THE CHARISMATIC HERESY

There is a substantial difference between a false prophet and a heretic: the false prophet is a stranger to the grace of God --one who has "crept in unawares who (was) before of old ordained to this condemnation;" an ungodly man, "turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." {Jude 4) Their ways are pernicious and their teachings are "damnable"; and therefore "their damnation slumbereth not."

(See: II Peter 2:1-3) The heretic is a Christian whose doctrine has gone afoul, who is "subverted and sinneth" (Titus 3:11), and who has departed from the faith giving heed to "seducing spirits." Now the Church has been warned that the time will come when people "will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables." {II Timothy 4:3,4)

The Charismatic Movement is the most dangerous of today’s heresies because, first, it tolerates blatant disobedience to the clear teachings of the Bible. Second, it tolerates an unscriptural ecumenical spirit. Third, like a Fifth Column, it is already within the walls of the Church ready to unwittingly betray it into the hands of its Enemy.

In all ages of history there have been people who have given license to their emotions. The period of the Reformation witnessed enthusiasts, and hyper-emotionalism tarnished the history of the Huguenots. John Wesley and George Whitefield both spoke of swoonings in their meetings, and Mr. Whitefield testified the greatest dangers he saw within the Church in the eighteenth century were Deism, with its resulting Infidelity, and Over-emotionalism.

EDWARD IRVING. As a young man, Mr. Edward Irving became an assistant to Dr. Thomas Chalmers. He soon discovered he could not reconcile the Biblical doctrine of Predestination the Biblical doctrine of man’s accountability, so he chose to deny the former.

In 1827, Mr. Irving proposed the doctrine of a "secret rapture" and in his preaching tours of Scotland he began proclaiming the "imminent return of Christ." His view of a "pre-tribulation rapture" influenced John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethren. But in 1830, he published a tract declaring Christ possessed a fallen nature, and the same year, he was condemned by the Church of Scotland on the charge of heresy. The following year, in 1831, "tongues" and "prophetic utterances" broke out in his congregation," and in 1833, the Church of Scotland lodged formal complaint against him, and Mr. Irving was excommunicated by the Presbyterian Church.

The Charismatic Movement was introduced into the United States in 1900 when, Mr. Charles Parham opened the Bethel Bible School in Topeka, Kansas. Miss Agnes Ozman was influenced to speak in tongues and was shortly followed by twelve more. Then in 1906, the Azuza Street Assembly was founded in Los Angelos, California and emphasized seeking one’s "Pentecost." From 1900-1980, several Pentecostal denominations were founded: the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel (founded by Aimee Semple McPherson), the Assembly of God, the Church of God in Christ, the United Pentecostal Church, and the Church of God of Prophecy. Since 1950, mainline denominations have become infected primarily through the influence of the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International, the PTL Club with Mr. Jim Baker, and the 700 Club with Mr. Pat Robertson. Other persons wielding significant influence are Pat Boone, Rex Humbard, Oral Roberts, and Morris Cerullo. 

The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. VI,      pp.33,34.

Robert Gundry, The Church and The Tribulation, pp. 186,187

George Ladd, The Blessed Hope, pp. 36,37

_________________________________

When analyzed from a Biblical perspective, the "Tongues" movement clearly tolerates blatant disobedience of many express teachings of God’s Word. For instance: it blatantly disregards the command of God, "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." (I Corinthians 14:34,35) Nevertheless, it is the women who dominate the Charismatic scene in churches. Second, the Movement often snubs its nose at the Scripture, "If there be no interpreter, let (a man) keep silence in the church." (I Corinthians 14:28) Third, it encourages fellowship with those who, while claiming to possess the gift of Tongues, nevertheless deny cardinal Bible doctrines, even though the Bible exhorts us, "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him ’God speed’" for he that biddeth him ’God speed’ is partaker of his evil deeds." (II John 10,11) Fourth, the Tongues Movement denies the Sufficiency of Christ by demanding "a second blessing" --a "second work of Grace", as though the first work of Grace is inadequate. Fifth, the Movement denies as well, the sufficiency of Scripture in matters of Creed and Conduct by requiring a "sign." This is contrary to the language of Faith and is condemned by the Lord Himself who declared it to be an "evil and adulterous generation (that) seeketh after sign." (See: Hebrews 11:1; Matthew 12:39) In Matthew 16:4, it is called a "wicked generation" that demands a sign. The point stated here was deemed important enough to be included in the other two Synoptic Gospels. (See: Mark 8:12; and Luke 11:29) Sixth, the Charismatic Movement emphasizes the Spirit of God when the Apostle John tells us (15:26) that the Spirit testifies not of Himself But of Christ; and the Apostle Paul tells us (Colossians 1:18) that Christ to have the "Pre-eminence." Seventh, while Charismatics often demand the manifestation of "tongues" as a sign of one’s spirituality, the Scriptures speak expressly of certain "fruits" of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22,23; and in Ephesians 5:18-21, the Apostle Paul declares the evidence of one being "filled with the Spirit" is Singing, Gratitude, and Submission to one another.

Are the "gifts" given for the establishment of the Church in use today? Let me pose another question: "If we can prove from Scripture that ONE of the "gifts" is no longer in use, are we not justified in the examination of each gift?" In the list of gifts given in I Corinthians 12:27-31, and in Ephesians 4:11-14, the gift of "prophets" is given. Do we have prophets today walking in our midst? Is the gift of "prophets" given to us today? In Ephesians 2:20, we read the saints are "built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone." According to the text, is the foundation "built" or still being laid? Jesus Himself told us "The Law and the Prophets WERE UNTIL JOHN." (Luke 16:16) Therefore, the gift of Prophets has ceased.

In I Corinthians 12:28, we read, "And God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondarily Prophets..." How many Apostles are there? Do we have Apostles amongst us in this present hour? Not according to the Apostle John who wrote of the Heavenly Jerusalem, "And the wall of the City had TWELVE foundations, and in them the names of the TWELVE APOSTLES of the Lamb." (Revelation 21:14) Therefore the gift of Apostle has ceased, especially since it was a requirement for an Apostle to have "seen the Lord." (I Corinthians 9:1) For this reason, Paul said of himself that he was an Apostle "as of one born out of due time." (15:8)

Prior to the closing of the canon of Scripture miracles confirmed the ministry of many of the servants of God. For this reason Moses and Elijah worked great miracles. God also bore witness of the Apostles "both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts the Holy Ghost ACCORDING TO HIS OWN WILL." (Hebrews 2:4) These "signs and wonders and mighty deeds" are actually called the "signs of an apostle." (II Corinthians 12:12) If the gift "Tongues" was given to this generation, why is it necessary for a missionary to attend school to learn a foreign language? Why would they not be as the disciples at Pentecost? (See: Acts 2:6-11)

We are not told that any of the three thousand converted at Pentecost spoke in tongues, nor that the Samaritans, spoken of in Acts 8:15-17, used "Tongues." In fact, there are only three times in the entire book of Acts where the gift of Tongues was given --at Pentecost in Acts 2, at the conversion of the first Gentiles in Acts 10, and to the twelve Ephesians in Acts 19. There is no proof these or any others spoke in Tongues. The only church in the New Testament said to speak in Tongues was Corinth --the most problematic and most worldly church in

the New Testament. It even tolerated incest among its membership. Yet they deemed themselves to be "spiritual" because they spoke in "Tongues." God rebuked them for their immaturity and warned them that Tongues would "cease." (I Corinthians 13:8,11) It is therefore significant that of the four places the gifts are listed (I Corinthians 12:8-11; 28-30; Ephesians 4:8-12; Romans 12:4-8) Tongues appears ONLY in the two early lists.