There is a strong movement among progressives in the church today denying that God is working in the human heart. The argument contends that anyone who allows that God is working today is of Pentecostal or Holiness persuasion. The Lockwood-Deaver debate centered in this very problem. We do not want to side with any man on any issue because we want only the truth of God from his word.
Hebrews 2:3-4 tells us that God bore witness in New Testament times but no longer bears witness to men today. In Acts 8:18 we read that the apostles and Cornelius household received the Spirit directly from heaven. In 1 Corinthians 13:8-12, the Lord informs us the gifts would be done away when the scriptures were given.
We have to appreciate the zeal of men who are fighting the false claims of the charismatic people; however, we do not appreciate denial of the truth of God. Unless I believe that God is working today, I can not go to him (Heb. 11:6).
The problem with the Lockwood-Deaver debate was that both men took an extreme view. Lockwood could not or would not admit that God was working in any specific way even in providence. His view was always a nebulous ‘providential’ working that could not be explained. If he admitted God works today, Deaver could say it was miraculous. If he had admitted God works miracles today, he could be accused of being no different than the Pentecostals.
Deaver, on the other hand, claimed that the Holy Spirit was working today. IF the Holy Spirit is working today, God has not revealed how he is working. I believe that He is, but he is not bearing witness in miracles as he did in New Testament times. Jesus said he would abide with them forever (John 14:16), but he is not bearing witness in miracles as he did in NT times. The Holy Spirit’s work is unseen by men. Deaver claimed there were two works of the Holy Spirit: miraculous and non-miraculous supernatural. That is, God is working today in a non-miraculous supernatural way.
Unless I believe that God is working today, I can not go to him (Heb. 11:6). No one sees Satan in his work but we all know he is working hard (1 Pet. 5:8-9). Satan blinds men’s minds, but no man can see his work (2 Cor. 4:3-4). No man saw Jesus open the apostles’ understanding, but he did (Luke 24:44). In similar fashion, God gave Satan permission to stir up Judas to do his evil work (John 13:2).
We have seen but a few of the ways in which God has worked in times past. God was working, but not one of the events we studied is placed in the listing of miracles. God is working all of these things together after the counsel of his own will (Eph. 1:11). God’s witness through miracles has ceased, but God has not ceased working all things on earth together for good through his non-miraculous works (Rom 8:28).
God is alive, well and active today.
–Beth Johnson