The question came to the pastor’s facebook group. Here was my answer.

Scripture is “canon”. What does this mean? It means that it is what the Christian community, the part of the body of Christ moved by the Holy Spirit within the age of decay, recognizes its source (inspiration) and authority. God speaks to us through the natural world (Psalm 8), through science, through our neighbors, even through our thoughts and feelings. There is no limit on through whom, when and where God can speak. At the same time these other sources are not canon. I handle canon differently than I handle other messages from God. If I handle even the canon through my eyes, heart and mind corrupted by sin, how much more is my ability to to receive God’s speech through other sources?

Someone can say “God told me X”.

OK. God told me he loved me this morning when I saw a majestic sunrise coming over the Sacramento river. I’m not lacking on God speaking to me. Canon, however, is limited and in that limit comes a degree of power and through his work in Christ’s body throughout the ages comes an authority that the sunrise somehow lacked.