Featured Charismatic Errors Listed

I don't know that a direct connection can be made, but Francis Schaeffer wrote, "One can...see a parallel between the new Pentecostals and the liberals. The liberal theologians don't believe in content or religious truth. They are really existentialists using theological, Christian terminology. Consequently, not believing in truth, they can enter into fellowship with any other experience-oriented group using religious language" (quoted in The New Charismatics, by Richard Quebedeaux, p. 172).

 

Very true! And it gets worse. Based on WOF is the doctrine of "little gods" that some prominent Charismatic teachers hold to (with some similarities to the Mormons. Walter Martin, the famed apologetics expert, has a whole on this chapter in The Agony of Deceit (a book of essays by evangelical scholars on the errors of the Charismatic TV preachers, ed. by Michael Horton).

According to Martin, "Earl Paulk, Charles Capps, Robert Tilton, Kenneth Copeland, and Kenneth E. Hagin are among the leading televangelists who espouse the 'little gods' teaching" (p. 90). He then quotes Paulk: "Until we comprehend that we are little gods and we begin to act like little gods, we cannot manifest the Kingdom of God" (ibid). Then Tilton: "You are...a God kind of creature. Originally you were designed to be as a god in this world. Man was designed or created by God to be the god of this world" (ibid, 90-91). Copeland: "You don't have a god in you, you are one!" (ibid, 92; Copeland's emphasis).

Martin further writes, "The president of Trinity Broadcasting network, Paul Crouch, has taught this doctrine openly and once spent almost two hours attempting to convince me and three other ministers that we were 'little gods.' Many evangelical organizations, consciously or not, are helping 'savage wolves' spread such diabolical errors" (ibid, p. 93).

John MacArthur also documents this heresy thoroughly in Charismatic Chaos, pp. 331-336. But surely I don't need any more quotes. The leaders of the Charismatic movement are teaching this terrible heresy!

 

Never heard of that one! Very sad.

 

This is where the Charismatics differ from the old line Pentecostals. The Charismatics teach that the individual can speak in tongues any time they want, but the Pentecostals limited it. Also, the doctrine that there can be an individual prayer language is not old line Pentecostal, but a doctrine made up by the Charismatics. The "Personal prayer language" is something that never existed in theology or history in the church of Jesus Christ until the Charismatics invented it. So the hermeneutics they worked up from Acts 2 that they were praying to God instead of proclaiming the good works of God to others is a man made doctrine.

 

More quotes from I Once Spoke in Tongues, by Wayne Robinson.

"Many persons who practice glossalalia sincerely believe they are uttering some local language or dialect. Others believe that their expressions are in some lost tongue. Yet, researchers have examined hundreds of recorded specimens of glossalalia without ever identifying such sounds with a national language or native dialect" (p. 85).

Then, in line with my OP when I stated that they make a minor doctrine (spiritual gifts) into a foundational doctrine: "One of the very real problems in relating to charismatics who testify to the importance of glossalalia in their lives is the tendency to reverse the order given here (in 1 Cor. 12:30-31--JoJ). It's a form of religious myopia. Glossalalia is the event nearest to them, and, consequenty, the only one they see. The church, its ministry, other Christians, and the gospel itself are seen only through the lens of glossalalia. Rather than glossalalia's being accepted as one of the minor gifts of the Spirit, it becomes the norm for Christian self-understanding" (p. 92).

 

Wow. How is it that you know we don't study the Bible more than false doctrine? I don't remember seeing you in my house or church.

And do you endorse these Charismatic doctrines? Or do you believe we should oppose the teaching of the "little gods" doctrine, manifest sons of God doctrine, fake healings, fake tongues and the other heretical doctrines here listed?

Folks, awaken is showing precisely the Charismatic ecumenicalism listed above. In his view pointing out false doctrine is wrong. We should all "just get along" with the Catholics, liberals, Charismatic false prophets and others like them.

 

Folks, I was forced into the study of Charismatic errors years ago. My first encounter was when twin Japanese men were lured away from my church by the Charismatics. I was so naive! (Long story, won't go into it.) I remember when they came back to visit later when I had a cold, and one prayed to cast out the "demon of the cold" in me. Whoa! That certainly wasn't in the Bible.

Then during our 1993-1994 furlough, members moved next door to a a couple who were members of a "Latter Rain" church, and the couple tried to get them to leave the church I was planting, speak in tongues and go to their church. When we arrived back in Japan we had a crisis on our hands. God helped me through a computer CD with lots of files on it, including one on the Latter Rain movement and the Kansas City Fellowship by an ex-Charismatic named Stephen F. Cannon, who was gracious and helpful when I got in touch with him.

I then had three Bible studies on tongues (studying deeply as awaken says I don't) with my couple and the Charismatics. The upshot was that the Charismatic pastor told his people to leave us alone--I guess they were asking him too many questions about tongues. :smilewinkgrin: So this precious couple, who I had married, baptized her, counselled for years and many hours over her problems, stuck with us. They still have problems, but nowadays he pastors a house church in Tottori Prefecture.