Q:
In biblical times, did God speak to people in a voice they could hear? If so, why doesn't He do it today? I'd have a much stronger faith if I only heard His voice speaking to me once in a while.
A:
Yes, on occasion God did speak audibly to some of His servants in the Bible — but only rarely. More often, God gave them an inner conviction of His truth, or made His will clear to them through circumstances. Most often, He made His will clear through the written messages He had given in the past — in other words, through the Bible. Why doesn’t God speak to us today in a voice we can hear? One reason is because we wouldn’t have any way of knowing whether or not it was God who was speaking to us, or if it was a fraud (or even a demon). This, incidentally, is one reason why we shouldn’t listen to someone who claims to be a messenger from God, but rejects the Bible or contradicts its message. Jesus warned, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come… and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5). But the other reason God doesn’t speak to us in a voice we can hear is because He doesn’t need to! God has already told us everything we need to know — and we find it in the pages of the Bible. Most of all, we know He loves us because He came to earth in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us. Don’t be filled with doubt any longer. Instead, turn to Jesus Christ and give your life to Him. Then come to know Him more and more by reading His Word and joining in fellowship with other believers.