The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 1301-A, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 3." A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. ©1976. All Rights Reserved.
Question
Is the Charismatic movement a Christian movement?
Answer
Now, this is a very important question and I could answer that question simply:
Is the Charismatic movement a Christian movement? Yes and no.
I have stated myself on this; I have a chapter in my book on it, for which I have been panned and whatever… But I hesitate not to answer what I believe is true. I believe that the Charismatic movement as most of us understand it is Christian but not biblical. By that I mean this: there are many Christian people in it, but they’re in it because they do not understand the Word of God.
The Charismatic movement is a sweeping movement and it’s taking vast strides in the church. I think one of the reasons that it does is because, basically, human beings are creatures of emotion. Secondly, Christians are ignorant. It feeds on those two things. I don’t want to tell you some of the things that I know about with some of the personalities that are in it because that isn’t the issue. But believe me, there is sordidness in many ways.
There are many things that are problematic about it. Without going into a tremendous amount of detail, I believe that many of those people are genuine, sincere Christians who are ignorant of the Word of God, who are substituting a false experience for true knowledge.
Let me show you why I think it’s problematic. In the first place, tongue-speaking has lead many new believers to live by feelings rather than by faith. They operate on their feelings. In that sense, it’s a subtle movement and, I think, a devastating one. People who live completely on experience are deceived.
Secondly, I think it is problematic because it has lead many Christians into the error of believing they did not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit at salvation. That is false doctrine. And people, if I can only tell this… I turn on these Charismatic television programs from time to time and I am appalled at the doctrinal ignorance that is manifest! It is incredible that they could be as ignorant as they are of doctrine. Why? Because they have totally abandoned themselves to an experiential definition of truth, apart from the Word of God. Even though they talk a lot about the Bible, they haven’t got the faintest idea, in many cases, how to interpret it.
Thirdly, the Charismatic movement is problematic because it is one of the most divisive influences in twentieth-century Christianity. Satan is using it for that end.
Fourthly, the tongues movement has been a bad witness to those who don’t know Christ. They write it off as a whole lot of strange fanatical people. It associates Christ as approving of all kinds of violent jerkings and all kinds of convulsions and ecstatic gibberish and emotional excesses. Even Paul didn’t want to be associated with that.
Another problem with it is tongues have fed the pride of many hearts…many hearts.
Another problem with it is tongue-speaking, as manifested today, is a heathen concept. Listen: never since the fall has God employed such a method to enable people to communicate with him. Never. Never! It is entirely unnecessary. It is pagan. At its roots are a merger of Christianity with paganism. Did you know Tibetan monks speak in tongues? Did you know that certain tribes of Eskimos do? That the whirling dervishes of Persia do? Did you know that one of the basic tenets of Mormonism is speaking in tongues?
Another problematic fact is that tongue-speaking, as manifested today, has led to all kinds of superstitious beliefs—beliefs in special revelation, in visions, in strange, demonic activities… The centrality of the Word has been totally lost (even though they talk about it all the time) and they have given divine significance to all the experiences of life. Nothing just happened; everything is God doing it—or a divine thing, or a miracle this and a miracle that and a miracle here! There are so many miracles, I doubt whether they would know one if it happened.
I believe the Charismatic movement is within the framework of Christianity in many cases. I believe there are a lot of people who are in it who are charlatans and who are milking those people for every dime they can get out of them, and I believe some of them are genuine, sincere Christian people and some of them that I would love personally, dearly, and appreciate their love for Christ, but totally disagree on that.
If you want further detail on that, we have some tapes available for you on that area. But I don’t hesitate to bring anything—I don’t care what it is, I don’t care what your experience is—anything must be brought to the test of the Word of God. And people, when you see a movement that has absolute total disregard for sound biblical doctrine, you’ve got problems no matter what the experience is, and I think we need to remember that.
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and
Answers" by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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