Does God still speak to us today?
First, it is clear God has spoken on many occasions. He revealed Himself audibly to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3), Noah (Genesis 6:13-21), Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3), and many others. So, God can speak to people, even audibly, if He desires.But does God still speak to us today? Yes, He does so in a variety of ways. First, God has revealed Himself through the created world: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard" (Psalm 19:1-3). This form of revelation is obvious to all people, yet is not as direct as the written Word of God.
Second, God speaks through the Bible. Second Timothy 3:16-17 notes, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." Scripture comes from God and is therefore one clear way in which God speaks to people today.
Second Peter 1:20-21 likewise notes, "no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." The Bible is the perfect standard for determining what God has said, knowing His character, and evaluating other messages that claim to be from God.
In addition to the created world and the Word, God has also communicated in other ways throughout history. The Bible reveals that God has spoken through lots (Proverbs 16:33; Acts 1:21-26), urim and thummim (Exodus 28:30), dreams (Genesis 20:3), visions (Isaiah 6:1; Acts 11:3), angels (Daniel 9:20-21), prophets, events (such as in Micah 6:5), and Jesus (John 1:14).
God can and certainly does speak to people today in some of the ways mentioned in the Bible. However, some words of caution: First, anything God communicates to us will be consistent with what He has already revealed in the Bible. God is perfect, and He will not convey something that contradicts the perfect revelation He has already given.
Second, God often affirms His revelation through the wise counsel of other believers. When other godly people are involved in our lives, they can encourage us to pursue what God is leading us to do. Praise God for the gift of exhortation/encouragement (Romans 12:8).
Third, we must exercise caution when others claim God has spoken to them. The Bible says many "false prophets" will come who speak in the name of God (2 Peter 2:1). As a result, we are called to "test" to see if these people are truly speaking according to what God has revealed (1 John 4:1). Scripture says that those who claim to teach in Christ's name will affirm that Jesus physically came to earth, died, and rose again (1 John 4:2-3). Those who hold to unorthodox teaching regarding the essentials of the faith cannot be trusted when they claim to speak for God.
Why does God seem different in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
Why does God seem hidden to us today?
Does God do miracles today?
Is the Bible still relevant today?
How can I recognize the voice of God?
Truth about God
