AT THE TURN of the century, the present-day Pentecostal Movement came into
being,
emphasizing ‘speaking in tongues' and “divine healing”. Their failure to
“rightly divide the Word of
Truth” led to many false teachings regarding the ministry of the Holy spirit and
produced confusion in the minds of the saved and unsaved religionists alike. The
Pentecostal Movement arose mainly from within various Protestant churches but
they were soon forced out, either because of their unusual beliefs and practices
or because they felt unhappy in churches which had become liberal (theologically
and worldly in position and practice). At least two things can be said for
most of these early Pentecostals—they utterly repudiated the liberalism of the
ecumenical movement and would not condone mixing the world with the church.
In the 1960’s a new movement took shape, sharing the basic doctrines of Pentecostals but advocating a “stay in” rather than a “come out” policy with regard to church affiliations. This movement is commonly known as the ‘Charismatic Movement.” It involve not only various Protestant churches but Roman Catholic churches as well. In fact, if one is able to “speak in tongues” or if he has experienced a “healing”, he is accepted by the Charismatics with little or no regard to his church affiliation or doctrinal deviation. When you hear Roman Catholics talk about how their “baptism in the Holy Spirit” has given them a greater love for the Mass, you know that this cannot be attributed to the Holy Spirit, but rather to a false spirit.
In the 1980's, yet another movement appeared on the religious scene which made the Pentecostal/Charismatic false teachings even more appealing and dangerous. Why? Because this movement promoted the same, basic unscriptural doctrines held by Pentecostals and Charismatics while, in its inception, disclaiming any relationship to either of these groups, thus making it especially attractive to evangelicals and fundamentalists who did not want to wear the label of either group because of their deviant teachings and practices.
The impetus for this new movement came largely from several widely circulated
books and many
lectures to evangelical groups around the world by Dr. John Wimber, and Dr.
Peter Wagner of Fuller Theological Seminary Institute of Church Growth. Both men
greatly influenced each other and, as they experimented with various teachings
and practices related to "healing, miracles, signs and wonders," they soon went
even beyond the Pentecostal and charismatic errors. They claimed that the
exorcising of so-called "territorial spirits" was essential to complete the task
of world evangelization; and, that God had reestablished the offices of prophet
and apostle with those supposedly holding these offices receiving direct
messages from God for the church, and exercising divine authority over the
church. This newest movement is often referred to as "Power Evangelism","
Healing, Signs, Wonders and Miracles Evangelism", or the "Third Wave of the Holy
Spirit". (Pentecostals, Charismatics, and Power Evangelism teachers) have now
blended into a powerful coalition which is rapidly spreading.
This poses as a great threat to the purity of the gospel.
Others have dealt at length with the dangers of the Charismatic Movement and how
Scripturally
unsound the movement is. Our purpose in this leaflet is to briefly point out
some of the real dangers of this movement so that God's people will be informed
and forewarned. It is important to look at principles, doctrines and positions
and not to look at the individuals who compose this movement. The Word of God
must be the only basis for conclusions drawn - we must not judge by personal
relationships or prejudice.
The Charismatic Movement is Dangerous Because...
It accepts tongues, interpretation of tongues, visions, dreams, prophecies,
etc., as being messages
from God to His children. This is a grave danger. Once you accept
"extra-biblical messages" (those which are in addition to the Bible but not
necessarily contrary to the Bible per se) it is not long before you will be
accepting "anti-biblical messages" as being valid (those which directly
contradict God's Word).
The Charismatic Movement has done and is doing exactly that. In reality, all extra-biblical messages are anti-biblical messages because God's Word specifically warns against adding to the Scriptures (Deut.4:2; Rev.22:18-19). The Charismatic Movement defends these extra-biblical, ant-biblical messages on the basis that, "New winds of the Holy Spirit are blowing". They say, "Who knows what the Holy Spirit may do?" Let no one forget, however, that the Word of God is a completed revelation and was given by the Holy Spirit (II Pet.1:19). We can be sure of one thing - the Holy Spirit will never contradict Himself. It was the Holy Spirit Who warned about adding to the Word of God. Therefore, those who add to God's Word cannot claim to be authorized or empowered by the Holy Spirit. It encourages its followers to stay in apostate Protestant churches as well as Roman Catholic churches and other churches which preach and teach a false gospel by asserting that if the supposed "gifts of the Spirit" are present in false religious systems then joining them in evangelism, worship, services, etc., must be an acceptable ministry.
God's Word plainly tells believers that those who preach another gospel are "accursed" (Gal. 1:6,9) and that those who fellowship with false teachers are partakers of their evil deeds (II John 10, 11). Satanic deception through false tongues, miracles, and the like help to bring together what God's Word declares must be kept separate. The Charismatic Movement is promoting the Ecumenical Movement and the Roman Catholic church by overlooking serious doctrinal error, with eternal consequences, for the sake of "unity in the Spirit." This is very dangerous!
It sells and promotes, like the New Evangelical Movement, all of the new Bible
versions and
translations, all of which add or take from the Word of God. This is also very
dangerous because it
destroys confidence in the written word by causing the reader to question the
divinely preserved text. The new Bible versions water down and actually change
vital teachings of the Word of God as well. It places unscriptural and undue
emphasis on physical healing. This stumbles many precious
believers who are falsely taught that it is always God's will to heal. Both the
Scriptures and experience teach that God may use physical afflictions for
refining, correcting and chastening (Heb.12:3-11; Job 23:10). God's Word teaches
that He can heal anyone, anytime, but that He does not heal everyone, every
time. Paul learned this truth when God explained why his thrice repeated prayer
for personal healing was not granted (II Cor.12:1-10); and, also, when one of
Paul's faithful helpers, Trophimus was unable to accompany him because of
sickness (II Tim.4:20). When we pray for healing for ourselves or others, we
must never forget that such healing is always God's prerogative based upon what
He knows is best for each of His children, not upon "demanding" or "claiming"
such healing as do the Charismatics.
Unlike its predecessor, Pentecostalism, the Charismatic movement fosters and
encourages a spirit of worldliness in the church and in the individual believer.
Instead of striving for true holiness and godliness in speech, dress, hair,
music, entertainment, etc., the Charismatic Movement prides itself in using
worldly means to entertain their own and attract the lost. This is also
very dangerous. Read I John 2:15-17. It encourages women to forsake
their God-given place in the home and in the Church. This results in disorderly
homes and disorderly churches with women assuming places of leadership in direct
violation of the Word of God.
It is strange, inconsistent and sad to hear Charismatics using the fourteenth chapter of Corinthians to justify speaking in tongues as a gift of the Spirit for our day when that very same chapter says plainly "Let your women keep silence in the churches.."(I Cor.14:34). To countermand God's command to women is dangerous - for women, for the home and the Church. It promotes and encourages what is called "coming under the power" or "slain in the spirit", a dangerous practice in which certain leaders "lay hands" on people causing them to "swoon, faint, slump down, experience the power" etc., thereafter remaining unconscious or semi-conscious for several seconds or longer. The Charismatic attempt to use John 18:6 to justify this practice which is another example of how they twist the Scriptures to justify and defend their practices. There is no Scriptural precedent, example or command for this experience.
Hypnotic suggestion and desire for and
extra-biblical experience opens one up to either pretended or demonically
energized results which parallel those of the occult.
It glories in “miracles” and often uses a “miracle” as the basis for validating
a person’s message
or practices, even though the message or the practice is unscriptural. This is
dangerous since the
Scriptures plainly teach that the last days will be days of great deceitfulness
(2 Timothy 3:13). God warns that the coming of the Anti-Christ will usher in a
time of “All power and signs and lying wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11). We
read in Revelation 13:3 that the deadly wound of the Beast was healed and that
the “Second Beast” deceived men by the use of miracles, even having the power to
give life to an image (Revelation 13:11-18). The validation of a man’s message
and methods today is not “miracles” — it is conformity to Word of God. It is
dangerous to accept any other basis of judgment. The false notion that miracles
must accompany the preaching of the Gospel in order for the lost to be saved
today is definitely unbiblical. The one true Gospel of salvation by faith alone
in Christ Jesus is still, and will ever be, God’s power “unto salvation” to
every one who believes the simple Gospel message (Romans 1:16).
Undoubtedly multitudes today are trusting in a charismatic “experience” for
their salvation due to these false teachings rather than upon the sure promises
of God’s Word. John 1:12; 3:36; 5:24; Romans 10:13-17. It confuses and
misleads as to the Scripture’s teachings concerning prayer. Using Matthew 18:19
(...if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing...) as a basis for
claiming healing, financial blessings or solution of any problem, they ignore
what God says in I John 5:14,15 (..if we ask any thing according to his will..).
The charismatic teaching that it is never God’s will for any believer to be ill
or in trouble of any kind is neither Scriptural nor is it actually true in their
own ministries and personal experiences. Yet, over and over again, Charismatic
leaders say to people in public meetings or to multitudes over the airwaves,
“Let’s agree together that every person listening or watching be healed—in
Jesus’ name.” Are all such healed then or later? Of course not! By twisting and
misapplying the Scriptures, they are deceiving millions.
It promotes dangerous and unscriptural teachings concerning the present power of
Satan and the
believer’s attitude toward this “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians
2:2). Charismatic leaders whip their audiences into a veritable frenzy as they
speak of binding Satan, casting him out of individuals and into the pit, etc.
They talk of “stomping on Satan” and “chasing him out of this world”. Such
teaching completely ignores the believer’s Scriptural instructions. We are to
“resist Satan” (I Peter 5:8,9); to put on “the whole armour of God” that we may
be able to stand against his wiles and quench all his fiery darts (Ephesians
6:10-17), not forgetting the Scriptural example of Michael the archangel’s
attitude when dealing with the devil (Jude 9).
We firmly believe that “speaking in tongues” cased with the completion of the
Canon of Scripture (I Corinthians 13:8). We firmly believe that the erroneous
teachings of the Charismatic Movement have obscured many true and blessed
teachings regarding the ministry of the Holy Spirit Who convicts the world of
sin (John 16:8-11), intercedes in prayer to the Father on behalf of the believer
(Romans 8:26,27); comforts, teaches and guides believers into the truth of the
Word (John 14:15-26; 16:7,13); and Who has “sealed (us) unto the day of
redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). The Holy Spirit has a blessed and important
ministry in the life of every believer and we dare not neglect, belittle or
pervert this wonderful ministry. The Holy Spirit uses the written Word which He
gave through the apostles and prophets to guide us into all truth. The Holy
Spirit will never lead us to do or say anything contrary to the Bible, God’s
Holy, inerrant, infallible, eternal Word (2 Timothy 3:16).
Someone may ask, “What if the Charismatic Movement is right and you are wrong
about
“speaking in tongues” being for our day? Is it possible that God does want His
people to have this gift now? The answer is clear—if “speaking in tongues” is
for our day, then surely it ought to be practiced and used according to the
Scriptures and not what is being practiced in the modern “tongues” movement.
Not all believers could expect to have this gift (I Corinthians 12:4-11, 28-31)
and “tongues speakers” should remain silent unless an interpreter was present (I
Corinthians 14:28). The one speaking had understanding of what he spoke in the
unlearned, foreign language (it was never unintelligent gibberish) and unless he
or an interpreter would make the message or prayer known to the rest of the
church, his understanding would be “unfruitful” (unprofitable) with respect to
the edification of the rest of the church (I Corinthians 14:4-6, 12-17 cf.
12:7). Also, men were to have the leadership in the church and the women were to
submit to their Spirit-enabled ministry; no woman was to speak in tongues in the
churches ( I Timothy 2;11,12; I Corinthians 14:34). Charismatics scorn
these truths.
If the Charismatic Movement were of the Holy Spirit of God, it
would be exercising spiritual
discernment and calling for separation from false prophets, apostate churches
and unscriptural practices. It would also be exposing the false gospels and
other heresies taught by the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches, not joining
with them in evangelism, prayer or worship.
For all of these reasons and many others like them, we sound this word of
warning: THE
CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT IS DANGEROUS—WATCH OUT FOR IT!
