determining guidelines. You posted an article that lied and said God doesn’t speak to us today. It lied and said the Bible indicates he doesn’t. Many people pointed out the lies. First you need to address these lies.

[CommerceComet]

Years ago, I was meeting with a group of men to discuss starting a church. We had some disagreements that we were trying to work through. One man in particular had some very strong views which he knew were troubling to me. Apparently, this man and God had quite a conversation and interestingly, God told him exactly what he wanted to hear. In our next meeting, he turned to me and in the form of a rebuke to me told me that God wanted me to essentially shut up and accept this man's views. After he finished, I informed him that I had been praying on these issues too and why didn't God just tell me directly? Fortunately, the other men in the room took up my cause and informed him that he was way out-of-line.

A church was started and continues to thrive to this day. The other man was not involved, and ultimately moved out of the area but not before revealing to the local Christian Community through some other incidents that the Spirit of God was not in him. Based on this incident, any time a person starts by saying "God told me...", the alarm bells go off.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: I’ve also known ordinary people who claim God speaks to them audibly. You can’t argue with these people.

Here are the possibilities as I see it ( feel free to correct me ):

1) What he calls “God speaking to him” is simply his intuition based on informed knowledge. There’s nothing wrong with that. We all make decisions based on information that we have.

2) What he calls “God speaking to him” is simply him making an excuse and using God’s voice as a crutch.

3) God DID really speak to Him ( How, I am not clear. The Bible did say that God spoke to prophets like Moses, Samuel and Nathan, did He speak to him via the same way? )

[ Add your other possibilities here ].

#1 is easier to discern because they give REASONS for their decisions.

The question I have is this - without trying to sound dismissive and ridiculing, what guidelines do we have to differentiate between #2 and #3.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: You posted an article that lied and said God doesn’t speak to us today. It lied and said the Bible indicates he doesn’t

OK. I am all ears. When someone in church tells us that God spoke to him, how are we to determine if God really did?

Here are the possibilities as I see it ( feel free to correct me ):

1) What he calls “God speaking to him” is simply his intuition based on informed knowledge. There’s nothing wrong with that. We all make decisions based on information that we have.

2) What he calls “God speaking to him” is simply him making an excuse and using God’s voice as a crutch.

3) God DID really speak to Him ( How, I am not clear. The Bible did say that God spoke to prophets like Moses, Samuel and Nathan, did He speak to him via the same way? )

[ Add your other possibilities here ].

#1 is easier to discern because they give REASONS for their decisions.

The question I have is this - without trying to sound dismissive and ridiculing, what guidelines do we have to differentiate between #2 and #3.

[SeekAndFind]

If God leaves us morally free in so many areas to make decisions, then is he really guiding us? Isn’t this some kind of deistic God we have here?

Here’s my personal view, and I am open to correction:

* In moral conduct, God directly guides believers by revealed commands and principles according to His moral will (the Bible.). Hence, someone who says God told him to have sex with a woman who is not his wife is clearly WRONG.

* In nonmoral decisions, God mediately guides believers by the normal process of acquired wisdom, reasoning, information gathering, looking at evidence as far as we can know it, according to spiritual expediency. Hence, your decision to start the church falls in this category.

* In all things God secretly guides believers by sovereign control over all events according to His sovereign will.

* In unique cases God has supernaturally guided believers by divine voice, angel, dream, or miracle according to special revelation. But these are UNIQUE. These are SPECIAL REVELATION. They have to be validated by unique MIRACLES ( e.g. the ones performed by Moses and the Apostles ).

I’m not sure I would limit the term “special revelation” to angels and dreams and miracles; the Bible in #1 is certainly special revelation. But enough pickiness.

[Wiser now]

God will never contradict Himself.
For example, God did not decide in the late 19th century to return to allowing poligamy.
Christianity requires one be very knowledgeable about the Scriptures.

[BiglyCommentary]

but I can’t imagine that he speaks to others through us.

Why not, when there are so many examples of that in the Bible, Old and New?

[BiglyCommentary]

Good reply. Where does a servant tell their master how and when the master may speak to them? Where does a child tell their parent when and how the parent may speak to them, but we constantly get all of these servants and children doing that to their “Lord and Master” or “Heavenly Father”.

[JHL]

I find it interesting that those who preach the loudest about the sufficiency of scripture, turn immediately to extra-Biblical sources, in this case the London Baptist Confession, to justify their position. Apparently, scripture isn’t really all that sufficient for some arguments.

[Professional]

Here’s one for you...

Back in 1993 I was in a real struggle with my life. I was invited to a Pentecostal church. I went there for a while but one visit will not be forgotten.

All a sudden a woman stands up and speaks in tongue.

I grew up in a Christian school, jr high thru high school. I’d heard of speaking in tongue but always wondered if it was fake...I’m a natural born skeptic.

But when that lady spoke, the hair on my neck stood up. It was a language either of ancient times or from another place. It was NOT faked... I am bilingual and can spot fakery with an accent or language from a mile away.

The Pastor interpreted what the lady had said. “You think you walk alone, I am with you”.

That message, I’m 100% convinced was for me. It was a very small tight knit congregation of about 30 people...but THAT message was meant to encourage me to hang in there during my “blue years”.

[aces]

You know...he walks with us through Christ..bless you in your walk

[Professional]

Thank you, and you as well.

[Faith Presses On]

Actually, I’m suspicious of Christians who never use language like this and disapprove of it because God does tell us things, as part of having a personal relationship with Him, and His Son living within us, and very often talking about it is part of our everyday fellowship with other Christians and our witness to others. And when we pray to Him, His answers are speech.

The anti-Christ world even disparages and mocks Christians because we testify that God speaks to us. Think of what was said about Mike Pence hearing from God. “It’s one thing to talk to Jesus. It’s another thing when Jesus talks to you.” - Joy Behar.

That said, it’s time to seek an extra measure of discernment when someone says, “God told me...” and we should examine ourselves when we are going to say it, too, to make sure it’s not merely speaking from oneself. We should especially be wary of it, too, in this time and place where so much iniquity and rebellion and apostasy are abounding. What people say God told them can be revealing, perhaps demonstrating their sincere love for the Lord, or their apparent lack of it, or that they may need godly correction.

And it is also a test for the hearer, too. Let us NEVER forget that. When we hear a Christian say, “God told me,” we can simply assume there is no beam in our own eyes and interpret what follows according to our own fallen hearts and understanding rather than seeking God’s guidance on how to interpret what is said.

Finally, we should also keep in mind that there is no reason to single out people saying “God told me” for skeptical scrutiny and testing. Whenever anyone adamantly claims to be speaking the truth, they are actually implicitly claiming to be speaking prophecy and speaking for God — even if they are determined atheists. They claim that TRUTH is their god, and so everyone should believe what they say, and have zeal that others should accept what they say. And many unbelievers will even say something like, “Well, I’m sure God doesn’t exist, but if He somehow does, I know He will actually agree with me. I’m much more Christian than those who claim to follow Him are.”

So at last it comes down to seeking discernment from the Lord whenever anyone, including ourselves, says, “God told me.” We can’t rely on anyone else.