Pentecostal – Charismatic Phenomenon in the Modern Church
Topics to be covered include:
1. The source of authority: Scriptural Doctrine or experience
2. Emotionalism in Christianity
3. The use of tongues and other phenomena in early church history
4. A history of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement
5. The “Full Gospel” teaching
6. Biblical “tongues” and modern practice
· Tongues in Acts
· The errors of the church at Corinth
· “prayer language” and the “tongues of angels”
7. Spirit baptism, the “second blessing,” and super-Christians.
8. The exaltation of the Holy Spirit
9. Signs, wonders, and miracles
· Does God do miracles today?
10. Health and healing
· Is healing in the atonement?
11. Wealth and prosperity
· “Name it and claim it”
12. Positive confession and Shamanism
13. The “little gods” teaching
14. Visions and dreams
15. Slaying in the Spirit
16. “Visible” manifestations of the Spirit?
· “holy laughter,” animal sounds, and other noises
17. Does God still speak today?
18. Spirit drunkenness
19. Trips to heaven and hell
20. The anointing of the Holy Spirit
21. Modern “apostles and prophets”
22. Catholic Charismatics
23. Charismatic practices in cults and pagan religions
24. Sinless perfectionism and the Holiness Movement.
25. Can eternal life be lost?
26. “Oneness Pentecostalism” and “Jesus-only” baptism
27. Prayer movements: contemplative, soaking, and others
28. The use and abuse of music in modern worship
29. Charismatic ecumenicalism
30. Dominion Theology and the Kingdom of God
31. Deliverance ministries: Are demons the cause of physical, emotional, and spiritual problems?
32. Women preachers and pastors
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT SPIRITUAL GIFTS
1 Peter 4:10 (NASB) As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
At West Side Baptist Church we believe that all spiritual gifts were given by Christ during His ascension (Ephesians 4:8) and that the Holy Spirit assigns these gifts as He desires (I Corinthians 12:11). It is through these grace gifts that God accomplishes His purposes by the means of the Holy Spirit Who uses the believer to accomplish these purposes.
However, there are both temporary and permanent spiritual gifts. We come to the conclusion that the temporary gifts have ceased based on an analysis of the purpose for these gifts from Scripture and not theological bias or experience-oriented conclusions.
In the first section of these studies on Church Age spiritual gifts, we saw that the temporary gifts ceased in 96 A.D. with the completion of the Canon of Scripture. The documentation of the timing for this ceasing of temporary gifts is found in I Corinthians 13:10 where the word “perfect” is in the neuter gender which refers to the completion of the Bible. In James 1:25 the Bible is referred to as the “perfect law of liberty”. These gifts were for the foundation of the Church during the apostolic era (A.D. 33-96) and not for its continuing function through time (Ephesians 2:20-21; Hebrews 2:3-4;
2 Corinthians 12:12; Romans 15:18-20).
1 Corinthians 13:8-10 (NASB) 8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
The gifts that ceased were: Apostle, prophecy, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, miracles, healings, tongues, interpretation of tongues, distinguishing of spirits, and the gift of faith.
Anyone claiming to have any or all of these gifts today is misinformed and / or deceived by false doctrine. If one claims to have some experience(s) that would validate these gifts, we do not necessarily question that person’s experience; but we do question, by the proper and accurate handling of the Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15), their interpretation of their experience as well as the source from which that experience came. Experience is never the test of biblical Truth. The Bible tests our experiences.
The permanent spiritual gifts still in use after A.D. 96 and which will last until the rapture of the church are: Evangelist, pastor-teacher, teacher, administration, exhortation or encouragement, giving, showing mercy, and helps. The purpose of these permanent gifts is to insure the cooperation and smooth function of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27–31; Romans 12).
Many teachings and practices of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement in the “church” today not only improperly understand the distinction between temporary and permanent gifts, but they go far beyond Scripture. They actually leading people into false, unbiblical forms of “worship,” practices, and belief: these are included in the “perverse things” of Acts 20:29-30. This study will consider these issues.
1 Corinthians 13:8-13
1 Cor.
written
Temple destroyed Bible completed Rapture
56 AD 70 AD 96 AD Eternity
Know in part Mature knowledge
Prophesy in part v.10
v.9
Tongues cease Prophecies caused Full knowledge
on their own to cease v.12
v.8 v.8
Face to face
Knowledge caused v.12
to cease
v.8 Love never ends
v.8
Faith, Hope, Love Abides
v.13
Chart idea from Dr. John Brumett
1 Corinthians 13:8-13 (NASB) 8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Why this study is critically important to you!
This study is about how the operations of the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts are not only misunderstood by many in the “church” today, but also how their teachings have twisted the Bible into outright deception. The previous study of Church Age Spiritual Gifts laid the groundwork for this study on False Church Age Spiritual Gifts.
Far too often people in the Church today follow a “Just be nice” and “Let’s all get along” philosophy that downplays or ignores the correct doctrinal teaching of the Scriptures. Others say “Doctrine divides” and that “unity” is before doctrine, so doctrine simply does not matter. Some go so far as to believe that one cannot know doctrinal truth; since there are so many opinions, we should just not worry about it. The result is an anemic, sickly Church that stands on doctrinal sand rather than the rock of Truth (Mat. 7:24-27).
At West Side we insist that the Bible is fully inspired by God and it alone is the test of all teaching, tradition, and experience. We also insist that the Bible was written to be understood clearly and accurately. We insist that if the proper rules of interpretation are followed believers can know truth from error. We insist that the believer must learn to discern truth from error. We insist that God gave us a brain to use; the first important and primary use of our brain is to learn the Word of God – yes, you can understand it and know the Truth! To say we “cannot” is either to doubt God or to be lazy! We insist that there is only one correct interpretation of any text and we insist that it is critically important that we discover the correct meaning based on the text alone.
Diversity of interpretation of any passage means one of the three following things:
- I am wrong in my handling of the text
- You are wrong in the handling of the text
- We both are wrong in our handling of the interpretation of the text
But this simply means we have to try to set aside any and all pre-conceived notions and study the text itself; follow the correct rules of interpretation; consider all the doctrinal implications of any conclusions; maintain the filling of the Holy Spirit; pray for wisdom and insight; study, study, study!
To help us with the orientation to this critical topic, let’s look at this text to help us:
Ephesians 4:1-16
Therefore I [based on the doctrinal teaching of c.1-3], the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk [conduct the whole of your thinking and living] in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, (Ephesians 4:1)
with all humility and gentleness, with patience [focused on people], showing tolerance [forbearing, to hold back or restrain, to bear with or have patience with in regard to the errors, shortcomings, faults, failures, or weaknesses of anyone, to bear or put up with; do not hold anything against] for one another in love, (Ephesians 4:2)
Ephesians 4:2 (AMP) Living as becomes you with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another.
“Showing tolerance” (NASB update) does not mean what it has come to mean in the modern world, as the above definitions demonstrate. Tolerance in the world today has come to mean not only that you have a right to believe whatever you want to believe, but that your “truth” is just as right as my “truth.” This modern meaning denies the reality of absolute truth and thus denies the Bible. The word does not mean to allow or “tolerate” false teaching or doctrine (see vv. 4-6, 14.
2 Corinthians 11:3-4: the word translated “bear” is the same word; it is translated “put up with it” in the NKJV. In this last text it means the Corinthian believers were “tolerating” false teachers and not opposing false doctrine: for this Paul condemned them. Obviously, the Holy Spirit – writing through Paul – was not allowing false doctrine to go unchallenged with the Truth.
The thrust of the message is that as believers we are to have patience with the people in helping them come to knowledge of the truth, but love does not leave a person in error nor does it allow error to go unchallenged.
The present tense of “tolerance” or “bearing with” says, “Make this a lifestyle.” (see Colossians 3:13)
“In [or in the sphere of] love”: Greek agape. This highest kind of love is doing what is best for the person loved, not necessarily what the person desires or wants (see Zodhiates). This is God-like kind of love. God is a God of Truth, His Word is Truth (John 17:17), and His love is always based on Truth. God always deals with us in both love and truth and we are to reflect Him. To allow false teaching and false teachers to go on as if it simply does not matter is to operate outside the sphere of biblical Christian love (see 4:13). This kind of love may have positive feelings of affection attached to it or it may not. The focus is not on feelings but on actions.
Keeping the unity is a difficult task!
To dwell above with saints we love,
O that will be glory
But to dwell below with saints we know,
Well, that's another story.
In the context, Paul indicates that we are to be patient with people no matter what their behavior or beliefs as we work to bring them to the truth: this is doing what is best for the person even if they do not desire it at the moment! The goal is to help them come to the Truth, not just be nice and get along!
Can you give some reasons why ‘Just be nice,” and “Let’s all get along,” is the preferred “theology” of most Christians today?
being diligent [make it a top priority, work hard at it, a determined effort] to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)
As believers we already have the internal spiritual unity of being in the Body of Christ, (the “one new man” Ephesians 2:15-16); that is why the text says “preserve the unity” not “create the unity.” Satan loves to disturb the unity of the Church through either personal issues or doctrinal falsehoods! We are to safeguard the unity we already have both interpersonally and doctrinally. The following quotes are from www.preceptaustin.org
The Puritan Thomas Brooks rightly stated...
Discord and division become no Christian. For wolves to worry the lambs is no wonder, but for one lamb to worry another, this is unnatural and monstrous."
The deadly effect of disunity is illustrated by the...
Two battleships met in the night and began to attack each other. In the conflict, a number of crewmen were severely wounded, and both vessels were damaged. As daylight broke, the sailors on the ships discovered to their amazement that both vessels flew the English flag.
Many years earlier, just before the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, the British naval hero Lord Nelson learned that an admiral and a captain in his fleet were not on good terms. Sending for the two men, he placed the hands of the admiral and the captain together. Then, looking them both in the face, he said, “ Look—yonder is the enemy! ”
There can be union without unity - You may tie the tails of a cat and a dog together by a rope and have union, but you surely don’t have unity!