Galatians 2:2 “I went there because of a revelation and presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so only in a private meeting with the influential people, to make sure that I was not running—or had not run—in vain.“
Revelation can be a controversial word.
We usually talk about revelation with terms like special and general revelation. General revelation refers to God’s self-disclosure to all people through nature and creation, revealing His existence, power, and glory. This is accessible to everyone, leaving humanity without excuse. Special revelation, however, involves God’s direct communication through Scripture and Christ, providing the knowledge necessary for salvation. While general revelation shows God’s handiwork, special revelation reveals the path to redemption. Both are infallible since they originate from God, though humans can misinterpret them.
Many religions, and some sects of Christianity, believe in a more direct or personal revelation. Of these, certain practitioners will profess the enhanced ability to receive and interpret such messages, and attempt to teach others to do the same.
- Islam emphasizes revelation through prophets, but Sufism also encourages personal experiences of the divine.
- Hinduism teaches that sages (rishis) receive knowledge from the divine.
- New Age beliefs often involve channeling spiritual entities for guidance.
- Buddhism (particularly Tibetan Buddhism) emphasizes personal experiences of enlightenment through meditation and practices that may result in direct insight from higher spiritual realms.
- Indigenous Religions often include communication with spirits or deities through rituals, dreams, and visions.
- Shamanism involves shamans acting as intermediaries, receiving revelations or guidance from spirits or ancestors.
- Sikhism teaches that divine wisdom (Gurmat) can be received through meditation and prayer, emphasizing personal communion with God.
These revelations are reported to take the form of visions, voices, or spiritual experiences as a source of guidance and knowledge. Reader, take caution.
The Bible warns against false prophets, necromancers, diviners, soothsayers, and those who engage in practices like child sacrifice, often putting them in the same or in similar categories (Leviticus 19:31, 20:27; 2 Kings 21:1-9). These individuals seek to manipulate spiritual forces, which God forbids. Divination and necromancy are condemned because they attempt to coerce divine will, which cannot be done (Deuteronomy 18:9-22). True prophets, on the other hand, deliver God’s genuine messages, which are validated when their predictions come true (1 Kings 22:15-39). False prophets exploit people with misleading messages, while true prophecy aligns with God’s Word (2 Peter 1:16-2:3).
In some forms of Christianity, and yes, particularly in charismatic movements, some believe in the Holy Spirit revealing God’s will directly to individuals.
Before diving in further, I want to make one distinction between what many would call revelation and what I may call prophecy.
I admit that I am a partial continuationist (and to my reformed readers, you can blame Sam Storms).
Partial continuationism is the belief that some spiritual gifts, like prophecy, tongues, and healing, continue today, but authoritative roles like apostleship and divine revelation ceased with Scripture’s completion. Apostles and prophets were foundational to the early church (Eph. 2:20), but modern prophets offer non-authoritative messages meant for encouragement, which must be tested against Scripture (1 Thess. 5:20-21). False prophets are those whose prophecies contradict God’s Word. True prophecies must align with God’s nature and Scripture without introducing new doctrines (2 Peter 2).
Now granted, Paul is an Apostle, and so his revelation was indeed direct and personal, but not in opposition to God’s general or special revelation. Further, Paul’s revelation is authoritative. If we remember, part of this revelation was to confirm his Apostleship.
In Galatians 2:2, the “revelation” likely refers to a directive from God for Paul to visit Jerusalem and confer with the apostles. Paul emphasizes his apostolic authority based on his direct revelation of Christ, not from human commission. Paul’s encounters with Christ, including his conversion and other spiritual experiences, validate his apostleship. Given that he had not felt the need to visit Jerusalem for fourteen years, it seems probable that this revelation was a specific instruction from God to meet with key apostles, like James, Peter, and John.
Pauls understands this from his earlier experience on the road to Damascus where he learned that Gentiles are included in God’s plan of redemption. By this point, Paul had been preaching both to Jews and Gentiles. His work had reached Jerusalem, where questions arose about whether the gospel should be preached to Gentiles and if it should adhere to the Law of Moses.
Paul’s broader “revelation” was that, through Jesus Christ, all nations could be blessed, affirming that salvation is available to everyone by grace through faith alone, in Christ alone. Despite some resistance to the inclusion of Gentiles, Paul traveled to Jerusalem to clarify that the gospel message has always been about salvation through faith in Christ, not bound by the Law.
So brothers and sisters, why are we so concerned with our revelation? We should all agree in the broader revelation (especially as we have His word recorded through special revelation in the scripture), but should we expect God to give us a more direct revelation, like Paul?
Often, I will talk with people who fall off one of two sides of a very narrow bridge. One group wants to receive a direct and personal message from God (such as what His will is in a given situation) and will in some extreme cases fall further into what is practical paganism in an attempt to conjure a response from God (If I do ABC, God will tell me XYZ). Friends, this is in a spectrum of looking for signs in tea leaves-to-a purely works based sense of revelation, and it’s entirely wrong. The second group is a little less obvious, but often involves the Christian yearning for what some may refer to as “their call”, or a specific sign, or direct revelation, for a future vocation or mission. These things are, at the ground level, the same, and rooted in two false beliefs.
I think you can summarize the experience with this question; “Am I doing the will of God, and what is God’s will for me?”
I will often counsel young people through the first part of this question. You can review one of our free resources on the topic here: Am I Doing The Will of God. But the second part is a bit more foggy.
Not the philosophical, Catechistic, or Doctrinal, statement of faith answers, like “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever” (Westminster) or “to find comfort and hope in belonging to Christ” (Heidelberg) or “to know, love, and serve God in this world, and be happy with Him in the next” (Baltimore, Catholic). Which, of course, these offer great insight, but, What is Gods will for me. What do I have to do to hear God’s calling for me?
Paul, at least in this instance, had a pretty clear understanding of God’s will, or His calling. He said, “I went there because of a revelation…” We can assume, God literally told him, direct and personally, to go to Jerusalem. And yes, I do actually believe, like in some very powerful encounters, that this still happens today, albeit rarely and in extreme cases. In line with God’s mission, we do understand, there are reports of muslims and other non-believers who have received a vision from Jesus which has caused them to convert. I have spent a lot of time in missions work, and in some very spiritually dark areas where these types of miracles do indeed reportedly occur, and I earnestly pray that God will continue to reveal himself and bring men and women to salvation through Christ alone.
But this isn’t the usual question. People want to know, what is my calling? Paul was called, right? I should just wait, to receive my calling, right?
I love this article by Kevin Deyoung. He explores the idea of personal “calling” and whether Christians should prioritize seeking a specific calling or vocation. DeYoung argues that the concept of calling can sometimes create unnecessary anxiety for believers, focusing on whether they are in the “right” job or life path. Instead, he suggests that the biblical focus is on faithfulness in whatever role or situation one finds oneself. He emphasizes that God’s will is more about character and holiness than a particular vocation.
If you came to me, asking these questions, I would walk you through the following:
Q: What does the Bible say about the concept of “calling”?
A: Scripture emphasizes that all believers are called to be with and like Christ (Phil. 3:14), to freedom (Gal. 5:13), and to a holy life (2 Tim. 1:9). We are called to Christ, not necessarily to a specific worldly role (1 Cor. 1:26).
Q: Should Christians expect a specific “calling” for their life’s work?
A: Scripture doesn’t suggest that believers should wait for a specific, supernatural calling for particular roles, even pastoral ministry or missionary service.
Q: How should we understand a “call to ministry”?
A: The biblical concept of a call to ministry isn’t necessarily about receiving a direct message from God. Instead, it can involve:
- Internal Call: A desire for ministry.
- External Call: Affirmation of one’s gifts by others.
- Formal Call: Being offered a position by a church or ministry.
Q: Can “calling” language still be useful?
A: Yes, but we should use it carefully. It’s helpful when discerning if a step is wise or fitting, based on self-knowledge, input from others, and opportunities. However, we should avoid attaching divine authority to every vocational decision.
Q: What approach should Christians take instead of waiting for a special calling?
A: Christians should focus on knowing themselves, seeking advice from others, and considering opportunities where they are needed. Growing in wisdom is more beneficial than waiting for supernatural confirmation.
If this has been helpful for you, please check out this excellent resource, on God’s Calling For You.
So dont waste your life, waiting for a specific “calling” from God or be paralyzed by fear and inaction that can hinder your spiritual growth. Instead, we should focus on increasing our biblical faithfulness in any role or situation we find ourselves in. God’s will is less about a particular vocation and more about cultivating character and holiness. By recognizing that God has already prepared good works for us to walk in, we are encouraged to embrace our present circumstances with diligence and trust, knowing that our faithful actions reflect His purpose for our lives. In doing so, we align ourselves with His divine plan, fulfilling our role in His greater design.
You can review this in further detail, and download a free resource on discerning your calling here.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the assurance that You have prepared good works for us to walk in, as promised in Ephesians 2:10. Help us to understand that Your will is not confined to a specific calling but is manifested through our commitment to grow in faithfulness and holiness. Grant us the courage to act in the roles and situations we find ourselves in, trusting that You are guiding us and using our actions for Your glory. May our lives reflect Your love and purpose, as we seek to fulfill the good works You have set before us. Strengthen us with Your grace and wisdom to walk in these paths with diligence and joy.
In Jesus’ name, we pray,
Amen.
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