Wednesday, December 29, 2010

6. Why Are Charismatic Churches The Fastest Growing Churches in the World?

1.  Much Charismatic growth is by attracting Christians from other churches.  Because Charismatic churches place little emphasis on sound doctrine, this breeds an atmosphere of acceptance, which assists numerical growth.

If you never rebuke sin, have worldly attractions, and give people everything they want, you'll see growth, but you won't please God.

Charismaticism weakens churches that are committed to the fundamentals of the faith, while it energises ecumenical liberal, worldly churches.

2.  Numerical growth does not equal God's stamp of approval.  Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses and other cults can boast amazing growth statistics, yet their beliefs are very unbiblical.  What about growth of Charismatic churches that hold to the fundamentals of the faith?  Jesus' parable of the wheat and tares (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43), mustard seed (13:31, 32), and the leaven (13:33) all predict outward growth in Christendom, but this growth would be accompanied by growth in evil influences (leaven, birds) from within.  Therefore, numerical growth does not mean that God approves all a church's doctrine.  Numerical growth, even by true conversions, can occur amidst false doctrine, e.g. The Corinthian church grew rapidly even though it was full of false doctrine and wrong behaviour.

Many churches claim to be evangelical, but challenge them on:

  1. The 100% inerrancy of Scripture.
  2. The historical, literal accuracy of Genesis 1-11.
  3. The factual nature of Jonah being swallowed by a fish.
  4. The scientific accuracy of a literal creation week, and they show themselves to disbelieve the Bible.
Christ prayed that the Father would sanctify believers through His Word (John 17:17), before He prayed that believers would be one (John 17:21).

If we loudly profess to believe every Bible truth, except where the world and devil are at the moment attacking, we are denying Christ and proving disloyal.  Today's battle against the Bible takes the form of an invasion of new revelations.  This is why Rome can happily endorse the Charismatic movement because Rome also has her new revelations that are contrary to the Bible.  We must be sound in belief, sound in a Godly life, and sound in serving Christ.  (Mick Alexander)

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

5. If Sign/Revelatory Gifts Are Not For Today, and Not From God...

. . . Why Do They Produce Apparently Good Effects in Believers Lives?

Step 1.  Many Charismatics claim to be enriched by speaking in tongues, making prophesies, words of knowledge, casting out of demons and sign gifts etc.  They may have a greater interest in the Bible, prayer, and witnessing.  How could such positive results not be from God?

Step 2.  Any military strategist knows that an enemy will often give up ground in order to gain a greater victory (Joshua 8: 15-21).  Satan is not afraid of prayer, Bible study or bold witness that is contrary to the Word of God, especially when it promotes error and advances his own kingdom.  Satan does strongly oppose genuine prayer, Bible study and gospel preaching when it is done Biblically and in the filling of the Holy Spirit.  Satan is happy to pull back opposition to Bible study, prayer and witness, if he can woo the believer away from Bible decision-making and into experiential decision-making (which is Satan's greater sought after victory).

Step 3.  If a believer moves into experiential decision-making, Satan can withdraw his opposition to Bible study, prayer and witness.  The believer then attributes his advancement in prayer, Bible study and witness to his new tongues experience.  This serves to lure the believer deeper into his experiential decision-making and hence further away from 100% Bible authority only.  Hence, by giving some ground, Satan leads believers into greater deception.  The believer more strongly clings to non-Biblical experiences.

Step 4.  The believer who accepts sign and revelatory gifts is replacing Biblical authority with experiential authorities.  Interpretation of verses becomes heavily weighted towards vindicating his experiences.

Step 5.  People are genuinely saved, they in turn accept the signs and wonders message, and the deception grows.  The basis for Christian fellowship is no longer the Bible, but a common experience such as tongues.  That is why Roman Catholics, liberal protestants, some evangelicals, and heretics unite in ecumenical charismatic fellowship.  Tongues causes divisions in a church, just as it did at the Tower of Babel.

Many Charismatics are not completely certain that their prophecies are from the Lord.  Many are troubled at healings that relapse.  Many Charismatics say that they are Spirit-filled yet live inconsistent lives.

Satan's contest in Eden was to steal Adam's loyalty away from the Word of God ("Yea, hath God saith?") and for him to live independent of God and His Word.

DO CHRISTIANS KNOW WHEN THEY ARE BEING MISLEAD?

No, not always.  In Matthew 16:21-23, Peter in expressing his love for Christ, was deceived by Satan in trying to stop Christ from going to the cross.  Jesus looked past Peter's love and saw Satan leading Peter away from the revealed will of God.  
  1. With the heart one receives or trusts Christ for salvation.
  2. With the will one obeys Christ.
  3. With the mind one abides in Christ.
Heart means:  Intellect, will, affections, loyalties.
Will means:  Action, commitment.
  • Many Christians spend hours in Christian bookshops looking for a book to give them the secret of victorious living.  If they can't find the power of God in a book, they will seek it in an experience.
  • The goal of the Christian life is to remain Spirit-filled.

ARE THERE ANY BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF SATAN GIVING UP SPIRITUAL GROUND IN ORDER TO GAIN SPIRITUAL ADVANTAGES?

  1. Satan offered Christ the world's kingdoms in exchange for Christ's worship.  Matthew 4: 8-10.
  2. Acts 16:16-18 The demonized damsel proclaimed that Paul's team were servants of the Most High God who proclaimed the way of salvation.  Why?  So that the gospel would be associated with the occult.
Many churches have changed from being a lighthouse to a weather vane.  Instead of lighting the way in the darkness, many churches merely turn with whatever fashion or worldly wind blows at the time.  Our Lord Jesus Christ is to take pre-emenence in all things.  The Holy Spirit's job is to reveal and exalt Jesus Christ.  The problem of powerless Christians is due to believers failing to surrender totally to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Living the Christian life is described by:  "Warfare", "fight", "run the race", "yield not", "work out", and "press towards".

 The Christian life is a disciplined life of constant vigilance, taking up the cross daily.  There are no shor tcuts to instant spirituality.

Roman Catholic Charismatics have greater zeal for Mary, Mass, and Papacy, and praying to saints, etc.  If Satan can achieve this, he will stop opposition to Charismatic churches so that apparent growth occurs.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

4. But Why Doesn't God Step In and . . .

. . . Chasten His Children To Woo Them Back To Obedience? (Hebrews 12)

The Holy Spirit and the Word of God continually call the believer to faithfulness and obedience (Phil. 2:12, 13).  Deception and impoverishment are the bitter fruits of turning away from the Word of God.  Sometimes God will allow His children to remain deceived as a chastisement until they turn again in submission to the Word of God.  Their salvation in Christ is secure through Christ's blood sacrifice.  They may serve the Lord faithfully in other areas and even be used successfully by God, but they will miss God's best blessings on earth and they will lose rewards in heaven. 

God will allow believers to choose whether to glorify Christ through submission and obeying Scripture or to rebel.  For dedicated servants of God who put aside the clear revelation of God and embrace new revelations in this life they will be deceived and impoverished, and in the next life they will suffer loss of rewards at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5-10).

Examples of charismatic deception are tongues, false healings, new revelations, words of knowledge spoken about other people, slaying in the "spirit", "Toronto" experience, etc. Consider briefly these two examples:

Slaying People in the Spirit is a Charismatic invention whereby hands are laid on a person's head and they lose consciousness, causing them to fall backwards onto the floor.  THIS IS NOT IN THE BIBLE, so forget it.  Laying hands on people is well known in the occult as a means of transferring demons.  It is more likely demonically influenced and all the more reason why we should avoid this movement.

Surrender of mind and emotions to group pressure.
On entering a Charismatic meeting, we meet many people dancing, throwing arms in the air, speaking in tongues [gibberish], on an emotional high and appearing very happy.  The average Christian realizes that he is not always like this nor is the church from which he has come (which is made to appear dead and lifeless in comparison).  He and his church are made to feel inferior and below what God expects.  He has always had thoughts that his Christian life hasn't always been as good as it ought to have been.  He immediately concludes that these people have a one-shot-sure-fire-answer to spirituality when they ask him if he has been baptised in the Holy Spirit or spoken in tongues [gobble-de-gook].  If he is not careful, he will assume that these people are right, without studying the Bible or without praying the issue through.  He may then agree to speak in tongues, which makes the Charismatics very happy.  He feels much love, acceptance and unity as a result, all because of an experience that he has had.  He then begins his Christian life by making his experience the authority on which he determines spiritual truth, and not the Bible.  He then defends his decision logically by saying what wonderful love and unity these people have and "power" (false albeit).  He asks, "how can they be wrong when they show such qualities?"

3. Why Would God Allow Dedicated Christians To . . .

. . . Continue in Error and Deception to Their Hurt or Spiritual Detriment?

1 Kings 13 reveals that even a dedicated and fearless prophet of God must suffer the consequences when he chooses deception over the clear revelation of God.

An unnamed man of God (v.1) was sent to Bethel "by the Word of the Lord" to prophesy against King Jeroboam and his idolatry (v.1-3).  When the King tried to arrest the prophet, the King's hand withered (v.4, 5).  He begged the man of God to intercede to God to restore his hand (v.6).  The man of God showed mercy, prayed to God and Jeroboam's hand was restored.  Then King Jeroboam offered him a reward (v.7) but the man of God refused (v.3-10).

Why?  He refused to stop for food because the clear revelation of God forbade him from receiving food or drink or retracing his steps (v.9).  So far he had walked in complete obedience to the Word of God.  He had passed the tests of:
  1. Fear because he had boldly carried out his job of proclaiming God's Word to the King.
  2. Compassion/Mercy.  He had not allowed the king's threats to dry up his mercy.  He willingly, lovingly prayed for Jeroboam's hand to be restored without revenge.
  3. The test of faithfulness to God over human favour had been overcome, because he turned down the King's offer of hospitality and reward.
  4. The test of deception, was the final test which he sadly failed.
Why?  God had clearly told him not to receive hospitality, but he rejected the clear revelation of the Word of God for a new revelation, and it cost him his life.

There was an old prophet living nearby who heard about his faithful stand.  The old prophet had lived in compromise at Bethel and invited the man of God home to dine with him (v.11-15). 

The man of God refused saying that he was under strict orders from God not to eat, drink or retrace his steps (v.16, 17).  The old prophet replied in v.18 "I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, bring him back with thee into thine house that he may eat bread and drink water.  But he lied unto him."

Why did he lie?  We are not told:
  1. Maybe he was envious at seeing a true prophet faithfully discharge his duties, when he had lived in compromise.
  2. Maybe he resented the man of God and had a convicted conscience.  
 The old prophet claimed a new revelation from God.  The man of God had to decide:
  1. Would he accept at face value the new revelation, or 
  2. Would he continue to cling to God's previous revelation?
Sadly, the once fearless and faithful prophet succumbed to deception.  And God allowed this to happen to a dedicated man of God.  Why?  Because in our pilgrimage on earth, there will always be the choice to follow the clear teaching of God's Word, or to replace it with the shallow promises, prophecies and deceptions of man.

The man of God retraced his steps back to the home of the old prophet and ate with him (v.19).  Over the meal, the old prophet revealed that because the man of God had disobeyed the Word of God, he would die (v.20-21).  And this is exactly what happened (v.23-26) because a lion slew him in the way.

From this we see that if God allowed a dedicated prophet of God to choose between the clear teaching of the Lord and deception, surely the Lord will let us have this choice today.  Many Christians suffer poor spiritual lives because they give up the Word of God, and embrace teachers who prophesy or give new revelations of their own spirit.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

2. Why Would God Allow Dedicated Christians To . . .

. . . Experience and Give In To Influences That Are Not From Him?


Every moment of his life, the Christian must battle spiritually with the world, the flesh and the devil.  This is part of the maturing process.  All believers are tempted with pride, worry, fear, sin and disobedience.  Does God allow believers to sin?  Yes, of course.

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him".  James 1:12.

The Lord allows us to test every experience by Scripture, or to go by our feelings.  God will allow us to be tempted in all forms.  This includes the temptation to depart from Scripture by believing false revelations.  Signs and wonders can have sources other than God (Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10; Revelation 13:13, 14; Matthew 24:24).

Jesus warns four times of deception at the end of the Church age in Matthew 24.

If a Christian swaps the sword of the Spirit, and takes up feelings or human reasoning, he opens himself up to Satan's deception.

Many Christians in unemotional churches know very little Scripture.  In daily struggles with sin and temptation, believers are most vulnerable to the attraction of false instant spirituality.  Rather than live by the Word of God for victory, one may seek the apparent shortcut of tongues, prophecy, power evangelism, healing, etc. as the answer to his problems.

  • Charismatic leaders who criticize Bible teachers who urge careful study of the Bible, are hence criticizing the legitimate spiritual gift of teaching.  They urge charismatics to follow them without questioning their interpretation.  They oppose non-charismatics by asking:  "Who did God use, the educated Pharisees or the simple Apostles?"  They thus forget 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to show thyself approved unto God ... rightly dividing the word of truth".
Along the way we all have difficult times, as seen by Elijah under the Juniper tree (1 Kings 19:4, 5), David fleeing from Saul, Paul's beatings, etc.  Don't seek a quick fix to gain instant spirituality.  The devil offered Jesus a shortcut to earth's kingdoms by avoiding the cross.  The devil will offer us many shortcuts seeming to easily solve our problems.  We must stick to the basics:  study the Word, pray, confess sin, yield to Christ, abide in Christ, and take up the cross daily.  These require work, watching and warfare.

DON'T SWAP THE WORD OF GOD FOR AN EXPERIENCE.

The main damaging side effect of charismaticism is the welcoming and accepting of heretics, apostates, nominal Christians and Roman Catholics into the Church.  A person can pray to Mary, then speak in tongues, thus being accepted into many charismatic fellowships.  Charismatics emphasize unity at the expense of doctrine.

1. Why Would God Allow Dedicated Christians To . . .

. . . Experience the Sign and Revelatory Gifts if they are not from Him?

Some evangelical churches have lapsed into cold, lifeless formalism.  They may be doctrinally right, but they may have lost their fervent love and zeal for God.  If a Pentecostal/Charismatic church has a high regard for the Bible, prayer, soul-winning zeal and a willingness to attempt great things for God, then this fills a void left by less-emotional churches.  Among these good things there resides a deceiving cancer that undermines the good that is being done.  This cancer is the matter of new revelations from God, of tongues, prophecy, words of knowledge, visions or dreams.

Neil Babcox, a former charismatic pastor left the charismatic church because of this issue.  He says, "When a prophet said "Thus said the Lord"", he meant that the very Word of God was being proclaimed, with infallibility, purity and divine authority.  The prophecies that I had spoken and heard others speak paled and diminished to the point of nothingness compared with the Bible".

Ezekiel protested "Thus saith the Lord God, Woe unto the foolish prophets that follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!"  Ezekiel 13:3.

Isn't that what we were -- "prophets who had seen nothing?"

When the genuine prophets of God spoke, they spoke with certainty regarding every word.  This finds no parallel today.  The Bible's prophets knew with 100% certainty that they were speaking the very words of God.

"The spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me." Ezekiel 2:2.

Many who prophesy and claim to speak new revelations from God today know in their own hearts that they don't have the certainty of the Bible prophets, yet they continue to speak "new" revelations.

"Then the Lord said unto me, the prophets prophesy lies in my name:  I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them:  they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart".  Jeremiah 14:14.

It is no small thing to claim to speak new revelation from God, given the deception of Mormon prophecy.

This emphasis on new revelation undermines the authority of Scripture.  Dave Hunt rebukes the positive and possibility thinking of Paul Yonggi Cho and Robert Schuller with their occultish visualisation techniques, temptation to power and deification of man which is invading the church.

Charismatics teach that a proper understanding of Scripture does not come through correct interpretation, but through revelation (only to certain leaders), and that these new revelations supplement the Bible, and that these must be accepted as a "great move of God". 
  •  Charismatics often say:  "...we have revelation knowledge as God continues to speak to His people".  This sounds really spiritual, but it is in fact adding to Scripture.
Because the Scriptures are perfect, we cannot add to them.
  • John Wimber states:  "rational control (of the mind) must be forfeited for tongues speaking to occur, for ecstatic worship, for messages from God to be received directly into the mind, and for miraculous healings to happen".
  • Charismatics Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagin's heresies were exposed in "The Agony of Deceit". (available at www.amazon.com)
Kenneth Copeland claimed that Jesus spoke new revelation to him, saying:  "Jesus did not come to earth as God, but only as a man;  Jesus never claimed to be God during His earthly ministry".
  • John White, a famous author, claims that Jesus Christ personally appeared to him on three occasions to give new revelation that would become part of Scripture.
[This is an excellent tool which true Christians can use to quickly identify those who are charlatans claiming to be Christians.  Any one who claims to receive special revelation knowledge, therefore adding to Scripture, or uses the phrase "God told me" can immediately be dismissed as a charlatan and a liar.  The Copelands and the Wimbers of this world need to feel the full wrath of every true Christian today.  They need to be called out publicaly on this issue.]

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Thank You God For 'Blessing' This Blog!

 F. Whitehead said...
I found the last four articles extremely interesting as well as well-researched with respect to Biblical backups to support your position. As I never take anything at face value, I have reviewed all of the Scripture verses mentioned and my blinders have been removed from my eyes. I know now that I am involved in a church that probably has a satanic influence and this frightens me more than I can say. I have read horror stories about people trying to leave churches like these and have actually seen some of my former friends be put out of our church for questionning what the Board and Pastors are doing and teaching. Thank you for posting.
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Anonymous G. Franklin said...
Wow! Wow! Wow! What an eye-opening article! I have been convinced that there has been something wrong in our church for some time but could not get anyone to listen. I have made an appointment to speak to our Pastor right after Christmas.. he needs to explain where he is getting his "spiritual" guidance. Thank you.
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Anonymous M. Dresdin said...
How terrible that so many can be taken in by such an evil! We as Christians need to be more vocal when these charlatans start infiltrating our churches with the hysteria and falling on the floor. In our church it started with the raising of hands and within a few months.. full blown hysteria. We left our church and have found a good Bible-believing one where these goings-on aren't there.

Anonymous Herman Gregory said...
Well-put! I enjoy following your blog and I must say that your insight into this strange and weird world of charismatic pentecostals is mind-opening.

Anonymous Maury Shipton said...
What a frightening thing! This means that the Pentecostal movement could be infiltrated by Satan and hypnotists. This is awful! How do we begin to bring this to an end?
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Anonymous S. C. Roweling said...
This phenomena of the mass hysteria has started to show up in our church here in the Jersey Island (UK). We currently attend an Anglican church but we have a new priest from the U.S. and this started with some of our young people's groups. We are sharing your blog with the Head Diocese here today! Thank you. Delete
Anonymous  
Alice & Byron White said...
We have been following your blog for over a year and really find these last two articles the most disturbing of any that we have read. Our teenage children have started attending a church (not the family one) where this is a common occurrence at every service. We do not understand how this practice has crept into the main stream churches and are at a loss at how to get our children out of this emotional experience that they seem to need.. they started going once a week and now they are involved with something almost every day of the week. Their schoolwork is suffering and all they can talk about is "pastor-says".. thanks for letting us vent!
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Anonymous Marissa de Long said...
Horrible, horrible, horrible! How can this be happening under our very noses. Are we so blind as to feel that we need that excitement each and every week from Church. If this continues, we are lost!
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Anonymous H. & D. Hirams said...
We are completely blown away by your blog. We have been deceived by our Pastor for a number of years and are appalled that this could happen to us. We got disallusioned with our former church and were befriended by some members of the local Victory Church who made us feel loved and wanted. Now, several years later, we can no longer afford our home and have it up for sale. Everything that we have read on your blog has happened to us in some form or another. Please continue writing so that others won't end up where we are now.
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Anonymous Otto Schriber said...
Honestly. How can people be so taken in by something that is so non-biblical in nature. I hope that you can continue to educate people in this area and that more will come to realize the errors of their ways.
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Anonymous Syliva & Thomas Morton said...
We are so thankful to have found your blog this week. We have read it with great interest as our children seem to think that we are "out to lunch" when it comes to what is going on in their church in California. We have sent them the link and hope that they will take the time to read some of the facts and research the verses that you quote.
Monique Drinkwater said...
What an interesting review of "Slain in the Spirit". I was quite taken aback when I looked up the verses quoted and learned that, in fact, God's people always fall forward on their faces and not backwards as goes on in the Pentecostal movements. These Charismatic churches really should get their Biblical facts straight! I had no idea and look forward to reading the next section.
Dave & Marcie Hedben said...
We had no idea that falling down backwards was not of God. Our pastor always has catchers available so that no-one bangs their heads on the ground. We have always thought that our evening services became very hysterical and once one person falls over, everyone else just follows. We have looked up all of the verses and will be discussing this with our small group this evening.
 Graydon Blume said...
Amazing! Where do you find this information? Penetcostals have been falling down on their backs for years and now it's become a "bad" thing? I am sending a link to this blog to our Board because if it is, in fact, true that only forward falling people are being influenced from God, we have a serious problem in our North American churches. I will be very interested to see what else you have to say on this subject.

H. Pathway said...
I have been saying this for years but it's like crying out in the wilderness. My children live for that explosive experience every week and nothing seems to get through to them. I am convinced more than ever that this is a satanic attack on the Christian church and more and more people will be drawn away. I am looking forward to reading the answers to the next question.

Rev. D.G. Browning said...
Great article. It's about time that someone took the time to investigate the "slain in the spirit" garbage that is pervading our church. Keep it up, Grand Poo-Bah!
Dave & Marcie Hedben said...
After having a very heated discussion with our small group, we have come to the conclusion that our church is teaching something that is not Biblical and that this practice should stop. We fully expect to be asked to leave our church as this is one of the cornerstone principles but now having this information directly from Biblical scriptures, we have no alternative but to follow it and not man's interpretation of being "slain in the spirit". We are also now looking into the tongues scriptures as well because you have made some valid points there as well.
M. & G. Shipson said...
We were in a small group this week that was discussing the verses that you outlined regarding being slain in the spirit. We are so appalled that our church has been teaching something so non-biblical and that our eyes were blinded by Satan in this area. If we cannot get our Board and Pastors to see reason, we will have no alternative but to move to a more biblically-based church.
A. Smythe said...
This is incredible! I had no idea that I was involved in a church that is teaching falsehoods. Thank you.
Please feel free to share if you have any personal experiences 
regarding "SATANIC INFLUENCES" in the Penetcostal church.  
'Pentecostal' includes any church where "Speaking in Tongues" 
or being "Slain in the Spirit" is practised.  These are only two of a
long list of problems which are rampant in the Pentecostal church.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Being Slain -- Is It the Work of the Holy Spirit? (4 of 4)

Is it conceivable, in the light of all that we have said, that this mass experience of religious fainting and hysterical convulsions is the result of being filled with the Holy Spirit of God?  We have proven that there is no biblical support for this experience as normative for the Christian believer.  We have shown that its true origins lie either in the realms of suggestion and hypnosis, as proffered by Western psychotherapy, or in the Possession-Trance of ancient Shamanism.  However, the susceptible frame of mind induced in the seekers of this experience opens them up to a dark spiritual realm of which they seem to be completely unaware.  We can only conclude that the spirit by which these people are being 'slain' is not the Holy Spirit of God but some other spirit, for 'God is not the author of confusion but of peace' (1 Cor. 14:33).  Those churches where the phenomenon is practised are being swept up into a supernatural tide of evil where they become shipwrecked on the rocks of ignorance -- ignorance of Church history, ignorance of Scripture, and ignorance of the true work of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  We agree wholeheartedly with Seraphim Rose when he writes:

 'It is only foolishness when some "charismatic" apologists presume to compare these childish and hysterical experiences which are open to absolutely everyone, with the Divine revelations accorded to the greatest Apostles, such as Paul on the road to Damascus, or to John the Evangelist on Patmos.  Those Apostles fell down before the true God (without contortions and certainly without laughter), whereas these pseudo-Christians are merely reacting to the presence of an invading spirit, and are worshipping only themselves.  If these "charismatic" experiences are religious experiences at all, then they are pagan religious experiences; and in fact they seem to correspond exactly to the mediumistic initiation experience of spirit-possession, which is caused by an "inner force welling up inside attempting to take control"...  What is involved in these experiences -- when they are genuine and not merely the product of suggestion -- is not merely the development of mediumisticability, but actual possession by a spirit.  These people would seem to be correct in calling themselves "spirit-filled" -- but it is certainly not the holy spirit with which they are filled!
 
What Maria Woodworth-Etter practised was Mesmerism; what Mesmer practised was a Westernized form of Shamanism; and what Shamans practised is Possession-Trance -- and that is what the phenomenon called 'Slain in the Spirit' is all about.  To credit this occult experience to the work of the Holy Spirit is as close to blasphemy as one can get.


EPILOGUE:  The Believer's Response

Christian believers need great patience, perseverance and powers of discernment.  The biblically-ignorant and rebellious churches of today are not discipling followers of Jesus Christ but are instead grooming a new generation of spirit-mediums whose religious experiences differ little from those of countless pagan cults, both ancient and modern.

Those who profess Christianity should refrain from indulging in practices which undermine the essential message of its Founder.  Instead of inducing mass swoonings and hysterical laughter, churches should be cultivating widespread repentance and reverential worship before the present time of God's mercy comes to an end (Rev. 14:14-20; 18:4-24; cf. 2 Cron. 36:15-16).  If the crisis in modern Christianity deepens, the ensuing Divine judgment will defy the powers of the imagination.  (Alan Morrison)

S.I.T.S. - Can it Rightly Be Described As A Revival? (3 of 4)

We have seen that there is no biblical support for the 'Slain in the Spirit' experience, and that its origins are anything but Christian.  Before we examine the claim that the Holy Spirit is the inspiration behind the phenomenon, let us see whether these unusual occurrences could be considered as a 'revival', as is often claimed by its advocates.

A genuine revival of Christian spirituality fosters a profound sense of the awesome holiness of God and a piercing awareness of one's own sin (Isa. 6:5; Job 42:5-6; Lk. 5:8).  It engenders a desire to obey Christ's Law and the teachings of the Apostles whom He appointed, coupled with a humble and orderly partaking in the Lord's Supper (Acts 2:42). 

In contrast with the signs of a genuine Christian revival, we find that being 'Slain in the Spirit' results in a sensual yearning for psycho-religious experiences which then take precedence over Christian spirituality and lead to a rejection of Biblical revelation.  Consequently, the practitioner of this all-consuming ritual rapidly becomes enslaved by its seeming catharsis.  For example, even after many years of having these "charismatic" experiences, we find that a Church of England Bishop is still having to race off to a church in Toronto where he can be found lying 'on the floor roaring like a lion' (Sunday Telegraph, June 19, 1994, p. 5).  That is not spiritual revival -- that is demonic bondage!

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Origins of Being 'Slain in the Spirit' (2 of 4)

If there is no support for this experience as bona fide Christian practice, then how are we to identify it?  What is its true origin?  According to the above-mentioned article in the Times, the spate of  'religious fainting' to which it refers has its recent origins in a small church in Toronto, Canada -- hence it has recently been referred to as the 'Toronto Blessing'.  This experience can certainly be transferred from one church to another -- usually through a visit by members of an affected church, or by an influential leader who encourages it during a service.  But that is by no means the real wellspring of this phenomenon, which has always been around in one form or another in the Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. In fact, it can be traced back even earlier than the beginnings of Pentecostalism at the turn of this century.

One of the earliest and most notorious advocates of this experience was an itinerant preacher in the so-called 'Holiness Movement', Maria Woodworth-Etter (1844-1924), who also gained a reputation for falsely prophesying that San Francisco would be destroyed by an earthquake in 1890.  In her preaching in the 1880s, she advocated a religious experience which she called 'The Power', and she would often go into a trance during services, standing with her hands raised in the air for more than an hour.  Nicknamed the 'trance-evangelist' and even the 'voodoo priestess', she was often accused of hypnotising people.  And here we come to the very crux of the 'Slain in the Spirit' phenomenon.

What Maria Woodworth-Etter had discovered was the ancient art of hypnotism, the practice of which was first popularised in the West one hundred years earlier by the Austrian physician Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815).  As one researcher of the occult has noted, 'the phenomena that are defined as 'hypnotic' emerged from the faith-healing activities of Mesmer at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries' (James Webb, 'The Occult Establishment', Open Court 1976, p. 352).  Mesmer had developed his pantheistic theory of 'Animal Magnetism', which resulted in the famous faith-healing sessions at his clinic in Paris.  In a major book on the occult (which was originally titled 'The Black Arts'), a description of these sessions reads as follows:

'Mesmer marched about majestically in a pale lilac robe, passing his
 hands over the patient's bodies or touching them with a long
iron wand.   The results varied.  Some patients felt nothing at all,
some felt as if insects were crawling over them, others were
seized with hysterical laughter, convulsions or fits of hiccups. 
Some went into raving delirium, which was called'The Crisis'
and was considered extremely healthful.' 
(Richard Cavandish, 'The Magical Arts', RKP, 1984, p. 180).

In a book significantly entitled 'Three Famous Occultists', a record of Mesmer's clinics by a contemporary historian gives a similar portrayal of his manipulative sessions: 

'Some are calm, tranquil and experience no effect.  Others cough,
spit, feel slight pains, local or general heat, and have sweatings.
  Others, again, are agitated and tormented with convulsions,
These convulsions are remarkable in regard to the number affected
with them, to their duration and force.  They are preceded and
followed by a state of languor or reverie'.
(R.B. Ince, 'Three Famous Occultists', Gilbert Whitehead, 1939,
pp. 87-88).

Sometimes the participants in these sessions would hold hands to form a circle, and it was not uncommon for waves of communal singing to occur.  There is an inescapable comparison here with the phenomena which have so bewitched numerous churches today.  Although its practitioners are ignorant of the fact variations of the 'Mesmeric Crisis' experience are being repeated in Pentecostal-Charismatic meetings throughout the world today.  Repetitive chorus-singing to create an intoxicating atmosphere, the laying on of hands, powerful physical sensations, agitation, hysterical laughter, raving delirium, convulsions, all followed by a deep sleep or state of reverie.  Like its Mesmeric counterpart, this religious experience is induced as the result of the potent suggestions or physical touch (or even the mere presence) of an influential teacher.  Furthermore, it is an experience that is available to anyone who is open to receive it, of whatever religious persuasion, and it has as little to do with Christian spirituality as a Dionysian rite.

However, the true significance of Mesmer's hypnotherapy sessions was well understood by some of his more perceptive contemporaries.  Way back in 1784, the King of France wisely appointed a Commission to examine Mesmer's claims, consisting of reports from two reputable medical bodies:  the Faculty of Medicine of the Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society of Medicine.  This commission came to the highly discerning conclusion: 

'That man can act upon man at any time, and almost at will, by striking
his imagination; that the simplest gestures and signs can have the
most  powerful effects; and that the action of man upon
the imagination may be reduced to an art, and conducted
with method, upon subjects who have faith'
(R.B. Ince, op. cit., pp. 107-108).

Mesmer's discovery that his patients could be controlled by his will is acknowledged as being the great foundation-stone of modern hypnotism, as well as exerting a profound influence on succeeding generations of occultists of many traditions, ranging from the Cabbalist magician Eliphas Levi, to the U.S. Spiritualist Movement of the nineteenth century, which had discovered that in the Mesmeric trance a person could readily make contact with discarnate entities or 'spirit-guides' - the significance of which will soon become clear.

When Anton Mesmer discovered, in the late eighteenth century, the rudiments of manipulative hypnotism, the seeds of Western psychotherapy were sown -- a fact which is confirmed by a prominent psychiatrist in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine:

'What is important is the impact and influence [Mesmer] had on
the subsequent development of psychiatry.  It would indeed be no
exaggeration to say that he was one of the world's first psychotherapists'
(J.R.S.M., Vol. 85, no. 7, July 1992, p. 383).

It is Mesmer's crude form of manipulative hypnotherapy which is being practised by the 'deliverance ministries' and 'healing' crusades of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement, through which the strong suggestions and even the mere touch of a powerful teacher can turn the lives of the guillible inside-out.  But the origins of this hypnotically-induced 'Crisis Experience' can be traced back much further than the eighteenth century.  For the hypnotherapists of today have simply rehashed the psychological and spiritist techniques of the ancient Shamans -- the witch-doctors and medicine men of pagan cultures -- in a modern guise.  The New Age scientist, Dr. Fritjof Capra, physics professor at Berkley University, California, reveals that


'Shamans used therapeutic techniques such as group sharing, psycho
drama, dream analysis,  suggestion, hypnosis, guided imagery [visualisation], and
psychadelic therapy for centuries before they were rediscovered
by modern psychologists'.
(Fritjof Capra, 'The Turning Point: Science, Society, and the Rising Culture',
Flamingo/Collins, 1982, p. 337).  [emphasis added]

Just as the Western psychologists are proffering ancient Shamanistic practices in a guise which is more palatible to the uninitiated Westerners, so the professing Christian churches which peddle 'religious fainting' have simply made the Possession-Trance state of Shamanism more readily acceptable to the undiscerning sheep who attend their heated meetings.  These are the true origins of the strange phenomena which are being so widely reported today and which are bringing the Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ into so much disrepute.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

We All Fall Down (1 of 4)

PROLOGUE: The Present Problem

A powerful religious phenomenon appears to be sweeping through many churches across the world.  So marked has this been that extensive comment has even appeared in the national press.  For example, on June 18, 1994 the Times newspaper carried a report headed 'Spread of Hysteria Fad Worries Church', in which it was stated that 'a religious craze that originated in Canada and involves mass fainting and hysterical laughter has crossed the Atlantic to cause growing concern in the Church of England'.  In this article, it was reported that the vicar of a large church in London 'was forced to cancel an evening service of Holy Communion ... because so many of his congregation were lying on the floor'.  Apparently, the service had 'ended in chaos ... as dozens of people burst into spontaneous laughter or tears, trembled and shook or fell to the floor'.  The church's parish newsletter then carried an article about the service under the headline 'Holy Spirit Fever Hits London', in which it described the phenomenon as a 'revival'.

The widespread occurrence of this activity in churches today -- often referred to as being 'Slain in the Spirit' -- requires some careful examination.  When confronted with unusual phenomena which purport to be of Divine origin, the diligent believer will search the Bible to see whether they are compatible with what God has revealed to us.  In view of the publicity which has been given in the media, and the confusion into which so many believers have been thrown on this issue, the questions which must be asked are: 1) What is the Biblical evidence for this phenomenon?  2) What is its true origin?  3) Can this occurrence rightly be described as a 'revival'?  4) Is it really the work of the Holy Spirit?

These are the questions that we will address in this brief paper.

WHAT IS THE BIBLICAL EVIDENCE?

To establish if there is any support in the Bible for the experience of being 'Slain in the Spirit', let us examine the texts that have been offered as proof that it is a legitimate Christian practice.  In the Bible, there are a number of people who are spoken of as having fallen down as a result of a spiritual encounter.  These are cited as proof of the 'Slain in the Spirit' experience.  But we must first discover in what manner they fell, what caused it to happen, and whether their falling could be considered as normative for all believers in every era.

For example, proof is sought in the fact that Abram fell into a deep sleep, during which God gave him a revelation about his descendents (Gen. 15:12-21).  But this unique event involving a lone servant of God could hardly be likened to the euphoric, mass Pentecostal-Charismatic experience of being 'Slain in the Spirit', especially as the Scripture says that 'horror and great darkness fell upon him'!  Another alleged proof text involves the pagan soothsayer Balaam, who is said to have 'fallen' while undergoing a visionary experience (Num. 24:4ff).  But this extraordinary event involving the giving of judgmental prophecy can hardly be cited as a normative experience for all believers, as Balaam was not even a believer!  In fact, he is presented by the Apostle Peter as an illustration of the false teachers in the Christian church who pervert the truth of the Gospel (2 Pet. 2:15; cf. Rev. 2:4-15), and he was eventually killed by the children of Israel as an enemy of God (Jos. 13:22).

Another proof text offered is that which tells of Ezekiel having a vision of the Lord in all His glory (Ezk. 1:28).  The prophet was so utterly awestruck and overcome by what he had seen -- a vision too terrible to behold -- that he fell forwards to the ground, prostrate in a state of abject worship.  But this response of a lone man of God cannot possibly be used to support the 'Slain in the Spirit' experience as it is entirely different to what happens in Pentecostal-Charismatic gatherings, where a mass of people simply fall down (usually backwards) in a swoon because of the loaded suggestions and triggering touch of a human being, rather than as a response to the awesome power of God.

It is also important to note that Ezekiel fell forwards on his face.  In the Bible it is only God's enemies who fall backwards when confronted with His naked spiritual power (e.g., Jn. 18:6; cf. Isa. 28:13); whereas the believers in the Bible always fell on their faces in reverential adoration and worship, without a trace of the hysterical laughter or convulsions we see in so many churches today (e.g., Gen. 17:1-3; Jos. 5:13-15; Ezek. 1:28; 43:1-5; 44:4; Mt. 17:5-6; Rev. 1:17; 7:11; 11:16-17).

In the New Testament, Mt. 28:1-4 and Jn. 18:1-6 are cited as Biblical proof of the 'Slain in the Spirit' experience.  But these two cases of falling to the ground are simply the responses of fearful men to Divine power, and have no redemptive or salvific qualities whatsoever -- as the sequel to the second example clearly shows (Jn. 18:12).

The experience of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, as recounted in Acts 9:4 and 26:14, is also offered as proof for the validity of being 'Slain in the Spirit', as also is Paul's 'third heaven' experience in 2 Cor. 12:2.  But these are hardly normative experiences for all believers and there is not a jot of proof that to be 'caught up to the third heaven' is equivalent to the 'Slain in the Spirit' experience.

It is evident that there are no Scriptures supporting the validity of the Pentecostal-Charismatic experience involving 'mass swooning and hysterical laughter' during meetings of worship.  In view of the widespread nature of the phenomenon in professing Christian churches and the fact that there is no sound guidance being given to those seeking it, this is a matter for serious concern.  And that brings us to our next question.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Do We Have Apostles and Prophets Today?

There are some today who claim to be Apostles but they don't meet the criteria set out in Acts 1:15-22 where it says that an Apostle must be someone who was around from the time of John's baptism to Jesus' ascension.  Also, who can honestly say that they have the mark of an Apostle which is signs, wonders and miracles (2 Cor. 12:12)?  Today, these criteria are ignored and people turn to Ephisians 4 for support but there is no support there when this passage is correctly interpreted.

Eph. 4:11-15 talks about Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers.  Apostles and Prophets were particularly special in the early church because God gave them great power and knowledge to establish the church.  They established the church and passed their knowledge on to us in their letters to their churches.  These letters (now part of the New Testament) replaced the need for Apostles and Prophets but of course Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers are still with us today.  A close look at Eph. 4:11-15 shows this:

Eph.4:11-12 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [From these verses we see that God used these men to build the church up.  During those times there was no New Testament, however, the Apostles and Prophets were 'living New Testaments' who taught the infant church and put their God-given knowledge and prophecy into writing which circulated throughout the churches and eventually became part of the Bible.  These men taught with the knowledge they had received directly from God.  The next verse starts with the word 'until' which puts a limit on the time of the work of the fivefold ministry.]

Eph 4:13 UNTIL we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  [The words "until we all reach unity...and become mature" tell us that the fivefold ministry of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers had a time limit and would only be needed until the early church was united and mature.  The next verse starts with 'then' and gives the result of the church coming to maturity.]

Eph. 4:14 THEN we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming [The 'then' in this verse tells us that then (that is, when the church was established and mature) they would no longer be tossed back and forth by false doctrines but would be solid in their faith.  It goes without saying that the early church did reach the point of maturity.  Now, note the word 'instead' which starts the next verse.]

Eph. 4:15 INSTEAD, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.   ['Instead' tells us that, instead of being tossed around by various false doctrines, the mature, early church would reach a point where it would be solid in Christ.  To say this never happened is absurd, to say the least.]

Some argue that we still need Apostles and Prophets because the church has not yet reached maturity and unity and that we have to wait for Jesus to return for that to happen.  However, by saying this they miss the point that the early church is in view here and it most certainly reached maturity and unity in the faith.  If we say that the early church never reached such a state then we are saying that, even under the powerful leadership of the Apostles, they remained immature infants in Christ and were tossed back and forth by false doctrine.  It is also nonsensical to say that "until we all reach unity" refers to the time of Jesus' return as the passage would then be saying, "We will have the fivefold ministry UNTIL Jesus returns when we will all unite and be mature and THEN we will no longer be tossed back and forth by false doctrines but INSTEAD we will grow into Him".  The fact is, we mature as we walk with Jesus and rather than "growing into Him" when He returns we will be immediately changed into His likeness.

Eph. 2:19-20 tells us that the church was built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and the Bible doesn't mention successors for these ministries.  Since the foundation has already been laid, their special ministry is no longer needed.  The knowledge and prophecy they received from God has been passed onto us in the New Testament letters and now churches come to maturity through the Bible and guidance of the Holy Spirit.  There is simply no need to have a continuing line of these unique men [or women].  God gave them special power to establish the church initially and now the Bible contains the knowledge and prophecy that we need to build churches on the foundation that has already been laid.  The passage 1 Cor. 13:8-13 confirms that the completed Bible would be the end of prophecy and knowledge.  In 1 Cor. 13:11 Paul talks about putting away the 'childish' gifts of tongues, prophecy and knowledge and this is because they were only needed in the 'infant' church of His time. (Mick Alexander)