How God Speaks to Us

The recent prediction by an nearly 90 year old minister that the "Rapture" and eventual return of Jesus would occur on May 21 of this year got me thinking about how God actually does communicate with us.

I then can't help but recall the great Bill Cosby skit on Noah and how masterfully Cosby worked that routine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bputeFGXEjA&feature=related

Borrowing from the Alpha Course, I like the way we are instructed to consider how God actually does communicate with and to us.  In the course its called the "five CS's" and the instruction goes like this (with each "CS" representing a method or mode):

1.  Commanding Scripture
2.  Counsel of the Saints
3.  Compelling Spirit
4.  Common Sense
5.  Circumstantial Signs

Sometimes in reading the Bible I get a clear message that seems to fit my situation at the time, or I'll recall some language in Scripture that I know is meant for instruction.  The Rev. Camping (of May 21 fame) should know that the Bible tells us through Jesus' own wording that no one will know the day or the hour of His return.  Believing that he had the date all figured out suggests a good bit of arrogance and dillusion on his part.

In his case a bit of the other CS's might have helped those he led to believe in the prediction and maybe somebody could have told him to just keep his mouth shut and not lead folks astray -- he did more harm to the Christian world than he helped convert new followers.

So while it is ironic that Camping felt he had so accurately parsed through the Bible to come up with his silly prediction, he should have also known enough to realize he was headed in the wrong direction to begin with.

So here's where you might look at these five CS's and understand how they apply in the real world and on a daily basis.  Obviously believers (and nonbelievers) would do well to read the Bible, it was always difficult fo me to read it without a bit of help.  Small groups, instructional sessions and study guides for either the book of the Bible you intend to read or the entire New and Old Testaments help me.  I use a Study Bible and attend a regular study group along with regular classes held at our church.  That practice goes a long way in helping to understand God's Word.

By itself the Bible isn't always enough to guide me.  That's where the other four CS's come into play for me.  And I will say that no one CS is able to necessarily stand alone, but is usually paired or partnered with one or more of other modes.  Let me see if I can explain that idea.

If Camping knew the Bible so well, his own common sense plus some instruction by others (Counsel of the Saints) would have shown him that he was tracking in the wrong direction.  My guess is that his bad judgment was performed in some kind of vacuum.  And now he has amended his prediction to this October -- just to show how hardheaded he can be.

Right!!!