Within digital spaces, the ways in which God interacts with people is often discussed, shared, and compared. There appears to be a growing trend in recent years that might be described as the “God told me to” phenomenon. Whether it’s quitting a job, starting a new career, starting a new relationship, ending a relationship, and every little thing in between, there seems to be an increasingly prevalent practice of claiming that these actions were directly instructed by God. This is not to imply that these are always falsified or imagined instructions, but the need for direct divine validation for every human action seems to be amplified by seeing others on social media asking for and receiving direct answers from God.
The Old Testament of the Bible seems to be brimming with examples of people hearing directly from God. However, when factoring in the span of time that the Old Testament covers, one realizes that it is a rare occurrence for people to hear directly from God. When examining the New Testament, which covers a shorter period of time, people are always moving, healing, acting, prophesying, and saving with the authority of God, but without any record of a direct communication with God. Barnabas, Timothy, and John Mark are three examples. They were influential Christians and first introduced the gospel to countless people and communities.
If these devout followers, who are most similar to modern Christians, are never reported as hearing directly from God, then why are Christian masses today obsessed with this idea? Simply put, it is a status symbol. It is used as a tool to give a person’s faith legitimacy and raise them above their fellow believers. It serves as a symbol of devotion, holiness, and faith. When placed in a Christian community, it creates a hierarchy among Christians that becomes ingrained in the culture. This is an unsustainable faith practice, as it is not based upon what is readily found in scripture. What about those who are like Timothy, Barnabas, or John Mark and despite practicing their faith with devotion, never hear directly from God? What are they to think about their relationships to God and to other believers? This practice of “God told me to” has the potential to cause spiritual insecurity and a loss of faith. By focusing on this idea of hearing directly from God, it is ineffective in connecting people with the truth of the gospel and pushing them to take a leap of faith. It also fails to give importance to the fact that God often moves and interacts with His people in quiet ways.
The Old Testament of the Bible seems to be brimming with examples of people hearing directly from God. However, when factoring in the span of time that the Old Testament covers, one realizes that it is a rare occurrence for people to hear directly from God. When examining the New Testament, which covers a shorter period of time, people are always moving, healing, acting, prophesying, and saving with the authority of God, but without any record of a direct communication with God. Barnabas, Timothy, and John Mark are three examples. They were influential Christians and first introduced the gospel to countless people and communities.
If these devout followers, who are most similar to modern Christians, are never reported as hearing directly from God, then why are Christian masses today obsessed with this idea? Simply put, it is a status symbol. It is used as a tool to give a person’s faith legitimacy and raise them above their fellow believers. It serves as a symbol of devotion, holiness, and faith. When placed in a Christian community, it creates a hierarchy among Christians that becomes ingrained in the culture. This is an unsustainable faith practice, as it is not based upon what is readily found in scripture. What about those who are like Timothy, Barnabas, or John Mark and despite practicing their faith with devotion, never hear directly from God? What are they to think about their relationships to God and to other believers? This practice of “God told me to” has the potential to cause spiritual insecurity and a loss of faith. By focusing on this idea of hearing directly from God, it is ineffective in connecting people with the truth of the gospel and pushing them to take a leap of faith. It also fails to give importance to the fact that God often moves and interacts with His people in quiet ways.