Page 64 - Pneumatology - A Study of the Holy Spirit

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 has continued 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.

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 only for 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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