So I know with a degree of certainty that Scripture is sufficient, authoritative, inspired etc. (I would most certainly affirm the Chicago Statement on biblical inerancy). I know that the Bible is the ultimate authority and that God has revealed himself through His Word. I also know that God reveals Himself through nature (because the Bible tells me so, Psalm 19, Romans 1).
So the question I have been wrestling with recently is dreams...can God use dreams to communicate with his people?
I know any dream would be entirely subject to the authority of the Bible...but is the God we serve one who still uses dreams to communicate to His people?
Recently two different accounts have got me questioning this:
One friend of mine (pre-Christ) was about to create a heinous crime...he had a dream where Jesus told him not to go through with it...this was a contributing factor in him coming to salvation.
A second friend had a dream where some sin was being addressed in another persons life...so upon waking up he went and asked the individual if this sin is indeed a struggle and indeed it was.
I am not sure I have this compartment in my theological mind.
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Would it not be wise to differentiate between what a God whose power and authority are limited only by His own choices *might* do, and what He can be *expected* to do?
When folks tell me of accounts such as these, I try never to use speculative theological or metaphysical categories for resolving their dilemmas. Instead, I ask them what they conclude from the experience; whether their conclusions are consistent with Scripture; whether Scripture says they *can't* have been led by the Spirit in this way (and therefore should be grateful the Spirit led them back to Scripture in spite of themselves); or whether Scripture *promises* they'll be led in this way.
In the case of dreams, I know of no such promise, and therefore conclude that while God *may* use exceptional means from time to time, we have no basis for an *expectation* that He will do so, or that such appearances will prove true works of the Spirit; they become so only insofar as the Spirit speaking through Scripture teaches us, whether by means of or in spite of our experiences.
And experiences do *not* confirm Scripture. That way madness lies.
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