TESTING THE PROPHETIC SERIES
Other Lessons In History
Writing a couple hundred years after Palladius’ account of Valens, Isaac the Syrian, a 7th century Christian monk, recounts that there were many people in the history of the church that had accomplished great things through the exercise of spiritual gifts:
““From history, we see that many have performed astonishing miracles, have raised the dead, and have labored to return those who are erring to the straight path and the true Faith; they worked great miracles and by their efforts led many to knowledge of God.””
He goes on to lament that those with great gifts became a scandal to the church in their fall:
““Later, however, those who gave life to others fell into base passions and put themselves to death; and they scandalized many when (from their daily behavior) their actions became known.””
This came about because they did not consider their spiritual health before they rushed out to help others. In not considering their own health, those they healed eventually were wounded because of their poor example.
““This happened because they took no care for the health of their own souls, which were sick, but instead cast themselves into the sea of the world in order to heal the souls of others, while they themselves were still ailing. And they were lost, since they did not have in their souls strong hope in God, in the aforementioned way.””
Isaac the Syrian counsels those who would listen to love sitting before the heart of God more than any great accomplishment you could achieve:
““Do not compare those who call forth signs and wonders and powers in the world with those who live a life of silence in the desert and have clear knowledge of their purpose. Love the inactivity of living in silence more than feeding all of the world’s hungry to satiety or returning hordes of unbelievers to a knowledge of God.””
The first 1,000 years of the church was not immune to stories of ineptitude, moral depravity, compromise, theological heresy, pride and arrogance when it comes to the exercise of the spiritual gifts. It should stand as no surprise that the next 1,000 years saw just as many problematic uses. Jonathan Edwards, writing in the 18th century alludes to some of these issues in his The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God:
““Some of the true friends of the work of God’s Spirit have erred in giving too much heed to impulses and strong impressions on their minds, as though they were immediate significations from heaven to them of something that should come to pass, or something that it was the mind and will of God that they should do, which was not signified or revealed anywhere in the Bible without those impulses.” ”
His advice in return is humility and watchfulness of heart:
““Humility and self-diffidence and an entire dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ will be our best defence. Let us therefore maintain the strictest watch against spiritual pride, or being lifted up with extraordinary experiences and comforts, and the high favours of heaven that any of us may have received. We had need, after such favours, in a special manner to keep a strict and jealous eye upon our own hearts, lest there should arise self-exalting reflections upon what we have received, and high thoughts of ourselves as being now some of the most eminent of saints and peculiar favourites of heaven, and that the secret of the Lord is especially with us.””