Why are the gifted men who revealed God's Word no longer needed now that the New Testament is complete?
Because we now have the completed Word of God in written form. Once the printed Scriptures came into being and the New Testament was complete—including Paul’s letters, the four Gospels, and Acts—there was no longer a need for that kind of gifted men to reveal God’s Word. Pastor or teacher remains a gift.
Les explains that now we have the Word of God, so we do not have to have men gifted in that particular area. He clarifies that being a pastor or teacher is still a gift, but once the printed Scriptures came into being—Paul’s letters in the right format, the four Gospels, Acts, and so forth—and the New Testament was complete, there was no longer a need for that kind of gifted men. He illustrates this with a phone call from a kind, benevolent, sincere man who claimed Les was teaching men’s words and wanted to teach him what God had said. Les saw this as a claim that the man alone had received the revelation of the true Word of God, so he ended the conversation.