The False Use of Speaking In Tongues The majority of the world is in error today, rejecting the Lord Jesus as their Savior. Jesus warned that, Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matt. 7:13-14) The popular trend is to choose the wide road that leads to destruction. The matter can only be settled by Gods Word. Many, seeing the great numbers, spectacles and seeming success of the Charismatic movement are greatly impressed by it. Jesus, in Matthew 7:13-29, warned of false prophets who would come in sheeps clothing, but would inwardly be raving wolves. Christ went on to say that at the Final Judgment of the lost, many would stand before Him and plead that they had done many wonderful things in Christs name and yet Jesus would say to them, that they were workers of iniquity! (Matt. 7:21-23) This should make each of us consider the matter in a sober and honest way. One reason the matter is so important is that many dear souls who are seeking the Lord are hearing the Gospel mixed with error! Further, sincere Christians are robbed of their maturity in Christ and the true blessings of salvation by being channeled into the emotion based tongues movement. They are taught to seek emotional experiences instead of true spiritual growth. They are taught that worship and communication with God, to be meaningful, must be accompanied by physical and emotional experiences such as raising hands in the air, speaking in tongues and falling out in the spirit and a host of other extreme actions. Their worship or praise is plainly directed towards participants experiencing a type of spiritual high. The most recent phenomenon is the so called laughing revival where the participants in the meetings break out in uncontrollable laughter under the spirit. This modern so-called worship is basically the same as practiced in pagan oriental mysticism in which a persons consciousness is elevated towards some deep spiritual ecstasy. The New Testament gives no example of any such activities or of modern tongues practices. The opposite is true in biblical worship where the worship is directed towards God, not the emotions of supposed worshiper. The Bible shows that worship is always respectful and orderly. For the many Charismatics, their prayer life is one of praying in ecstatic speech without their understanding. Prayer is thus reduced to an emotional experience instead of pouring out their hearts in thanksgiving and presenting their petitions and supplications to the Lord. Those who pray in tongues do not even know what they are praying. The services of the tongues movement are completely opposite of what the Bible teaches concerning worshiping God. They come to receive a blessing from the service, instead of coming to lift up other believers and worship the Lord as the Bible teaches. The worship of these churches is little more than a form of entertainment with an emotional experience, not unlike what happens in a musical rock concert. One example of this came from a Pentecostal pastor and friend, often expressed his frustration over the poor attendance at his tongues speaking church. His church was small, with limited finances and could not compete with the larger churches in their music programs and special big name speakers. Even though he had been misled about what was true biblical tongues, I believed he truly loved the Lord and he did not emphasize the matter of tongues and miracle healings. His church, in time failed and he becoming disillusioned and fell by the wayside and out of the ministry. The road of the Charismatic movement is littered with the thousands of lives it has wrecked. When the emotion created by the Charismatic services runs out, the participants are left empty inside and become castaways on the great sea of Charismatic confusion. For a while it seems great, but like any emotional experience. . .it does not last. As John 4:24 clearly states, those that worship the Lord must do so in spirit and truth. Only living and worshiping in Gods truth brings true, lasting spiritual peace and joy; God only blesses the truth. Because of the popularity and seeming success of the tongues movement, many pastors of Bible believing churches are being pressured to adopt an ecumenical philosophy. The compromise is expressed as, It’s okay, we are both Christians and although we disagree on some things we can still have spiritual fellowship and it is not really all that important. This act of human rationalization denies Gods word and condones false teaching, thereby supporting error. How can a man be led to Gods truth by someone who does not think that truth is important? Is truth that is compromised and mixed with error is truth? When biblical errors in the tongues movement are condemned, many respond to this call for purity in doctrine with the adage, Well, at least some are getting saved. A false gospel is a lie and does not and cannot save. A church whose foundational doctrine is based in error does not have the blessing of God. Almost every tongues speaking church denies the biblical doctrine of the eternal security of the believer which declares that “once saved always saved.” Denying the eternal security of the believer denies the very heart of the Gospel; a man is saved by Gods grace through faith and not of his good works. The Bible teaches that man cannot save himself or keep himself saved by good works (Eph. 2:8-9). It is a false Gospel that teaches that once saved, a child of God can lose their salvation and that God will reject His own child. These church also teach that one can not only lose their salvation, but it they repent they can once again be saved. This plainly contradictions Hebrews 6:4-6. Many, in defense of the tongues movement, refer to its great success as proof that it is of God. Jesus in Matthew 24:24, speaks of the rise of false prophets who would come with great wonders and signs and if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Although this verse is a reference to the beginning of the coming seven-year Tribulation, it clearly teaches that Gods elect can be deceived by powerful and charismatic leaders. The deceivers and false teachers of the spirit of the Antichrist are in the world today as stated by John in 1 John 2:18. The truth of the matter does not rest with its popularity or outward success, but on what saith the Lord. The Bible, which is Gods very word, is the only authority by which we can know what is Gods truth and what is error. “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” (Hebrews 6:4-6) Another mark of the Charismatic movement is its ecumenical agenda of seeking to bring all Christians together on equal ground without regard to doctrinal purity. Doctrinal and biblical truth takes a back seat with the Charismatics and Pentecostals, behind emotion, experience and coming together. For example, unbiblical churches such as the Roman Catholic Church, who practice heresy and a works system of salvation, are treated as equals with Bible believing New Testament churches who preach salvation by grace alone, through faith. It is God Himself, through the Holy Spirit, that convicts men and draws them to salvation. God will not use error or false teachers to accomplish His work. God will only use His truth; it is against His very nature to do otherwise. A dominate theme of tongues speakers is to promote what is termed the health and wealth gospel. This unbiblical teaching promises health and wealth to those who receive Christ. However, it is conditional on giving financially to support a church or ministry. It distorts biblical teaching of giving into a give to get scheme, in which a person supposedly invests seed money with God who then gives materially to the giver. This false gospel has made multi-millionaires of many Charismatic and Pentecostal preachers. It is used by most radio and TV ministers who cunningly deceive their audiences with the get rich or healing scheme. Pastor Rubin Wilson
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 11:18:08 +0000
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