POSTED ONLINE BY A BELIEVER:
RIVERFORUM
MacArthur paints with a really broad brush in this statement. What specific aspect of Charismatic Theology? Begs the question whether or not there even a unified Theology amongst charismatics.POSTED ONLINE BY A BELIEVER:
RIVERFORUM
Painting again with a characteristically broad brush, if MacArthur here is suggesting that speaking in tongues for example is not from the Spirit of God then he transverses dangerous ground. With such clear biblical support and evidence for the same, to suggest that it is not of God is drawing very near to the unpardonable sin - that of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
He needs to declare with specificity which practices he deems unbiblical or else his statement is useless.
- David danced so fervently before the ark of the lord that he became disrobed!
- Ezekiel laid on one side 390 days and lived off cakes of meal cooked over his own dung!
- Abraham walked his son up a mountain to sacrifice his son on an altar.
- Elijah was fed by ravens.
- Elisha told the king to dip 7 times in the Jordan.
- Joshua marched and blew trumpets.
- Balaam’s ass spoke to him.
- Even on the day of pentecost, the onlooking observers thought the 120 were drunk as they spoke with tongues. Peter had to correct them beginning “These men are not drunk as ye suppose…”
On what basis does this MacArthur claim he knows the ways of the Lord? Sometimes God DOES ask bizarre things of us and move us in bizarre ways. This minister seems very small minded indeed.
MacArthur's rhetoric reeks of obvious cessationism and a very poor understanding of scriptural teaching on spiritual gifts especially when pentecostalism in all forms represents over 644 million people globally who have experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit accompanied with the manifestation of speaking in tongues.
Cessationism is just willful ignorance and easily refuted with scripture and overwhelmed by personal testimonies of millions.
WHAT IS CESSATIONISM?
According to Wikipedia:
"(Cessationists hold) that the "sign gifts" (such as prophecy) described in the Bible were temporarily granted to the apostles to authenticate the origin and truth of the scriptures, and that at the close of the Apostolic Age these gifts had served their purpose and ceased to be granted."
Cessationism is essentially a bible believing Christian's attempt to rationalize their own experience not having received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and manifesting spiritual gifts. For centuries this experience and latter gifts were ignored, feared, and taught against by most mainline churches.
With the exception of certain pocket movements, and most certainly after 1900 with the explosion of American Pentecostalism after the Azusa Street revivals that launched so many denominations such as Church of God, Assemblies of God, UPC, PAW, ALJC, COGIC, and others, many denominational christians galvanized around cessationist teaching until many of their own constituents started experiencing similar experiences.
Various charismatic movements have even arisen WITHIN larger denominations like Catholic, Episcopalian, Methodist etc. This phenomenon has largely led to an easing and often a quiet reversal of cessationist dogma.
Cessationism is still found and taught however in various presbyterian movements, Evangelical Free, Southern Baptist, and other independent churches with inconsistency.
WHAT IS THE BASIS OF CESSATIONIST TEACHING?
The basis of the teaching begins with a misunderstanding of Paul's teaching to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 which states:
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
Despite the fact that Paul spends the ENTIRE previous chapter explaining spiritual gifts and how they are to operate in a church setting (Corinth was particularly challenged by keeping order), and the full next chapter as well on how to administrate prophesy and public address in tongues in church meetings, the cessationists point only to verse 8 and say:
"AHA! SEE! Tongues shall CEASE, meaning they were for then - that time, and now we don't need tongues to convince us of the Gospel."But wait, there is a precondition for cessation, "When that which is perfect is come..." To which they say:
"Exactly! That which is perfect HAS already come. The BIBLE. Once the Bible (in its current canon of course) was completed, these signs stopped. Those gifts happening today are not from God but from the devil or fake."
IS THAT TRUE? HAS SPEAKING IN TONGUES CEASED?
Hold on now! When they infer upon the text in line 10 "when that which is perfect is come" where does it say that this is "The Bible"?
No. Read closely. He talks about four things and only one of which (charity) endures after that which is perfect shall come:
- Charity (love)
- Prophesies
- Tongues
- Knowledge
IF the bible is "that which is perfect" then the cessationist has to also accept that:
1) prophesies have ceased (they are ok with this),
2)tongues have ceased (also ok with this), and
3) KNOWLEDGE has ceased.
Wait now, KNOWLEDGE? Is it true that when the Bible was completed that all Knowledge ceased? Daniel 12:4 certainly contradicts this and actually points us to the "end".
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
So until the time of the end, we should expect to see an increase in knowledge and human movement NOT a cessation of knowledge. And that we do!
On the day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost was first given and the sign of tongues first appeared, Peter had this to say about it after he commanded the Jews present to join them in the experience:
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
If the promise of the Holy Ghost is for all whom God calls, would it not stand to reason that this is still true today?
Or else, is God simply NOT CALLING PEOPLE? Of course He is!
Therefore, the promise is still active.
Just think about it logically...
When we are standing in heaven before Jesus on the other side of eternity, what use is prophesy or tongues when you can walk right up to Jesus and ask Him something?
What use will knowledge be of a world that is over and destroyed?
Love remains because LOVE endures as principally useful in eternity with God.
These other things (tongues, knowledge, prophesy) are designed for us during our temporal experience - while we live on earth as mortals and seek guidance and wisdom from our God.
We do not live in a world of perfection that has come.
The Bible exists as a guide for THIS broken world. Even the Bible we have has flaws in it by way of interpolations (see Johannine comma), mistranslations (Latin Vulgate), and even challenging contradictions (the order of events of the resurrection witnesses).
It's hardly perfect. Yet, it is what we have.
Rather Paul said "that which is perfect shall come" he was simply talking about SALVATION, our eternal redemption and reunion with God in perfect holiness and fellowship.
SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE FOR TODAY!
So, have prophesies and tongues ceased?
Well...only for those who reject/deny them.
For the rest of us who walk in the Spirit and in Truth, they endure and are the very spark and fire of the Holy Spirit of God in personal activity!
1 Corinthians 12:31
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
Paul exhorts us to eagerly seek these gifts from God and then goes on in chapter 13 about how administration of gifts is nothing without charity (love) because it is eternally enduring.
He is NOT saying that we should have love and neglect the Spiritual Gifts, rather he IS saying that we should seek to manifest Spiritual Gifts IN LOVE.
That's where the true power with God is.
Paul actually sums up the block of thought from chapters 12 and 13 in verse 14:1-22 where he states:
1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy...
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied...
22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe:
So YES we follow love AND we are to desire spiritual gifts! Even after he talked about tongues ceasing because he was illustrating the point that love is the enduring principle for manifesting the same, he exhorts the Corinthians to CONTINUE to desire and manifest the best Spiritual Gifts of GOD.
Tongues is given as a sign to show unbelievers that God is working in that person and manifesting Himself through them by Faith.
Apparently John MacArthur isn't getting the message.
Millions and Millions of Jesus-loving Christians can't ALL be wrong.
WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?
Because if one takes up the position that tongues and prophesies have ceased and YET it is still happening for millions of Jesus-loving Bible-believing Christians, then one is FORCED to draw the conclusion that such manifestations are either
- fake/acted
- mass hysteria/psychosis, or
- of spiritual origin other than God (evil or Satan)
22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
IT IS VERY DANGEROUS GROUND TO EVEN IMPLY THAT THE ACTS OF GOD ARE OF THE DEVIL. ESPECIALLY CONCERNING THE HOLY GHOST AND THE OPERATION OF HIS GIFTS!
According to Wikipedia
"John Fullerton MacArthur Jr. is an American Protestant pastor and author known for his internationally syndicated Christian teaching radio and television program Grace to You. He has been the pastor of Grace Community Church, a non-denominational church in Sun Valley, California since February 9, 1969. ...
MacArthur is a cessationist.... He is one of the most prominent voices in American Christianity against the continuationist beliefs of Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Movement, which assert that God continues to confer sign gifts today. MacArthur has written three books on the subject."