Progressive revelation in Christianity is the understanding that the sections of the Bible that were written [at a later date] contain a fuller revelation of God compared to the earlier sections. For instance, the theologian Charles Hodge wrote, “The progressive character of divine revelation is recognized in relation to all the great doctrines of the Bible. .. What at first is only obscurely intimated is gradually unfolded in subsequent parts of the sacred volume, until the truth is revealed in its fulness.” The ultimate revelation of God is understood to be found in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Gospels. Hence according to this idea, the New Testament should be used to understand and interpret the Old Testament, even though all sections of the bible are believed to be accurate. (Wikipedia)
Here are a few passages that support ‘progressive revelation’ –
Rom 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
1 Peter 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Eph 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Progressive revelation involves the progressive revealing of truth in regards to a particular doctrine of the Bible. The Bible explains it to be a ‘revelation of the mystery’, and ‘by revelation he made known unto me the mystery’. An earlier dispensational time period did not know the ‘mystery’, but a later dispensational time period had it revealed to them.
(By Dr. Ken Matto of Scionofzion.com)
[The doctrine of Christology was revealed progressively from the Old to New Testaments.] For example:
(Num 24:17) I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
(Isa 7:14) Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
(Micah 5:2) But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
(Mat 1:22-23) Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, {23} Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
(Mat 2:1) Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Now let us look at this particular thread. Numbers was penned by Moses about 1400 B.C. when he wrote the words of Balaam. Notice that Balaam says that he shall see him, but not yet. Then we skip to Isaiah 7:14 where we are given more information about the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah prophesied approximately 750-680 B.C. So in 700 years we are given the fact that Jesus would be born of a virgin which was a major sign to identify Him. Then next we jump to Micah where we find another major piece of information, His birthplace was to be Bethlehem. Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah and God gave him the additional piece of information of the birthplace. Then we jump 700 years ahead to Matthew 1:22-23 where we are told that Isaiah’s prophecy of the virgin birth has been fulfilled. Then we see in Matthew 2:1 that Micah’s prophecy of the birthplace of Jesus has been fulfilled. This is an example of progressive revelation and a very important principle to remember concerning progressive revelation is that it is not extra-biblical. Progressive revelation is only possible within the confines of Scripture and not after the completion of it.
Let us look at one more:
(Dan 12:9 KJV) And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
(Rev 22:10 KJV) And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
The book of Daniel was written anywhere between 605-530 B.C. In Daniel 12:9, we read that the words are closed up until the time of the end. Then in Revelation 22:10 which was penned about 95 A.D. we read that Jesus is commanding that the words of the prophecy of this book are not to be sealed [any longer]. So here we have a sealing of the word for about 500-600 years but when the book of Revelation has been penned, the words are not to be sealed anymore.
The doctrine of “Progressive Revelation” after the Bible was completed [(aka Continuous Revelation)], is a false gospel that is believed by many apostate groups.
(end Matto quotes)
Progressive revelation is a core teaching in the Bahá’í Faith that suggests that religious truth is revealed by God progressively and cyclically over time through a series of divine Messengers, and that the teachings are tailored to suit the needs of the time and place of their appearance. Thus, the Bahá’í teachings recognize the divine origin of several world religions as different stages of the history of one religion; while believing that the revelation of Bahá’u’lláh is the most recent (though not the last—there will never be a last), and therefore the most relevant to modern society.
The open scriptural canon of the LDS Church is based on the principle of continuous revelation. Its 9th Article of Faith states: We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
Members of the LDS Church anticipate additions to its canon, including the translation of the remaining two-thirds of the golden plates which was the source of the Book of Mormon.
In the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), continuing revelation comes from the Inner light or the light within. This light has traditionally been identified as the Spirit of Christ or Christ within, although not all Friends associate the Inner Light with Christ. It is understood as the presence of God which provides illumination and guidance to the individual and through individuals to the group.
Some Friends consider the Bible the ultimate authority, but others consider the Inner Light to be above the Bible. Both groups believe that the Inner Light speaks to people directly and not just through the text of the Bible.
Because Friends believe that revelation is ongoing, they have no set creed or dogmas. However, as early Friends listened to the Inner light and endeavored to live accordingly, a common set of beliefs gradually emerged, which became known as testimonies.
Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians generally believe that Christians, especially “Spirit-filled” Christians can receive revelations from God in the form of dreams, visions, and audible or inaudible voices. They also believe that certain individuals are able to transmit revelations from God in the form of prophecy, words of knowledge, and speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues.
While most Pentecostals and Charismatics believe the Bible to be the ultimate authority and would not say that any new revelation can ever contradict the Bible, they do believe that God continues to speak to people today on extra-biblical topics as well as to interpret and apply the text of the Bible.
(Wikipedia.org)
Thus, Continuous Revelation (extra-biblical revelation) is often found with the Bahá’í Faith, Mormons, Quakers, and Charismatics.
The Bible was written by God to be one cohesive whole and that is why books like Daniel were sealed up until the entire Bible was completed. If a person would try to use just one book of the Bible to try and come to a bible-wide truth, they would fail. As we saw the progressive revelation of Jesus Christ from Moses to Micah covered a time period of about 700 years. When the Bible was completed, then all passages that were sealed were unsealed. The true student of Scripture now had all the books of the entire Bible to study in harmony with each other. It was now possible to compare Scripture with Scripture using the entire Bible and not just a portion of it.
(1 Cor 2:13) Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
(By Dr. Ken Matto of Scionofzion.com)