Pastor Bryan Guinness,

Ephesians (talk 9),

Ephesians 4:11-16

Preached on September 09, 2018

Update on the message content from Pastor Bryan Guinness (as of October 3, 2018).  “Since preaching the sermon on September 9, 2018 I would like to amend what I said in the sermon about the gift of prophecy.  In 2 Peter 1:19-21 prophecy is equated with Scripture. Peter writes: “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, ….20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” What struck me from that passage is that prophecy is equated with Scripture, meaning it is the very Words of God. So, where my views have shifted is that I now see the gift of prophecy today as the proclamation and exposition of Scripture. Whereas in the biblical times prophets received new revelation directly from God, today we are called to proclaim that which God has already clearly revealed in His Word. And the Scriptures are God’s prophetic word and message for us, and since they are complete, it would therefore not be acceptable for someone to say they have a word of prophecy today unless the next words out of their mouth come directly from the Scriptures. Now, this doesn’t discount that God prompts us to do things and say things, but we shouldn’t refer to these words as prophecy. May we continue to look to the Scriptures as the basis for everything we believe and teach.”