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.