
Study Materials on Charismatic Issues
Are the Pentecostal/Charismatic teachings Scriptural?
What does the Scripture say in regards to their claims?
On this page we will answer these and many other questions regarding the unbiblical teachings & practices of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movements.Let it be said at the outset, that we do not question the salvation of most of these groups nor their love for the Lord. Although we feel that most of their teaching finds its roots in paganism & heresy, we do feel that most of these groups have simply been deceived initially by false teachers, many of whom were & are lost. Is it possible to be a part of these groups & still become saved? YES, for now. Is it possible to stay faithful to the Scripture by staying in these groups? NO!
Beginning in the early 1900's, the church, as a whole, reached a crossroads in the interpretation of Scripture. Many, formerly conservative groups that held to Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), left their Biblical positions and went to a liberal, experiential, and mystical religion. Almost every major denomination in the world has suffered the influence of these unbiblical doctrines. Some, like the Southern Baptist Convention, have excommunicated those liberal churches that hold to these false beliefs. This matter of Charismatic doctrine is, we believe, one of the biggest threats to sound Biblical faithfulness. This page will endeavor to be as clear as possible on as many issues as possible on the Pentecostal/Charismatic movements. We will also supply links to other web-sites that serve to provide sound Biblical teachings on these matters. Also, we will add a few sites that belong to Charismatic groups so that our quotes & accusations of them can be founded & established.
There is no harsh feeling going into this page, outside of the hatred we have for unbiblical teaching. We love our Pentecostal/Charismatic brethren, but do not love their false doctrine. As with Paul we ask...."Have I now become your enemy because I tell you the truth?" (Gal. 4:16).
I am personally witnessing almost every major denomination being infiltrated by the false teachings of the charismatic groups. I have seen the infiltration, or better, infection, of Methodists, General Baptists, Independent Baptists, Independent Christian and others with the Charismatic put-on. I was raised General Baptist. There was a time when the Charismatics/Pentecostals were looked at as a fringe group that had totally forsaken the Bible for experiences. It was considered taboo to even associate a true Bible believer with one of those groups. Now, however, it is commonplace to not only associate with them, but approve of their doctrine. The ecumenical theme has saturated the churches & truth from Scripture has been thrown out, all in the name of brotherhood, tolerance & love.
As we begin, let's clarify where Scripture stands on the issues circling the Charismatic movements...
Once we state the Scripture's position, we will then try to address the main Scriptures related to the issues....
First of all, speaking in tongues does not exist in the churches today. It used to exist as a sign to unbelieving Israel, but has passed away. There is no person, not even one single person, anywhere that speaks in tongues. They are either terribly misled as to what tongues were, they are demon possessed or they are not telling the truth & deliberately misleading others. There is also no such thing as praying in tongues. There is no such thing as being "slain in the Spirit". The laughing movement is a lie. Benny Hinn & others cannot heal. The gifts of healing given to the Apostles are gone. GOD heals, but man cannot. There are no modern day prophets & apostles or women preachers/pastors. They do not exist anywhere. The Brownsville/Toronto "revivals" are false. The ecumenical movement is satanic.Demon possession can happen, but is rare. Christians cannot "bind/loose" evil spirits - there is no such thing, but evil spirits do exist, they are demons. The "annointing" is the Holy Spirit, not some "special zap" from God. There is no "second act of grace" where a believer is "baptized with the "Holy Ghost" after salvation. Baptism happens at the moment of salvation when a child of God is baptized into the body of Christ.
This is just the beginning. Notice that I kept saying "there is no such thing". The reason I say that is because I am trying to show that most of the doctrines of the Charismatic movements are just made up. The only time they use Scripture is when they try to support their errors & twist Scripture to do so.
What does the Bible say about speaking in tongues?
Only three New Testament books mention the Biblical gift of "tongues" - (Mark 16:17;Acts 2,10,19; I Corinthians 12-14). In Mark 16:17 we find tongues simply listed as an Apostolic sign gift for the Apostles. "These signs will accompany those who have believed:in my name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick , and they will recover." Modern day Charismatics point to these verses to say that all of those who believe will speak in tongues. This gross misinterpretation falls when one looks at the actual text. Notice it says that "These SIGNS" not this "gift of tongues". By this I mean, Mark is addressing more than just the gift of tongues. It should also be pointed out that it does not say that those who will believe will do these things, but rather, those "who have believed". Mark is specifically addressing the gifts that the apostles will exercise. Now, the KJV and NKJV say that those who believe will do these things, but the Greek text actually says "believed" as the NASV brings out. The New Testament records all of these things being done by the apostles except drinking poison, which we can only assume they did since Jesus said they would. Consult Matthew 10:1 as it relates to the gifts given specifically to the apostles. Also, we do not see most Charismatic groups doing all the other gifts as regularly as they seem to do the "tongues". We ask ourselves...Do all saved people cast out demons, drink deadly poison, etc.? Of course not! Mark 16 is even disputed as a genuine text of the original manuscript. Let's assume that it is however genuine. If it is, we still see that only the apostles were given these gifts in this text, not every believer & not for all time!
Tongues ceased in the first century with the Apostles & that gift will never exist again. We now move to I Corinthians......
Without a doubt, the largest portion of Scripture that deals with the issue of "tongues" is I Corinthians. Before we can correctly understand the meaning of chapters 12-14 of this letter that deals with spiritual gifts, we must understand the context & background of the letter. The church at Corinth was centered in the midst of pagan culture. Instead of the church influencing the pagan culture, the pagan culture infected the church. Many who were saved out of paganism brought their false teachings as well as practices into the church & mingled their christianity with paganism. Many of the subjects throughout I Corinthians deal with their past paganism. For example, they abused the Lord's Table with drunkeness (Chpt. 10), they were gluttons, misused the gifts, imitated the true gifts with the false pagan practices, were involved in sexual sin and were rebellious against authority. John MacArthur says it perfectly...
"Because of the extreme carnality in the church at Corinth, we can be sure that much of the tongues-speaking there was counterfeit. Believers were in no spiritual condition to properly use true spiritual gifts or properly manifest true spiritual fruit. How could a congregation so worldly, opinionated, selfish, cliquish, envious, jealous, divisive, argumentative, arrogant, disorderly, defrauding, inconsiderate, gluttonous, immoral, and desecrative of the Lord's supper exercise the gifts of the Spirit? For them to have done so would have defied every Biblical principle of spirituality. You cannot walk in the Spirit while exercising the flesh." {COMMENTARY ON I CORINTHIANS - MOODY PRESS}.
That is an excellent observation of the character & tone of the letter to Corinth. It is a strange thing today that all Charismatics appeal to I Corinthians as a support of their false teachings & practices! It simply shows the lack of Biblical understanding that saturates the ranks of the Pentecostal/Charismatic realms.
This page, and others, under construction, check back often for more.....
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Many questions answered on Charismatics here:
Charismatics: A Biblical Critique