A Vital First and Second Witness; Spirit and Truth

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

I don’t know about you, but until early this morning when I read this verse again, I thought the reference to the ‘word of God’ was to the Bible. But then, if that was the case, why didn’t Paul say ‘reading’ in the second citation of ‘hearing’; e.g. ‘So then faith cometh by hearing, and that through reading the word of God?’ Of course, it then dawned on me…no duh, that the canonization of the Old and New Testaments didn’t arrive (about 170 and 250 A.D. respectively) until decades after Paul’s martyrdom (A.D. 62-67). Thus, and because divine utterance and revelation continued for a period after Pentecost, it was reasonable the Apostle would use ‘hearing’ in both places. However, after the canon was completed? Hmm. It’s completion is what prompted me to apply ‘hearing‘  in the first citation; e.g. ‘So then faith cometh by hearing….” I did because of the importance that preaching brings to sharing the Gospel. However, as for the second citation of ‘hearing’, I changed that to ‘reading’; e.g. ‘and that through reading the word of God,’ after I remembered what was spoken to Saint Augustine, ‘take up and read,’ which led to his conversion to Christianity.

Of course, I don’t see any immediate concern by using the word ‘reading’ in the second citation. Why? Because, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Tim. 3:16) After all, Scripture is that which was uttered and intended to be heard by the people and was orally passed down over centuries. However, after the canon, wherein grace; which leads to our faith by hearing (initiated by the Holy Spirit Who inwardly speaks to us); we were then given the Scriptures to provide a second witness. In John 4:24 we are taught, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Here, in John, we have essentially the same witnesses. Interestingly enough, what prompted the canonization of Scripture after the death of the Apostles was the rise of false teachers; which Paul often warned of and against; praying that the believers would stand firm in the faith. In an excerpt taken from the Britannica on Biblical Literature, it was noted:

In a general prophetic apocalyptic mood, another heresy,  Montanism,  arose. This was an ecstatic enthusiastic movement claiming special revelation and stressing “the age of the spirit.” Montanus (died c. 175) and two prophetesses claimed that their oracular statements contained new and contemporary authoritative revelations. 

What happened then is certainly no less true today where ecstatic enthusiasm can replicate what happened in c. 175. Satan often has different cards up his sleeve, but he always plays with the same deck. Accordingly, we should be alert and concerned of those within the church who claim continued revelations and utterances but do not have the backing of the second witness to affirm what the person said they were told by the Holy Spirit, or resulted in a subsequent failure in God delivering what was promised; e.g., health, wealth and so forth. Today, many claim that Matthew 18:20 gives them binding authority, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Permit me to say, and I do so humbly, our Lord’s comment speaks only to His presence; not that He will bless what mischief is going on. Either He will not bless what we are doing because it is not in accordance with the Father’s will or it is  clearly unscriptural. What should happen in these instances, doesn’t. A brother or sister should lovingly talk to the brother about the matter; and “…if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ Once their word is established between the witnesses, it should be tested for its consistency with the Scriptures and also the faithfulness of God demonstrated in its outcome. I suspect that if such accountability was maintained within the body of Christ, we would either find many of those who were in error subject to correction and restoration to the faith through repentance, or lovingly turned out in the hope they would repent and return. Unfortunately, there are many flocks for false witnesses to flee, but none of those ‘houses of God’ were protected ‘safe houses’ from God, as murderers in Israel were allowed to flee to specified cities for refuge. Be assured, God’s judgment will find all. Nonetheless, many such false teachers today find themselves readily embraced and taken in; often to resume their teachings. Nonetheless….

In Acts 15:15, we have a wonderful example of the first and second witness, “And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written.” Here, we find what was heard said by the prophets corroborated by what was written. We need to pay attention today of this in our own lives and congregations; for we are finding many once Spiritually enlivened and Bible-teaching churches falling away. And with that, it is appropriate for me to conclude: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’ (Rev. 2:17) And what was the church of Pergamos to overcome? They were to overcome false teachings and doctrines.