Is New Revelation Promised to All Believers?

Three Bible verses are used by some Christians as verification that Jesus made a promise to all believers; meaning the promise applies to each of us today. Consequently, they believe that the Holy Spirit has and will continue to reveal new things to them, including about God, that’s never been revealed before. As a result, new doctrines have been introduced during our times. And, no doubt, there will be more. Here are the three verses:

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” John 14: 26

When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me.” John 15: 26

I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” John 16: 12, 13

The promise is made by Jesus during what is called the Upper Room discourse. He’s talking to the disciples about what they can expect; that primarily being the arrival and help of the Holy Spirit. Once with them, the Spirit would remind them of Jesus’ sayings and also give them new revelation.

Obviously, Jesus is not addressing the Christian community-at-large throughout time. For that to be so, the community-at-large would have to have walked with Jesus and heard His sayings in order for them to be brought back to remembrance. It was Jesus’ close companions, the disciples, who with the help of the Spirit, recalled and recorded Jesus’ words, works, and life.

Those things were originally relayed to them while they were with Jesus during His three-year earthly ministry. As such, they were well suited to teach doctrine. And because Jesus would say even more to them of things to come, communicated by the Spirit, they were also accurate predictors of the future.

Put those two things together – prophecy and recollected doctrine – and one can see how the New Testament was able to come together. And in it, along with the Old Testament, we find all the wisdom, principles, instruction, inspiration, and revelation needed to keep the faith. Nothing more or less needs to be added or taken away.

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 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate and equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3: 16, 17

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