God revealed things to Paul. They were correct. Paul told them to the Bereans. But the Bereans still had to search the Scriptures and check Paul out. I think your idea that a person who has something revealed to them by God should not be questioned is not born out by cases in the NT where this actually happened. It is not consistent with God's command that we try the spirits. The implication is that some of them are going to be right, and some wrong. Otherwise, He could have just said "reject the spirits." Some of these things will be from God, and some from elsewhere. The Holy Spirit meets His own standard. But nothing else does.

In everything, the Bible is authoritative revelation. This is what we try the spirits by. No new interpretation is exempt from its authority. Otherwise, it would be revelation-- adding to the word of God.

Personally, I am not arguing for "new interpretations." I am saying that God can give a prediction of a circumstance, which it does not require any new interpretation of Scripture or any revision of doctrine to receive-- no more than the circumstance itself.

(I revised this because I spoke incorrectly in the "spirits" part-- as if there were more than one Spirit from God.)

[Edited on 3-30-2004 by a mere housewife]

__________________
Heidi
Indianapolis, Indiana

After two days, he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.
Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.