I Chose Not to Be a Charismatic
By Raymond J. Storms (part 2)
ECUMENICAL INVOLVEMENT
1 John 4:1-3 exhorts us, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the
spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out
into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every
spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is
not of God: and his is that spirit of antiChrist, whereof ye have heard
that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."
What kind of relationship can we have with those who deny the virgin
birth, the facts of Christ's coming in the flesh to die and that He was
raised up from the dead? John, who speaks so much of love for other
believers, speaks out strongly on this issue, "Who is a liar but he that
denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antiChrist, that denieth the
Father and the Son." If a man denies the deity of Christ, the anointed
One, whose blood cleanses us from all sin, he is "AntiChrist" and a "liar".
Yet it seems to me that many charismatics call some folks "Brother" who
do not believe that Jesus is the virgin-born son of God. These liars
teach that there are some sins for which the blood of Christ will not
atone, so we must burn in purgatory or earn Heaven by good works. They
walk in darkness of man's doctrines and superstition. "If we say that we
have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth."
1 John 1:6.
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship
hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness?" 2 Corinthians 6:14.
"Be not ye therefore partakers with them." "and have no fellowship with
the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." Ephesians 5:7 &
11.
"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, he
hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the
Father and the Son. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine,
receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed: for he that
biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds." 2 John 9-11.
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you
than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." Gal. 1:8.
However spiritual, gifted, or angelic a person may be, if he preaches
another Gospel, we are not to receive him: "Let him be accursed."
I have seen charismatics laud unity with those who preach another Gospel.
I have seen writeups which extol the lion lying down with the lamb, so to
speak but that won't happen till Jesus comes. Charismatics don't seem to
believe what the Bible says about ecumenical involvement with unbelievers,
Bible deniers, and false teachers.
Revelation 17-18 tells about that great harlot and spiritual Babylon,
which I believe to the the one-world apostate religion on the last days.
The Word says, "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out
of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye
receive not of her plagues." Revelation 18:4. We see this mindless
ecumenism forming religious alliances in our day, and the sad things is
that many born-again folks are so blind that they join in fellowship with
those that preach another Gospel. It seems that charismatics make tongues
the basis for fellowship. Well, the devil can speak with tongues and the
flesh can mimic tongues. Salvation is the basis for our fellowship not
tongues.
Ecumenical teaching which doesn't make the faith once delivered unto the
saints its ground for cooperation, falls into the same doctrinal error as
Baalam did. Mindless ecumenism is a modern-day manifestation of the
doctrine of Baalam and a stumbling block to God's people.
CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH
It seems to me that charismatics and new evangelicals are afraid that
they might offend someone if they "contend for the faith once delivered
unto the saints."
"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common
salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you
should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the
saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old
ordained to this condemnation, unGodly men, turning the grace of our God
into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus
Christ." Jude 3-4.
Paul told Timothy, "fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal
life, where unto thou are also called, and hast professed a good profession
before many witnesses." 1 Timothy 6:12. The militant side of the Christian
life can be neglected for the devotional side, any more than the devotional
side of the Christian life can be neglected for the militant. We can be
loving and contend for the faith. We can contend for the faith without
being contentious. We must not allow false doctrine to creep into our midst
because we are too loving to fight it. Spurgeon said, "Lie down with dogs,
rise up with fleas." When we hang around with liberals and modernists and
catholics, we will soon start acting like them. A good illustration of this
is found in an article in "Jesus To The Communist World:"
"Brother Thomas Zimmerman is general super-intendant of the Assemblies of
God in the U.S.A. and head of the World Pentecostal Conference. He has
asserted continually that he himself has seen freedom of religion in the
SOVIETS. We provided him with all the material proving that pentecostals in
Russia are imprisoned, put in psychiatric asylums, sometimes killed. The
persecution is substantiated by the Soviet press itself. No Pentecostal
Union is allowed to exist in Russia. Notwithstanding, he invited a Soviet
delegation, consisting of Communist agents, to the World Pentecostal
Congress in London.
"We asked ourselves how a man baptized with the Holy Spirit could be so
blind to obvious facts? We now have a possible answer. Rev. Zimmerman has
allegedly misused hundreds of thousands of dollars belonging to the church.
The Internal Revenue Service is looking into this matter. (St. Louis Globe
Democrat of January 9, 1977).
"Cash was effective even with an apostle. Could this be one explanation
why some American Church leaders praise the nonexistent Soviet liberties and
turn against us?"
The Assemblies of God has rubbed shoulders with folks from the world
Council of Churches in activities like "Key '73" and now they are talking
the same line. The doctrines of separation have been neglected in Assembly
of God circles of late, so now Assembly of God people feel no convictions
about having fellowship with those atheistic communist agents.
Paul warned Timothy, "For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Timothy 4:3-4. He loved God,
the truth, and God's people enough to fight "doctrines of devils" and to
"contend for the faith." Would to God that charismatics had that kind of
love instead of this wishy-washy sentimental love that won't even contend
with the devil!
GOING TO LAW WITH BROTHERS
The "Largest charismatic fellowship in the world", the Assemblies of God,
does not follow the instruction found in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8. such terms as
"Full Gospel" and "all the Gospel" are a mockery when they pick out passages
of Scripture and ignore them.
1 Corinthians 6:1-8 is very plain: "Dare any of you, having a matter
against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do
you not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall
be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye
not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this
life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set
them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame.
Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? No, not one that shall
be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with
brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly
a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not
rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren."
Jesus made a plain statement on the matter, "But I say unto you, That ye
resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to
him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at law, and take away thy
coat, let him have thy cloak also." Matt. 5:39-40.
When our congregation became convinced of the worldly and compromising
trend in the Assemblies of God, we voted unanimously to eliminate all
reference to affiliation with the Assemblies of God from our Constitution
and By-laws. A year later, when we announced our independence, the New
York District Council of Assemblies of God sued our church. We offered to
have the matter settled in a Biblical manner before a panel of five
Christians. They have, as of this writing, made no reply to that offer and
continued the suit.
We offered to turn over all of the assets which our congregation owns to
the handful of dissidents that arose in our church, but it has been reported
that they intend to destroy us. It appears that someone does not believe
these precious verses of God's Word. "Recompense to no man evil of evil.
Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as
lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not
yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance
is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." Romans 12:17-19.
The Assemblies of God is saying that we are stealing the church from them.
That is strange since the deed is in our (the local congregation's) name.
But, be that as it may, Proverbs 20:22 says, "Say not thou, I will recompense
evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee." It seems that this
large group of charismatics doesn't believe that, just as they don't believe
other parts of the Gospel of Jesus.
FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN HAMMOND
I sat with a few thousand preachers in Pastor's School at First Baptist
Church in Hammond where Dr. Jack Hyles shares freely with fundamental pastors
how God has helped them grow in modern times. It is a church of 38,000
members and a high attendance of over 100,000. I saw Assemblies of God
pastors, and even Assembly of God District Officials, in attendance. In
fact, an Assemblies of God Official had recommended that I attend. I saw
1,000 come to Christ that Sunday morning. I saw love and excitement about
God's work. I heard straight, strong preaching. If my pentecostal
background hadn't told me differently, I would have thought that these
people believed in Holy Ghost power. I thought to myself, "If we are 'Full
Gospel' and this is a 'part Gospel' church, then what are we doing here
listening to them tell us how to do a great work for God. Why aren't they
asking us how we are doing it!"
I was told that the average Assembly of God Sunday School that year ran
80 in attendance. Here was a church with a Sunday School attendance of
over 100,000 on one Sunday! I decided that I would not be a smart alack
and just come home with gimmicks to promote the attendance and ideas for
Sunday School campaigns; I decided to have the powers that made that church
work. I cried and prayed and begged God for power as I saw the fruit born
in that church.
One night I prayed most of that night. In the basement of a member's
home of First Baptist Church, with men who were attending the Pastor's
School sleeping in cots all around me, I told God that I had to have
power to win souls. I told Him it didn't matter to me how He did it or
what accompanied it, but I wanted the power! I desperately wanted to
see souls saved. I had caught the vision of that church.
The next evening when Pastor Hyles preached on "Fresh Oil," he told
of the need of being filled with the Spirit and refilled over and over
again. He invited preachers who wanted Holy Ghost power to come to the
front for prayer. The aisles were jammed. I couldn't get out of the
balcony. Brother Hyles called on Spirit-filled pastors who were in the
audience to pray with those that couldn't get to the altar.
Pastor Ed Nelson stood at the end of my aisle. When it came my turn, I
told him, "I have the name that I am Spirit-filled, but I am not. Pray that
God will give me fullness of power." He prayed and I returned to my seat.
There was no thrill nor ecstasy - no outward evidence - only an inward
assurance that the Father will give the power of the Holy Spirit to them
that ask, and if I ask for bread, He will not give me a stone. I knew in my
heart that God had kept His promise.
The next morning I drove past the church and let some people off and then
parked the car a couple of blocks away. I was running down the street so
that I wouldn't be late. I didn't have a Bible in my hand; it was with the
group I had let off at church. I wasn't wearing a badge that identified me
as a minister or as attending Pastor's School. I probably didn't look as
much like a fundamental preacher as I do now. A big truck honked at me and
parked in traffic. A man got out and chased me, asking if I had something
to tell him. I stopped, somewhat out of breath (as much from the excitement
as from running), as the man asked me how to be saved. He said that something
just told him that he had to speak with me. I took out my New Testament and
led him to the Lord as his buddy in the cab of that big truck honked
impatiently because the truck was blocking traffic. That man bowed his head
there on the street and found Christ. He promised to attend First Baptist
Church that Sunday, make a public confession, and be baptized.
I had never had anyone chase me down, asking to be saved. A man fell
under conviction in a truck and ran me down to find Christ. I knew that God
had answered my prayer. Though I had always emphasized soul winning and had
won many souls, in the next six months I won more souls than I had in my whole
life. In the next three months, our church attendance averaged the highest we
had ever reached.
I must be honest and say that I allowed the battles of the next year to
discourage me. I became discouraged over an assistant pastor who worked
against me, over the bitterness I faced in my denomination, and over the
misunderstandings in my own family. But let me say, there is no joy like
the joy of a soul winner working in the power of the Spirit.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
I use to equate the fullness of the Spirit with speaking in tongues. But
I didn't speak with tongues that night at First Baptist Church. I simply
and desperately claimed God's promise. I was taught that if you didn't
speak with tongues you weren't filled with the Spirit. I find it hard to
say that Moody, Finney, Torrey, Rice, Hyles, and others of the world's
greatest soul winners were not filled with the Spirit. I remember the
evidence which Jesus promised to those who would be filled with the
Spirit: "But ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and
in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Power to witness
is what He promises and that is what we should expect.
Someone will ask, "What about tongues?" 1 Corinthians 14:19 says, "Yet
in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by
my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown
tongue."
1 Corinthians 12:28 indicates that tongues is the least of the ministries
in the church. Why should we elevate it to such prominence? The carnal
church at Corinth exalted speaking in tongues to the point that Paul had to
rebuke them because they loved to show off and "speak into the air" 1
Corinthians 14:9.
Paul asks a series of questions in 1 Corinthians 12:29-30 to which the
implied answers are "No!" One of these questions to which the answer is "No"
is, "Do all speak with tongues?" Why should we try to say that all do speak
with tongues when filled with the Spirit? Why should we belittle those who
don't speak with tongues? Why don't we seek power to win souls?
Why not let the Holy Spirit be the baptizer and do it His way rather than
our trying to tell him how it should be done. Why not be filled again and
again? We receive of His Spirit at salvation or we are none of His, but He
should fill or control us day by day (Acts 4:31). Let's seek to be endued
with power to win souls. Let's not tell God how to do it or what must
accompany this power. Let us ask and believe that we receive and we shall
have what God has promised. Let us not accept a cheap 20th Century
counterfeit of the New Testament enduement with power to witness.
8 REASONS WHY I CHOSE NOT TO BE A CHARISMATIC
To conclude, let me summarize my reason for choosing not to be a
charismatic.
1. I see what seems to me to be too much compromise of
doctrine and standards by charismatics in order that
they might achieve acceptance in the religious community.
2. I am convinced that many charismatics speak
psychologically-induced tongues rather than Spirit
empowered tongues and some may even speak in tongues by
the power of the devil.
3. I am sickened by the foolishness that goes on under the
pretense that it is the moving of the Holy Spirit.
4. I have observed that many sincere people who are hungry
for God's best are mislead into accepting poor sub-
stitutes for the fullness of the Spirit.
5. I see a blindness that seems to prevail among
charismatics about the importance of separation from
worldliness.
6. I find a mindless ecumenism that brings believers and
unbelievers together in an unequal yoke and makes
speaking in tongues the basis for fellowship.
7. I find a reluctance of charismatics to contend for the
faith once delivered unto the saints. It seems that since
this is not popular, charismatics neglect such Scriptural
defense of the faith and act as though doctrinal purity
is of little importance.
8. It seems that charismatics find it easy to ignore certain
portions of Scripture when those portions are inconven-
ient to follow. For example: the complete disregard
for 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 relative to taking your brother
to court.
My humble prayer is that many who are taken up with 'charismania' will
read this booklet and rethink their position and find the teaching and
practices the New Testament Christians followed.
I feel compelled to say a further word. My family, for the most part, is
either traditional pentecostals or charismatics. Now, I am neither. To me
the word "Pentecostal" means "Those that believe that speaking in tongues is
of such importance as to make it a main doctrinal distinction." They
believe that Biblical tongues are of two kinds: known languages and
ecstatic utterances. Pentecostals believe that speaking in tongues is the
evidence of baptism of the Holy Spirit and some Pentecostals make tongues
the evidence of salvation. I am not a Pentecostal then for I believe none
of that.
I do not believe that tongues is of such major importance as to make that
doctrinal distinction of our church. I do not believe that Biblical tongues
are ecstatic utterances but known languages imparted supernaturally by the
Holy Spirit. I believe that power to win souls - not tongues - is the
evidence of the fullness of the Spirit. I certainly do not believe that
speaking in tongues is the evidence of salvation.
A charismatic is one who stresses the gifts of the Spirit, especially the
gift of tongues. The Charismatic Movement is the most effective arm of the
ecumenical movement. Charismatics seem to make speaking in tongues the
basis for fellowship rather than making salvation the common grounds on
which Christians meet.
I have already stated my position on the Charismatic position. but where
does this put me with my family. I love them. They love me. We do not
jawbone each other over these matters. I thank God for Godly parents who
taught me to love the Lord and to trust in His gracious supply. My father
has been spared by God's gracious hand through cancer and five heart
attacks to continue to preach salvation by grace through faith. In that I
rejoice.
