Choosing Our Words Carefully

I have become increasingly frustrated with Christians that I come into contact with who use the following sort of language:

"God told me to....."

"I heard God say to me...."

"...and then God told me..."

"God spoke to me...."

Etc. Etc. Etc.

For a long time I just tried to keep my mouth shut about the issue under the pretense of not being judgmental. Yet, after much prayer, study, and talking through the issue with friends from throughout the theological mosaic, I have decided that speaking in such language is very unhelpful for the most part, and downright heretical in the worst cases. Attributing the words you speak to the Divine is a serious matter, and shouldn't be taken flippantly.

(Before I go any further let me just say this: I am not a cessationist. I believe that gifts of all kinds are still available to Christians as God appoints.)

Speaking in such a way that would lead others to believe that God verbally spoke to you is unhelpful and not very wise for several reasons:

1) So far, in 100% of the cases where I have been spoken to in this way and pressed the person for explanation, it turned out that in fact, the person had not audibly heard the voice of God, but rather had a feeling strongly impressed upon them. In short, their choice of words was misleading at best, and lying at worst.

2) When a person says "God told me to...." or something similar, it removes the possibility that the person is wrong. They are speaking on behalf of God. Whatever that person just said must be taken to be 100% true, without error, reliable, and trustworthy. Well, often enough this isn't the case, and it either makes that person look like a fool or God look like a liar.

3) Often, this manner of talking can be used to manipulate weaker people into doing somthing that they otherwise wouldn't do because they don't want to disobey "God."

4) A plurality of people speaking as if they've had audible Divine revelation takes authority away from the Holy Scriptures.

5) If a non-Christian is spoken to this way, and the words don't come to pass, that person has been effectively turned away from God.

6) It is very often just plain confusing, epecially to younger Christians who begin to expect that they should hear God's voice audibly, and that if they don't they are junior varsity Christians.

So, I offer the following suggestion to people who feel strongly impressed that God is leading them to do or say something: Instead of saying "God told me to....", say "I feel strongly lead to...." This leaves the ability for your Christian brothers and sisters to weigh what you have said against scripture and be discerning, and it leaves open the possiblity that you are wrong without defaming God in the process. After all, there are forces other than the Divine wispering things into our lives, and with far darker motives.

C.S. Lewis was a huge fan of speaking and writing clearly. I am beginning to see why. Let's keep this "God told me to...." business from getting out of control any more than it already has. The way many people and churches behave, you would think that God was audibly communicating to thousands of people every morning. Judging by the way the world looks, I don't think this is true. If you haven't actually heard God's voice audibly speaking to you, then don't make others think you did. Thats all I'm saying. If you have, more power to you (unless you are a schizophrenic).