hard to be charismatic

Some days it is harder to be Charismatic than others. I've heard wacky teaching from all spectrums of Christendom but it seems Charismatics specialize in this. I don't know why that is because there is nothing intrinsic about being Charismatic that devalues the Word of God. Perhaps it is because other streams put such a high value on human knowledge and training that unfortunately many never try to teach (even when they should). Conversely, Charismatics value taking what you have and "going for it" (even when they should not).

Whatever it is, when I hear some of the teaching coming out of the movement I cringe. Recently I listened to a couple of sermons from a church I used to attend. While we had our issues, I thought we were generally orthodox mainstream - and Charismatic. In fact, I hoped it would become even more Charismatic in practice. But if these sermons are representative of the current leadership thinking - warning, warning, warning.

One of the sermons was a strained effort to describe man as a triune being. Not bad - I don't agree with it but not bad. The issue is that that was the mainspring for then saying that our intellect, our emotions, whatever, were all flesh and that if we want things of God, it must begin in the spirit. Well, yes, all things good are initiated by God. However this was an effort to promote Spirit-to-spirit which according to the teaching is somehow different than Spirit working on our hearts and minds. Three words - RUN DON'T WALK.

The latest sermon was more mystical. The speaker actually said that the fruit of the Spirit is not supernatural and does not glorify God. This reinforces the former teaching and completely misses the true Biblical miracle of God's power transforming us as individuals and as a community. This is a clear attempt to move the listener to value spontaneous revelation (or whatever) over a life changed by God.

This was followed by a statement regarding how we need to walk by faith. I'm with that! Too many are walking by their unregenerate thinking and not by minds conformed to the Glory of God. Unfortunately this speaker then defined living by faith as bringing about signs and wonders. Oops. Then, to make it worse, gave several examples of stepping out in faith with a word of knowledge, a prayer for healing, etc.. Problem is in all of these he failed. The word was not accurate, the healing did not occur. The point he was making was that this stepping out was faith. From my vantage point, it looks like something far from faith.

I believe God gives us words of knowledge and gifts of healings. Clearly this guy didn't hear or process from God properly. Points for trying but rather than bringing a message on how to hear better from God in these matters, his message was that the faithful will foolishly go out and say/do whatever comes to mind. I find that interesting because his point was that those who don't do this are living in the flesh. Based on the data provided, it appears it is his "flesh" that is winning the war in his mind.

Please Charismatics - break open your Bible, read it, God has something to say in it, it's good!

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