[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

I desire to unite Myself with human souls... When I come to a human heart in Holy Communion, My hand are full of all kinds of graces which I want to give to the soul. But souls do not even pay any attention to Me; they leave Me to Myself and busy themselves with other things. Oh; how sad I am that souls do not recognize Love!

SIDE CHARISMATIC ISSUE -- The interesting thing, brother Woody, from a Charismatic perspective, is the degree of correspondence we find between the Mormons, and the Islamics, and the Hyper-Charismatics, and the Mystery Romanists.

To both the Orthodox Cessationists (such as my own OP pastor) and the Orthodox Continuationists (such as yourself, the_doc, and myself), the pneumatological (Holy Spirit) question is, the nature of the Spirit's illumination in regard to completed Revelation.

---

• The Cessationists (such as my own OP pastor) say that the greater works of Illumination -- in regard to the finished Revelation -- are already complete;
• the Orthodox Continuationists say that Illumination -- in regard to the finished Revelation -- still yet continue. (An example might be the record of John Knox , founder of the Presbyterian Church):John Knox prophesied the future
  ...he thus addressed himself to her [Queen Mary] husband, Henry, Lord Darnley, while in the king’s seat in the High Church of Edinburgh: "Have you, for the pleasure of that dainty dame, cast the psalm-book into the fire? The Lord shall strike both head and tail." Both King and queen died violent deaths. He likewise said, when the Castle of Edinburgh held out for the Queen against the Regent, that "the Castle should spue out the captain (meaning Sir William Kircaldy of Grange) with shame, that he should not come out at the gate, but over the wall, and that the tower called Davis Tower, should run like a sand-glass; which was fulfilled a few years after -- Kircaldy being obliged to come over the wall on a ladder, with a staff in his hand, and the said fore-work of the Castle running down like a sand-brae." (page 57)...

  ..."If you act thus, God will be with you; if otherwise, He shall deprive you of all these benefits, and your end shall be shameful and ignominious." This threatening, as Morton to his melancholy experience confessed, was literally accomplished. At his execution, in June 1581, he called to mind John Knox’s words, and acknowledged, that in what he had said to him he had been a true prophet. (page 61)

---

And what is the Testimony of either position, whether Orthodox Cessationist or Orthodox Continuationist? The Book of Revelation is CLOSED. John Knox claimed no new Revelation; he never imagined that there was any further revelation forthcoming. He only spoke as God gave him the light to see the outworking of the existing revelation. (Note that NONE of John Knox's "prophecies" contained ANY doctrine, only "foretelling" -- if Knox is Right, DOCTRINE is COMPLETED.)

The Orthodox Cessationist believes that all Revelation is COMPLETE. Finis. End of Story.
And likewise, the Orthodox Continuationist believes that, though your young men might still seem visions, and your old men mught still dream Dreams (hello, John Knox), it is all in referential regard to a Revelation which is COMPLETE (this belief the Orthodox Continuationist holds in common with the Orthodox Cessationist... we disagree as to the mode of illumination, but we agree that the REVELATION is COMPLETE).

By contrast... the Hyper-Charismatic, and the Mormon, and the Islamist, and the Mystery Romanist... they all still have something to add.

• The Hyper-Charismatic believes that he hears New Words of Holy Babble... never mind the Canon of Scripture.
• The Mormon believes that he hears New Words of Moron (pardon me, "moroni")... never mind the Canon of Scripture.
• The Islamist believes that he hears New Words of Mohammed... never mind the Canon of Scripture.
• And the Mystery Romanist believes that he hears New Words of "Sister FAUST"... never mind the Canon of Scripture.

If they agree in nothing else, they agree in this: The Scripture is Not Enough.

For us, the Scripture is Enough.

May the Scripture feed us always,
OP

[CCWoody]

May the Scripture feed us always,

Yep! I have the "honey pot" and the more I understand what the gospel really is, the more I understand just how big the "honey pot" really is.

Were I have to have a vision or a dream that was contrary to the scripture in any way, then it be not Jesus. And that includes a vision or a dream telling me what to believe about the scripture. For then I would be a follower of secret visions and they would be the ultimate authority over the very Word itself. And if I get too carried away, then I am nothing more than an insane fanatic.