These posts stem from a series of fifteen studies conducted, in our Youth Fellowship meetings, at the request of the young people who attend, dealing with the errors of the Charismatic/Pentecostal Movement
Study 2 - The Infilling of the Spirit
Study 4 - The Cessation of New Testament Supernatural Gifts - Part one
Study 5 - The Cessation of New Testament supernatural gifts - Part two
Study 6 - The Errors of Tongue Speaking
Study 7 - The Error of Faith Healing - Part one
Study 8 - The Errors of Faith Healing - Part two
Study 9 - The Errors of Demon Possession - Part one
Study 10 - The Errors of Demon Possession - Part two
Study 11 - The Errors of Demon Possession - Part three
Study 12 - The Error of Claiming the Gift of Prophecy
Study 13 - The Errors of Claiming 'Words of Wisdom' and 'Words of Knowledge'
1. The Errors of claiming the gift of Discerning Spirits. This gift is the claimed capability to distinguish whether it is God's Spirit, man's spirit or an evil spirit that is speaking through someone. An example of an evil spirit speaking through someone is said to be Peter when he was rebuked by the Saviour for suggesting that He should not go to the cross. The Lord Jesus said: Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men, Matt 16:23.
This particular gift is deemed to be an important one because of the claimed ability to distinguish between good and bad spirits and true and false prophets.
It is true that Satan does transform himself into an angel of light and therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as ministers of salvation, 2 Cor 11:14-15: And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. It is true also that the Lord Jesus warns us three times that at the last times will come "many" false prophets, and false Messiahs, that will mislead many, Matthew 24:4,11,24: And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many… For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
A bad or evil spirit can ruin a person's life or family and could even ruin a church therefore because of these fearful possibilities there is a need to have this gift.
The questions must be asked how did the Apostles teach New Testament Christians as to how they would discern false teachers? Was it by this special gift exercised or by the application of the Word of God?
The New Testament church and the first century was drawing to a close was commanded to 'try' the spirits, 1 John 4:1: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. At no time did this trying of the spirits involve exercising the 'gift' of discerning spirits. Rather, false teachers were to be exposed by the measuring of them up against the teaching of the Apostles, Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them, Rom 16:17; Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us… And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed, 2 Thess 3:6,14.
The ongoing New Testament practice is to measure false teachers by the Word of God.
2. The errors of claiming the gift of Interpretation of Tongues. This gift is mentioned in 1 Cor 12:10: …to another the interpretation of tongues, and in chapter 14:5,13,26-28: I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying…Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret… How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
This gift involved translating or interpreting God's message spoken in tongues to the congregation to encourage, rebuke and/or to build up believers.
It was a New Testament requirement that when someone spoke in tongues, there should also be someone there who interprets those tongues to build up the Church. Otherwise speaking in tongues only builds up or edifies your own spirit.
However, there are some Charismatics who will say that this gift of the 'Interpreting Tongues' is not a verbatim translation of what the other person, who has spoken in tongues, has said, but rather an 'interpretation' of what they have said. For example, someone may supposedly pray in tongues for two minutes, and another person interprets the message in maybe 10 seconds. This is evidently not a verbatim translation. License is taken to shorten the message and give an 'interpretation'.
If the gift of tongues have ceased then it naturally follows that the gift of interpreting tongues must also have ceased. See Study 6 - The Errors of Tongue Speaking
The ecumenical nature of the Charismatics movement.
The Charismatic Movement has also reached over into Romanism. It has been known as: 'The Catholic Charismatic Renewal'. The movement began in the Roman Catholic Church following a retreat held from 17th to 19th February 1967, by several faculty members and students from a Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Although a sacramental church which makes no distinction between RC churches, the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church acknowledge that some charismatic parishes may practice worship outside of the mass.
As you can imagine this has greatly advanced the ecumenical movement. For Bible believers it only goes to prove the point that this is not of God.
Study 4 - The Cessation of New Testament Supernatural Gifts - Part one
Study 5 - The Cessation of New Testament supernatural gifts - Part two
Study 6 - The Errors of Tongue Speaking
Study 7 - The Error of Faith Healing - Part one
Study 8 - The Errors of Faith Healing - Part two
Study 9 - The Errors of Demon Possession - Part one
Study 10 - The Errors of Demon Possession - Part two
Study 11 - The Errors of Demon Possession - Part three
Study 12 - The Error of Claiming the Gift of Prophecy
Study 13 - The Errors of Claiming 'Words of Wisdom' and 'Words of Knowledge'
Study Fourteen - The Errors of Claiming the gifts of Discerning Spirits & Interpreting Tongues
1. The Errors of claiming the gift of Discerning Spirits. This gift is the claimed capability to distinguish whether it is God's Spirit, man's spirit or an evil spirit that is speaking through someone. An example of an evil spirit speaking through someone is said to be Peter when he was rebuked by the Saviour for suggesting that He should not go to the cross. The Lord Jesus said: Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men, Matt 16:23.
This particular gift is deemed to be an important one because of the claimed ability to distinguish between good and bad spirits and true and false prophets.
It is true that Satan does transform himself into an angel of light and therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as ministers of salvation, 2 Cor 11:14-15: And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. It is true also that the Lord Jesus warns us three times that at the last times will come "many" false prophets, and false Messiahs, that will mislead many, Matthew 24:4,11,24: And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many… For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
A bad or evil spirit can ruin a person's life or family and could even ruin a church therefore because of these fearful possibilities there is a need to have this gift.
The questions must be asked how did the Apostles teach New Testament Christians as to how they would discern false teachers? Was it by this special gift exercised or by the application of the Word of God?
The New Testament church and the first century was drawing to a close was commanded to 'try' the spirits, 1 John 4:1: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. At no time did this trying of the spirits involve exercising the 'gift' of discerning spirits. Rather, false teachers were to be exposed by the measuring of them up against the teaching of the Apostles, Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them, Rom 16:17; Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us… And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed, 2 Thess 3:6,14.
The ongoing New Testament practice is to measure false teachers by the Word of God.
2. The errors of claiming the gift of Interpretation of Tongues. This gift is mentioned in 1 Cor 12:10: …to another the interpretation of tongues, and in chapter 14:5,13,26-28: I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying…Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret… How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
This gift involved translating or interpreting God's message spoken in tongues to the congregation to encourage, rebuke and/or to build up believers.
It was a New Testament requirement that when someone spoke in tongues, there should also be someone there who interprets those tongues to build up the Church. Otherwise speaking in tongues only builds up or edifies your own spirit.
However, there are some Charismatics who will say that this gift of the 'Interpreting Tongues' is not a verbatim translation of what the other person, who has spoken in tongues, has said, but rather an 'interpretation' of what they have said. For example, someone may supposedly pray in tongues for two minutes, and another person interprets the message in maybe 10 seconds. This is evidently not a verbatim translation. License is taken to shorten the message and give an 'interpretation'.
If the gift of tongues have ceased then it naturally follows that the gift of interpreting tongues must also have ceased. See Study 6 - The Errors of Tongue Speaking
The ecumenical nature of the Charismatics movement.
The Charismatic Movement has also reached over into Romanism. It has been known as: 'The Catholic Charismatic Renewal'. The movement began in the Roman Catholic Church following a retreat held from 17th to 19th February 1967, by several faculty members and students from a Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Although a sacramental church which makes no distinction between RC churches, the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church acknowledge that some charismatic parishes may practice worship outside of the mass.
As you can imagine this has greatly advanced the ecumenical movement. For Bible believers it only goes to prove the point that this is not of God.
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