When Someone Says “God Told Me”
by Terry Wane Benton
A few years ago, I read directly from one lady who claimed two false things while claiming, "God told me." She claimed that 1) God told her to tell others that God forbids His people from getting the COVID-19 vaccine, and 2) taking it is "the mark of the beast." Now, I'm not ridiculing her misguided faith. She probably believes this sincerely, but the point is that believing "God told me" such and such is usually self-deception.
God has spoken to us through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2), and the Spirit guided Jesus' apostles into "all truth" (John 16:13). The faith has been "once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). God speaks to us through the completed Bible (II Timothy 3:16-17). It completely furnishes the man of God. Therefore, I am listening to the Holy Spirit when I listen to His revealed and confirmed word (Hebrews 3:7f). I know that is the voice of the Holy Spirit. But when someone goes outside the Bible and starts talking about what God told them, I don't believe it. This imaginary voice is why we have conflicting messages.
If God forbids the vaccine, then it is a sin to get it. If it is not a sin to get it, then God did not speak to that woman, no matter how sincere she is. She is wrong. See my earlier article on whether the vaccine is "the mark of the beast." That is a misuse of the message of Revelation 13.
We need to realize that when someone says, "God told me," this is the same self-deception that went on among the false prophets (Jeremiah 9:14; 7:24; 14:14). It is a false vision of their wild imagination. They claim to be speaking for God but are actually self-deceived. If you cannot find it in the Bible that "thoroughly furnishes the man of God," then you are not required to take seriously those who depart from that complete message.
You can get a thousand conflicting voices claiming "God told me," but there is only one complete message that will guide you completely and safely to God. Listen to what the Spirit says in the scriptures that He revealed and confirmed for all people for all time. Gullibility will go along with people who claim “God told me.” That is how many false religions got started.
Many false religions got started and continue to deceive all because people were gullible. When someone says, “God told me,” and they are not pointing to the Scriptures, run away as fast as you can. Deception is in the air!
