Hyper-charismatapagania

There is much controversy in the church today about the gifts of the Spirit.  Interestingly, those who advocate that the mode and operation of spiritual gifts has not changed since Pentecost primarily focus on the gift of tongues as their anointing litmus test. Yet, the apostle Paul says that tongues were low on the gifting totem pole (1 cor. 12:28-31; 14:5) and specifically that this supernatural ability was given temporarily to the church as a judgment sign to unbelievers (1 cor. 14;20-22) that the Lord had condemned and cut off Israel, just as He had promised in the days of Ephraim and Isaiah.

Another belief that is carried into this century regarding spiritual gifts is the idea that there exists special prophetic ministries touring the planet offering to heal people of various diseases and to deliver them from whatever demon is either assaulting or possessing them.  Now, let me be clear on this point. I do believe that God can and still does heal us of our sicknesses and diseases today. What I contend, however, is that He doesn’t do it in the same manner as some advocate. God, if He so wills, can and has cured folks of their diseases and ailments.  What I deny is that there are those living today who possess anything that resembles the power of the Spirit that we see in the New Testament to heal sickness.  That was a special gifting given to the primitive church as a sign of the inauguration of the Kingdom of Christ on earth.

Benny Hinn is an extremely well-known proponent of what I call “hyper-charismatapagania” – the imitation of the work of the Spirit in paganistic forms. Here is a quote from a recent interview that was posted at FoxNews.com.

“I’m not one that can discern every little problem with people.  So if someone comes up and says that I have cancer and the cancer is gone …often I’ve said, “Go back to your doctor and make sure that you are truly cured” (on healings in his ministry, transcribed from the video interview)

“They question me on why I don’t verify (these miracles),” Hinn says. “I answer, ‘God never called me to verify. I’m not a doctor.’” None of his comments even come close to echoing biblical fidelity. Hinn never preaches the gospel nor does he speak as a man of God.  Instead, he preaches materialism wrapped in a slice of culture-Christ.

Below, you will find an interesting video that shows what is put forth as the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the power of God among His people – bodies shaking, uncontrollable laughter, people falling backwards to the floor and continuous ramblings in jib-jab speech patterns.

There are no examples in Scripture that match such spectacles as true manifestations of God in the Body of Christ.  Instead, these happenings have much more in common with ungodly spirits and trances.  Examine it for yourself.

Come to Me

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Here, in the gospel of Matthew, is a call and invitation to rest by faith in the completed work of Christ. Jesus is not asking for everyone to come, He is commanding everyone to come.  He says to all men indiscriminately, “Come to me and I will give you rest.” He did not merely make an offer, He gave mankind a command. (Acts 17:30)

If you have been laboring to please God for a long time and are weary, find refuge in Christ. (Psalm 31:1) If you are trying to live according to the Law of God and find yourself exhausted in every imaginable way, rest in the completed work of Christ for He has already earned the favor of God. (John 7:37)

Christ led the perfect life, never disobeying the Law. Christ is the perfection we need and by faith His perfection is our perfection.  He is our righteousness before God; rest in Him and what He has done. (Hebrews 4:15-16)  Christ lived as we should so that we may be saved from the punishment we deserve. No one will ever satisfy what is lacking in their performance. He alone is our all in all.

Are you tired of trying to please God in your effort? Are you burdened by hard things? Are you overloaded with guilt for failing to live up to what you know God requires of you? Come to Christ and He will give you rest.  No one else has the words of Life. (John 6:68)

Believe in Him who died and suffered for sinners just like you. Focus your eyes upon the One who shed his blood so that we might live forever. Turn your head towards Calvary where the Savior died a cruel death at the hands of both Jews and Gentiles so that His people would be reconciled to God. (Hebrews 9:13-15)

Turn from your own efforts, they only earn you more trouble and debt. (James 2:10)  Forsake your attempts at pleasing God for Christ has fully pleased the Father. See the Cross that redeemed us from the curse of the Law.  Embrace forgiveness by faith. See the love greater than all our pride.  Come to Christ and live.

The Anatomy of the Imaginary Other PERSON

Everyone is into comparisons.  We constantly compare ourselves to this person or that person. We evaluate our progress and see who is further along than we are presently in this virtue or that situation. However, we are never called to compare ourselves to each other. Our comparison as believers is vertical.

Horizontal comparisons are easy and mostly useless for we are not in a spiritual race with each other; we run our race alone.  At the throne of the consummated end, we are not going to bring our pastors with us before the LORD, nor will we have our mothers, fathers, bankers, brothers, sisters, gurus or any one else for that matter with us.  That final evaluation will happen alone. Utterly alone.

This sermon discusses part of this phenomena whereby we look towards other people as example or duty-fillers or excuses only to find out that they don’t really exist.

I pray you find encouragement as you listen.