Page 65 - Pneumatology - A Study of the Holy Spirit

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Is being slain in the Spirit biblical?

Most commonly, being “slain in the Spirit” happens when a
minister lays hands on someone, and that person collapses to the
floor, supposedly overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Charismatics who practice slaying in the Spirit use Bible passages
that talk about people becoming “as dead” (Revelation 1:17) or of
falling upon their face (Ezekiel 1:28; Daniel 8:17-18, 10:7-9).
However, there are a number of contrasts between this biblical
falling on one's face and the practice of being slain in the Spirit.

1. The biblical falling down was a person's reaction to what he saw in a vision or an event beyond ordinary
happenings, such as at the transfiguration of Christ (Matthew 17:6). In the unbiblical practice of being slain in
the Spirit, the person responds to another’s touch or to the motion of the speaker's arm.

2. The biblical instances were few and far between, and they occurred only rarely in the lives of a few people.
In the slain in the Spirit phenomenon, falling is a repeated event and an experience that happens to many.

3. In the biblical instances, the people fall upon their faces in awe at either what or whom they see. In the
slain in the Spirit counterfeit, they fall backwards, either in response to the wave of the speaker's arm or as a
result of a church leader's touch (or push in some cases).

Unfortunately, people look to such bizarre counterfeits that produce no spiritual fruit, rather than pursuing
the practical fruit which the Spirit gives us for the purpose of glorifying Christ with our lives (Galatians 5:22-
23). Being filled with the Spirit is not evidenced by such counterfeits, but by a life that overflows with the
Word of God in such a way that it spills over in praise, thanksgiving, and obedience to God.

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What is glossolalia or speaking in tongues?

Glossolalia, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as “ecstatic utterances,” is
the uttering of unintelligible, language-like sounds while in a state of ecstasy.
Glossolalia is sometimes confused with xenoglossia, which is the biblical “gift of
tongues.” However, whereas glossolalia is babbling in a nonexistent language,
xenoglossia is the ability to speak fluently a language the speaker has never
learned.

Additionally, whereas xenoglossia is not an innate or natural ability, studies have shown that glossolalia is a
learned behavior. Research conducted by the Lutheran Medical Center demonstrates that glossolalia is
readily learned by following simple instructions. Correspondingly, it was found that students could exhibit
“speaking in tongues” in the absence of any indications of trance-like stupor or behaviors. Another test
conducted with sixty students showed that after listening to a one-minute sample of glossolalia, 20 percent
were able to imitate it precisely. After some training, 70 percent succeeded.

In just about every part of the world, glossolalia can be observed. Pagan religions all over the world are
obsessed with speaking in tongues. These include the Shamans in the Sudan, the Shango cult of the West
Coast of Africa, the Zoroastrian cult of Ethiopia, the Voodoo cult in Haiti, and the Aborigines of South America
and Australia. Murmuring or speaking gibberish that is construed to be deep mystical insight by holy men is

34 https://www.gotquestions.org/Spirit-slain.html - Used with permission
35 (https://www.gotquestions.org/glossolalia.html). - Used with permission
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