Posts Tagged ‘charismatic’
Spiritism versus Spirituality
by Terry Wane Benton Spiritism is occultic, feeling and mood-based, and imagination-based, whereas “spirituality” is revelation and scripture-based. Those who are truly “spiritual” will acknowledge that the things Paul wrote are the commandments of the Lord (I Corinthians 14:35f). Spiritism is trying to contact the dead, spirit world through imagination and feeling-based seances. Here, you…
Read MoreThe Contagion of Emotions
by Terry Wane Benton At Ephesus, there was a stirring of emotions causing the idolatrous people to start a long series of chants and emotional outbursts of “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” (Acts 19:34). This constant chant went on for two hours. There was a contagion of emotions, and perhaps the fervor for Diana…
Read MoreI’m not certain about my salvation
Question: I’ve been very anxious about my salvation and baptism. I was saved at around 12 years old and baptized when I was almost 14. I was so on fire for God when I was baptized. I was wondering if I should be baptized again because even though I was very genuine about it, I’m not…
Read MoreExplaining “Born of Water and Spirit” to Charismatics
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Explaining-Born-of-Water-and-Spirit-to-Charismatics.mp3 by Darrell M. Hamilton
Read MoreAre spiritual parents a real thing? Can you feel an anointing at church? Can you be delivered by an apostle?
Question: I have so many questions. I joined a church several years ago. They do “deliverance” and all that prophesying jazz. I was really into it and felt as though everything I was feeling was real. My Apostle even became my “spiritual mother”. Her husband, “my spiritual father” as I moved in with them during…
Read MoreThe Anointing of the Spirit
Text: I John 2:18-29 I. The other day, one of my boys needed help with a math problem, so I asked him to show me the problem. He brought in his paper on which he was working. A. “No,” I said, “I need to see the original problem in the book.” B. “But I copied just as…
Read MoreThe Charismatic Movement
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CharismaticMovement.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: I Corinthians 14:6-12 I. As we continue our tracing of how various denominations came to be, A. We examined how the Pietiest influenced the beliefs of John Wesley and the Methodist societies that he established. 1. In particular was an emphasis on the need for a personal experience to…
Read MoreComing Out of Pentecostalism
by Bill Davis One of the greatest challenges for any Pentecostal to overcome is to accept the fact that God no longer works miracles today as he did in times past. Three years ago I wrote a series of three articles in Seek the Old Paths on Why I Left the Pentecostal Church (June, July, August 2013). In those…
Read MoreWhat about the prophecy and tongue-speaking that I’ve witnessed?
Question: Whether prophecy has ceased or not ceased is one of the issues I am struggling with as a seminary student. I read your article about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and let’s say you are right. But what about those prayer warriors who prophesy and speak in tongues in today’s Christian churches? And…
Read MoreThe unknown tongue in I Corinthians 14:2 would sound like mumbo-jumbo to you
Question: [Note: I left the following unedited since the author claimed to have the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He had asked that this not be published, but since there is nothing in the note that is personal to him, I decided it serves as a good example of what those in the Charismatic movements…
Read MoreGoing to the Source (The Anointing of the Spirit)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GoingToTheSource.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I John 2:18-29 I. The other day, one of my boys needed help with a math problem, so I asked him to show me the problem. He brought in his paper on which he was working. A. “No,” I said, “I need to see the original problem in the book.”…
Read MoreHow do I call prayer points?
Question: Hello Sir, I will be leading a prayer meeting (small group). The title is “Trusting God”, from Psalm 125:1. Please how do I go about it, especially calling the prayer points? I have led prayer meetings in the group in the past, but I want to do this right. My church, the teenage church,…
Read MoreHave Miracles Ceased?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/HaveMiraclesCeased.mp3 Text: John 9:14-34 I. Several denominations teach the continuance of miracles A. Proofs offered are based on emotional feelings and indirect evidence (I know a person who heard a person claim they saw …) B. The standard appealed to is what a person thinks is right C. To oppose is taken as the same as calling the…
Read MoreHow do I teach a withdrawn-from family member who thinks God is directing her?
Question: I have a family member who was at one time in the Lord’s church. Recently she told me she is “rebelling” against the ‘church’ (was in a denominational church), so I finally asked what was meant by ‘rebelling’ and she said there were so many errors and problems in this church or that one,…
Read MoreWe say a creed at every service. Is this vain repetition?
Question: Hello, My question to you today is concerning a creed that a church I’ve been attending quotes during every service, and I would like to know your thoughts on it. I have recently come to terms with my abusive use of alcohol and the demeaning and shameful things I allowed myself to do under…
Read MoreMust a person fall when hands are laid on them?
Question: Dear Sir, Many pastors expect the person they lay hands and pray for to fall backward. Many worshipers also seem to be attracted to this falling, thinking it’s an act of the Holy Spirit though there was no result from this. To me, this act does not seem to be biblical. Please let me…
Read MoreHow do I tell my children that the TV “miracles” are fake without sounding like I’m condemning their mother who believes in them?
Question: My wife is involved with a charismatic group and subsequently, God told her to divorce me. During that time I tried very hard to accept her “religion.” The talking in tongues, putting oil on the windows to keep out evil spirits, being accused of witchcraft, spiritual and emotional abuse and taking the entire blame…
Read MoreWorship: The Emotional Component
by Warren E. Berkley “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth,” (John 4:24). Every element of true worship involves some emotional component. The emotional component is not driven by a direct operation of the Holy Spirit (as in Calvinism) or “getting the Holy Spirit” (as in Charismatic practice). The…
Read MoreIs it proper to grieve over someone who is deluded by false teachers?
Question: It’s been some time since I’ve written. I’m the fellow whose wife joined a charismatic group and said that God told her to divorce me and this was supported by her Christian friends because I was not Christ-like and had an issue with the charismatic stuff. Although I’ve given up any hope of ever reconciling,…
Read MoreI enjoyed your article on the Azusa Street revival
Question: I grew up in a Church of Christ. I’m in a foreign country teaching English, and a friend of mine sent me a book about revival. It’s called The Blueprint: A revolutionary plan to plant missional communities on campus. I don’t really like the book so far because of a lot of charismatic gibber jabber.…
Read MoreHow can one justify being a Christian if he is not baptized?
Question: How can one justify being a Christian if he claims to believe but is not baptized until some time later? Is he convinced that baptism does not save you? Question: Many denominations teach people that belief is all that is required for salvation. Some, such as the Baptists, do practice a form of baptism,…
Read MoreWhat do you think about the Azusa Street Revival?
Question: What do you think of the Azusa Street revival with William J. Seymour? Answer: The events at the Azusa Street revival in 1906 is frequently cited as the beginning of the Pentecostal movement. Numerous charismatic denominations refer to this revival as the beginning of their particular beliefs. Four denominations which were founded in the…
Read MoreMust you speak in tongues to have the Holy Spirit?
Question: Is it true, as most Pentecostals say, that if you do not speak in tongues, you do not have the Holy Spirit? Answer: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: … There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same…
Read MorePraying in a heavenly tongue
Question: Would you discuss the idea of praying in a heavenly language where the person is edified even though others don’t know what they are saying? Answer: The mention of the language of angels is only found in I Corinthians 13:1 where Paul states that speaking in any language is without benefit if it is not accompanied…
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