"When a voice is heard that does not conform with Scripture it is cast out by these men as not being of God." Q. What about the voice that is heard that does agree with Scripture and is NOT from God? Which was my illusion from Scripture and the Lord's warning (Matthew 6 and Luke 11) to make sure the light we see isn't really darkness.

"Furthermore, who definition is "illumination"? I don't recall that word being used in Scripture unless it is speaking of a room." Illumination is a standard theological term like "special revelation, and "animation" that were created by those who have gone before us in the faith to facilitate a continuing dialog. Gravity and inertia are not mentioned in Scripture either yet they do exist. "How does the Spirit witness to us? For one thing, he speaks through the Word of God, illuminating its pages and teaching us its truths." Wiersbe, Warren W.: Be What You Are : 12 Intriguing Pictures of the Christian from the New Testament. Wheaton IL : Tyndale House, 1996, c1988, S. 52

"As to your Martin Luther quote I must ask, "What is your point?"" The point is that he is the "first word" on the subject of "calling" which was the context of its mention. "The call is not to be taken lightly. For a person to possess knowledge is not enough. He must be sure that he is properly called. Those who operate without a proper call seek no good purpose. God does not bless their labors. They may be good preachers, but they do no edify. Many of the fanatics of our day pronounce words of faith, but they bear no good fruit, because their purpose is to turn men to their perverse opinions. On the other hand, those who have a divine call must suffer a good deal of opposition in order that they may become fortified against the running attacks of the devil and the world." (Martin Luther) You had mentioned in your 6/7/2010 post that "Ask John McArthur how he knew he was called to preach. I have never found a text that said, "John McArthur" will preach the gospel." And I believe that Pastor MacArthur would espouse that there is no new "special revelation." By the way, it wasn't my framework, or necessarily my theology. I was merely quoting "orthodoxy."

We indeed live in a day when there are and will be many prophets and many messiahs. It would be a weakness of the western mind to consider a linear argument (as in describing a tree from the top down) instead of walking around the tree to grasp its full dimention. Hence my simple question when I here someone say, "the Lord led me," I ask how did He lead you, and how did you know it was the Lord?