Page 64 - Pneumatology - Student Textbook

The movement takes its name from the Greek words charis, which is the
English transliteration of the Greek word for “grace,” and mata, which is
the Greek word meaning “gifts.” Charismata, then, means “grace gifts.” It
emphasizes the manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as a sign of
the presence of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are also known as the biblical
“charisms,” or spiritual gifts which supposedly give an individual influence
or authority over large numbers of people. The prominent gifts among
these “charisms” are speaking in tongues and prophesying. Charismatics
hold that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit given to those in the first-century church may still be
experienced and practiced today.

The Charismatic movement is most known for its acceptance of speaking in tongues (also known
as glossolalia), divine healing, and prophecies as evidence of the Holy Spirit. Most meetings are for praying
and spirited singing, dancing, shouting “in the spirit,” and raising hands and arms in prayer. Also, anointing
the sick with oil is often part of the worship service. These are the primary reasons for the movement’s
growth and popularity. While growth and popularity are certainly desirable, they cannot be used as a test
for truth.

The question remains: is the Charismatic movement scriptural? We can best answer that question this way:
we know that since the creation of mankind Satan’s insidious master plan has been simply to put a veil
between God’s children and God’s inerrant Word. It began in the Garden of Eden when the serpent asked
Eve, “Did God really

say. . .?” (Genesis 3:1), thereby raising doubt as to the authority and authenticity of what God had said.
Ever since that day, he continues to attack the inerrancy and sufficiency of the Bible. Without question, we
know that Satan has stepped up the pace of this strategy (1 Peter 5:8).

Today, we are witnessing a growing menace of demonic activity in the realm of the miraculous. Where
Satan does not succeed in taking the Bible from us, he works hard at taking us from the Bible. He does this
simply by getting Christians to focus their attention on the claims of men and women to some supernatural
experience. As a result, those who seek after the experiences of others have neither time nor interest in
searching the Scriptures for God’s truth. As in the case of this movement, experience trumps doctrine.

There is no denying that God performs miracles. Some of what occurs in the Charismatic movement very
well may be a true work of the Holy Spirit. However, the core truth is this: the Body of Christ does not need
new apostles, nor new faith healers, nor self-styled miracle workers. What the Church needs is to return to
the Word of God and proclaim the whole counsel of God in the power and love of the Holy Spirit
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Charismatic-movement.html).

If my experience is a validation of truth, then my experience validates itself. Truth becomes subjective to
each person’s experience. So, in effect, there is no universal truth, as truth is what each believer
experiences. This is a very dangerous philosophy. Neo-orthodox theologians claim that the Bible is true
only in the sense that it is true to you as you experience it. There is no absolute standard of truth. In taking
this position, all the major doctrines of the Bible are no longer valid for the church; they are valid to only
those who experience them.

This is the greatest danger in the Charismatic movement. Rather than studying the Scriptures to validate
their experiences, they use their experiences to interpret Scripture, even when the Bible clearly refutes
their practices. Let’s look at some questions we must ask about this movement.

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