The Charismatic Movement Is Dangerous
Watch Out For It!
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. This Pentecostal
Movement arose mainly from within various Protestant churches but they were
soon forced out, either because of their unusual beliefs and practices or, in
some cases, 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
Pentecostalism 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 involves 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,
founder of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship, 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 re-established 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." Ecumenical
in scope and decidedly worldly in practice the three so-called "waves of
the Holy Spirit" (Pentecostals, Charismatics and Power Evangelism
teachers) have now blended into a powerful coalition which is rapidly
spreading. This poses a great threat to the purity of the Church and 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. We realize that there are many true believers
involved in this movement. But that fact in no way decreases the dangers
inherent in it. It is important to look at principles, doctrines and positions
and not to look solely 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...
1. 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 (Deuteronomy 4:2;
Revelation
2. 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, service, etc., must be an acceptable
ministry. God's Word plainly tells believers that those who preach another
gospel are "accursed" (Galatians 1:6, 9) and that those who
fellowship with false teachers are partakers of their evil deeds (2 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!
3. It sells and promotes, like the New
Evangelical Movement, most of the new Bible versions and translations, many of
which add to 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.
4. 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 (Hebrews 12:3-11; Job
5. It, unlike its predecessor,
Pentecostalism, 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 1 John 2:15-17.
6. 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 First 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...
" (1Corinthians
7. It promotes and encourages what is
called "coming under the power," 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 Charismatics
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 the desire for an extra-biblical experience opens one up to
either pretended or demonically energized results which parallel those of the
occult.
8. 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
9. It confuses and misleads believers
as to Scriptural 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 1 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.
10. 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" (1 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
We
firmly believe that "speaking in tongues" ceased with the completion
of the Canon of Scripture (1 Corinthians 13:8). We firmly believe that it is
wrong to teach believers to tarry for or seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible clearly teaches that all believers have been baptized by the Holy
Spirit into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians
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 (1 Corinthians 12:4-11,28-31) and "tongues
speakers" should remain silent unless an interpreter was present (1
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 (1 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 (1 Timothy
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
For
all of these reasons and many others like them, we sound this word of warning: THE
CHARlSMATIC MOVEMENT IS DANGEROUS-WATCH OUT FOR IT!