Is The Spirit Still Speaking?

Randy Elstrott

Credit: Frank A. Mills

[Every so often I come across a post elsewhere that speaks to how we might re-imagine Christianity. Randy's post is one of those.]

Is The Spirit Still Speaking?

A good friend recently asked if I believed God still gives revelation that rises to a level equal to the authority of written Canon (the Bible). This was a very thoughtful question that deserved a wel- thought-out answer. My immediate instinct was to insist NO! The scriptures are closed and nothing can be added to them. Genesis to Revelation is all we need and all we will get. But why was there a check in my spirit insisting that I revisit my answer?

I needed to look harder at the question: does God still give revelation equal to the Bible? He did not ask if God is still writing scripture. When I isolate the meat in the question, I realize the answer is yes. God still gives revelation equal to written Canon. I can even go so far as to say God still gives revelation that is superior to a literal understanding of some scriptures.

Now, before you label me a heretic, let’s look at what the Bible says about itself. You see, in Acts 10:13 the Spirit commanded Peter to kill and eat creatures that were forbidden by the written law of Moses. In other words, the Spirit contradicted the Bible, and his parting statement to Peter was, “don’t call unclean anything that God has made clean.”

Oddly, Peter understood those words to mean it was perfectly okay for him to fellowship with pagans—something else that was strictly forbidden by the written law of Moses. So, Peter broke Old Testament written law to stay obedient to the voice of the Spirit.

Since John 16:13 tells us that “the Spirit…will guide you into all truth,” then the Spirit must still be speaking today and he may still contradict parts of the Bible today.

Now, I also believe the Spirit set up parameters within which he will work. Jesus said in John 6:63, “the words that I speak to you are Spirit and they are life.”

In other words, the Spirit will only go where Jesus has been. He will only speak what Jesus has spoken. If a message doesn’t sound like something Jesus would say, or if an event doesn’t look like something Jesus would do, then it isn’t the Spirit. These parameters work in two ways: First, they keep us from listening to strange voices within ourselves that are not the Spirit. This is because we can compare the voice in our heads to the voice of Jesus from the Gospels. If what we’re hearing is God, they will always align.

Second, they keep us from listening to strange voices within the Old Testament that are not the Spirit. This also is because we can compare the voice in the OT to the voice of Jesus in the Gospels. If what we’re reading is God, they will always align.

So, to answer the question—YES—I believe revelation is now being given that is not only equal to, but superior to much of the literal written revelation. It’s the Spirit that guides us into all truth—not the written letter. As a matter of fact, the written letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor 3:6).

Randy Elstrott
Wells, Maine
January 15, 2025

Randy is a Arborist at Bayou Tree Service Louisiana. He lives in Metairie, Louisiana. You can read more of Randy's posts on his Facebook page.

This piece first appeared on Randy's Facebook profile page. He graciously allowed me to share in "Reimagining Christianity" website.