Saying that anything is the word of God tends to get our suspicions to rise. For some reason, we lack the ability to discern how the decisions or what we call the word and will of God relates to the Word, the Bible.
One of the tools that makes us distinctly United Methodist is the Wesleyan Quadrilateral - which examines the choices we make through four lenses - Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. Scripture is primary - meaning its of the most importance, but we need all four aspects working in tandem to get a complete picture.
The Galatians were faced with a dilemma. Paul told them that they were saved by grace and faith in Jesus Christ alone, then came along another group after he had departed on another mission that told them that actually faith in Christ wasn't enough - they needed now to follow a set of rules. Rules that Paul had never mentioned. So suspicions and doubts started to arise - where these new people wrong? Or had Paul lead them astray? They didn't necessarily take the time to examine what they were being told through Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience and just took it at face value - which caused a lot of problems.
How do you make major decisions? How could the Quadrilateral aid you?
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