Spiritual Authority:
          The Word and the Testimony
             By A. W. Tozer

             But there were false prophets also among the people,
             even as there shall be false teachers among   you, who
             privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying
             the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves
             swift destruction.                       -  -   2 Peter 2:1

                Whatever it may be in our Christian experience that
            originates outside the Scriptures should, for that very
            reason, be suspect until it can be shown to be in accord
            with them.

                If it should be found to be contrary to the Word of
            revealed truth, no true Christian will accept it as being
            from God.  However high the emotional content, no
            experience can be proved to be genuine unless we can
            find chapter and verse authority for it in the Scriptures.
           "To the word and to the testimony" must always be the
            last and final proof.

                Whatever is new or singular should also be viewed
            with caution until it can furnish scriptural proof of its
            validity. Throughout the twentieth century, quite a
            number of unscriptural notions have gained acceptance
            among Christians by claiming that they were among
            truths that were to be revealed in the last days.

                The truth is that the Bible does not teach that there
            will be new light and advanced spiritual experiences in
            the latter days; it teaches the exact opposite!  Nothing in
            Daniel or the New Testament epistles can be tortured
            into  advocating  the  idea  that  we  of  the  end of  the
            Christian era shall enjoy light that was not known at its
            beginning.

               Beware of any man who claims to be wiser than the
            apostles or holier than the martyrs of the Early Church.
            The best way to deal with him is to rise -- and leave his
            presence!

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           Yours In Christ,
            Paul N. F.