Travis Seitler: Web Designer

Phil Johnson can always be counted on to speak his mind, especially when it comes to postmodernism and the charismatic movement. Yesterday’s excerpt from The Spurgeon Archive is no exception:

There are some, and these are generally the most uneducated, who expect to experience remarkable dreams or to behold singular visions.

…

What if you did see anything, or dream anything, what would that prove? Why, prove nothing whatever except that you were in an ill state of health, and that your imagination was morbidly active.

Put such things away, they are superstitions fit for the uncivilized, but they are not fit for Christians of the nineteenth century….

I agree that, for many people, the desire for God to speak to them in visions and dreams is a matter of vanity or laziness (or some combination of the two). I also agree that it’s troubling for people to think such things as “I had a dream where Jesus’ face was smiling at me from inside a waterfall, so I know I’m saved!” However, I see in myself this same desire for dreams and visions today—but not (at least not wholly) for the above reasons.

You see, if God doesn’t speak to us in visions and dreams today, then either the prophecy in Joel 2:28-32 was a false prophecy, or “the great and awesome day of the LORD” (v.31, ESV) has already taken place sometime between Jesus’ Revelation to John and our present day.

For me, this is a matter of whether the Bible is true or not. In this post, Spurgeon is basically quoted as saying that we ought not believe the silly little superstitions in the Bible, because we’re Modern, rational men now. In other words, Spurgeon sounds like Richard Dawkins. He’s got “scientific” reasonings that explain away the supernatural. And in the process, he has “changed the truth of God into a lie” (Romans 1:25, KJV) and told us to ignore what the Scriptures themselves testify to.

What is so troubling for me as I read this sermon excerpt is that Spurgeon is touting the modern “wisdom of the world” (“they are not fit for Christians of the nineteenth century“) and contrasting that with what the world considers foolish (“generally the most uneducated… expect to experience [dreams and visions]“). Spurgeon then casts his lot with what the world considers wisdom, and against the testimony of Scripture.

“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness,’ and again, ‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.’” — 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 (ESV)

So as much as I’ve benefited from Charles Haddon’s teachings in the past, I have no choice but to say, “Let God be true though (C.H. Spurgeon) were a liar,” (Romans 3:4, ESV)

None of this is to say we shouldn’t test what we’ve been taught, talk it out, use the community as the context for “field testing” theology, work at iron sharpening iron, hold our teachers accountable, etc. It is only to say that the worship gathering is not the right forum for the discussion. — Jared Wilson, Further Thoughts on Sermon-centric Worship

“When you come together… Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. [...] If there is anything [the women] desire to learn, let them ask their [men] at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.” — The Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 14:26,29,35 (ESV)

I wish Jared would go the whole way and require the non-preaching men of his church to wear dresses!