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 by Lorraine Hannaford of Ontario, Canada from the tape, GC 1301-L, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 14."  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. ©1980. All Rights Reserved.

Question

I’d like to know about how I could approach a person who believes in “faith healing” and tongues. I’ve been trying to work with a couple and they just seem to fall off the subject. And I want to approach them in a good way.

Answer

I think first of all what you have to do is build a relationship with them before you come down on them on something like that. You know he who is convinced against his will is unconvinced still. I have found that the people who love me are more prone to believe me. And so you’ve got to earn the right to be heard especially on something as touchy as that. You of course can give him my book on that or some other book you know and then I’ll get more letters.

When I was home Sunday night I wanted to watch “60 Minutes” which I never get to see and it just so happened that they did a thing on Oral Roberts which was very interesting. Very interesting. There’s a new book out called “Give me that Prime Time Religion” written by a guy named Jerry Sholes, who was a key man in the organization who was the set up man and a writer for Oral and involved in it and he just debunks the whole thing from top to bottom. Every bit of it. Just every bit of it. But they interviewed his brother, Oral Roberts brother, which I thought was very interesting. And they said to him...and his brother had set up all his tent crusades and been with him all through the years, he said to him, "Can your brother Oral’s hands heal?" He said, "Hands heal? No." And that was it. He can’t heal and everybody knows it. And Jerry Sholes' whole book, he knows it. He talks about the people who get up out of their wheelchair, walk a few steps and they can barely get them around the back to get him back in the wheel chair.

When you get into that thing, you know, people are living in a dream world and to me it is the ultimate charlatanism, because you’re catching people at the point of their greatest distress and you’re promising them things that they never can get.

So, I don’t like to get into that with somebody because you know they get mad you. You’re trying to help them and they think you’re being unkind. I think the safest thing to do is to force them to respond. So that’s the thing you’re dealing with a very emotional area and as I said I think the best way to deal with somebody like that is to win them as a friend and then expose them to the truth on the basis of a friendship. So that they know you are not trying to rack up a convert but you’re trying to help somebody you love. And once you have establish the relationship then you can share. And it’s been amazing how people do respond, really. I do believe there are real truth seekers that God touches and if we put the truth in their hands it's helpful.

The thing that grieves me...I don’t have an axe to grind with that movement, I just don’t like people to be living in an illusion, when there’s so much reality. I think I closed the book you remember with the dog who was looking over the bridge into the river? And he saw another dog with a bigger bone? And so he dropped his bone to get down to get that other bone and he gave up the reality for the fantasy? And I think this is what happens. While all the while they are chasing the fantasy that isn’t ever there, they forfeit the reality. And then it’s ludicrous to stand back as say, "Well I can tell you one thing this ministry will never be blessed until he gets the baptism." I mean if I got anymore blessed I couldn’t stand it. So I’m not defending myself I’m just saying it’s an illusion.

And then you have people who claim to heal and claim these things when you know it isn’t true. I mean it doesn’t make any sense. You can’t equate illness with non-spirituality. I mean you sound like Job’s friends. I keep thinking I ought to write him and say, "Is your name Bildad? How do you come off telling everybody who’s sick that they’re carnal or fleshly? What about the blind man who was sick for the glory of God? Give a few of us a break." I was thinking a lot about that when I was sick.

Basically you know I care, I thank the Lord for all of you precious people, but we want to be loving, but I carry a burden in my heart for so much stuff that goes on in the name of Christ and the Bible that just is not biblical. And people get drowned in the sea of this stuff. It’s just really sad. And then all the money that they send to these things it’s just enough to curl your hair.

You know they were telling about the seminars where they go in and the first day they hit everybody up for money. And they set a goal of two million for one of the Oral Roberts seminars. And then the next day he heals them. See. Well you know what people are doing? What do you think they’re thinking? I’ve got to buy my healing. I mean if I do this thing for God, boy then tomorrow I’ll get my healing.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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