False Signs of the Spirit

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 14:6-19

I. Introduction: Some claim that they have received the Holy Spirit because of various manifestations: speaking in unintelligible languages, ecstatic worship, or better felt than told experiences. Do these really testify of the Holy Spirit’s presence?

II. Unintelligible tongues

A. Bible tongues

B. Acts 2:4-8 – Tongues were languages This is the first use of tongues so the Bible writer defines it for us.

C. Modern Tongues

D. Unintelligible words

E. Not languages of man Linguists have analyzed many tapes of ecstatic utterances and concluded that they have no similarities to known languages and are unrecognizable among the multitude of languages they have studied.

F. The Bible condemns the use of such in the church

G. 1 Corinthians 14:6-12

H. If it does not make sense, it is useless It is babble to the hearer if it has no meaning1 Corinthians 14:23-25 – It is babble to the unbeliever The modern tongues have no semblance to real language

I. Are modern tongues the tongues of angels

J. The apostles did not speak in angel tongues on Pentecost for Acts 2 lists languages of men.

K. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

L. Paul exaggerates to make a point. Verse 3 in particular emphasizes the exaggeration; if Paul could do the mightiest of things, if he had no love it would be useless.

M. Man cannot speak the heavenly language

N. 2 Corinthians 12:4: “how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” When angels spoke to men they used human languages.

O. Not all speak in tongues

P. 1 Corinthians 12:30 – “Do all speak in tongues?”

Q. 1 Corinthians 14:5 – It is obvious that not everyone spoke in tongues

R. Tongues were inferior to prophecy unless they were interpreted so the hearers could be taught. In the modern tongues movement, most want to speak—and expect to speak—in tongues; it was not that way in the New Testament church.

S. Violation of 1 Corinthian principles in many churches

T. 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 – If no interpreter, let him keep silent

U. In some assemblies, the whole audience is speaking at once. Some speak without interpreters especially in the services where all are speaking at the same time.

V. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 – Women were not to take a leading role

W. Some charismatic churches are lead by women. Women were some of the most prominent people in the charismatic movement, such as Aimee Semple Mc Pherson and Kathryn Kuhlman.

III. Ecstatic worship

A. Many claim a feeling of “electricity”

B. Benny Hinn: “Then, like a jolt of electricity, my body began to vibrate all over…I felt the same shaking for another hour once inside [the revival]…I was shaking, but at the same time I again felt that warm blanket of God’s power wrapped all around me.” (Hinn, p.12-13)

C. Cane Creek Revival, 1801: “Conversion was quite literally a convulsion. Converts went through a series of bodily agitations:” (West, p.23)

D. The falling exercise – the subject would cry out then fall as if dead, laying around for many minutes or an hour. The jerks – violent body jerks one way then another; sometimes the person jerked so violently they would grunt; and that part was known as the barking exercise. The dancing exercise – Would start with the jerks then the subject would dance, sometimes all around the tent, until falling down exhausted. Laughter and singing exercise (All from West) We do not read of the jerks, falling exercises, laughing exercises, and the like in the scriptures. If it were not from God, where is it from?

E. Anton Mesmer practiced something similar

F. Mesmer was an occultist who worked with magnetism used techniques similar to modern faith healers and charismatic leaders to ‘heal’ his audiences. He made no claim to be a Christian“Mesmer marched about majestically in a pale lilac robe, passing his hands over patients bodies or touching them with a long iron wand. The results varied. Some patients felt nothing at all, some felt as if insects were crawling over them, others were seized with hysterical laughter, convulsions, or fits of hiccups. Some went into a raving delirium, which was called ‘the crisis’ and was considered extremely healthful. What was described is people feeling good, uplifted, felt a release and had a sense of well being from the experience.” (Let Us Reason Web site: “Slain in the Spirit.”) He did not claim to be a Christian but achieved the same results as the modern charismatic movements by the way he manipulated the service and, as a result, his audience.

G. Writing that compares the living service with the dead service

H. Benny Hinn: “The Holy Spirit became real…the Bible became alive…the Father was more real…Jesus became as real to me as the floor beneath my feet.” (Hinn, p. 13, 31).Benny Hinn: “Their faith is long on form, ritual, and dogma, but short on God’s anointing. The power is missing. And as a result, they have virtually no comprehension of what it means to hear from the Lord or to be ‘led by the Spirit’.” (Hinn, 37) William De Artega: “God loved the church so much that He would not allow it to remain in this error [those practicing spiritual gifts were considered heretics], no matter how satisfied most Christians felt about their theology or how content they were with formal religion…In the process certain graced individuals have had to reevaluate their stuffy theologies…and release long-suppressed spiritual gifts.” (De Artega, p. 14).

I. Worship must be decent and orderly, 1 Corinthians 14:40.

J. There is nothing decent and orderly about people jumping around and making a scene. Paul commands something different in 1 Corinthians 14:26-33.

IV. Experiences

A. No one was ever told to “experience” a feeling to validate God’s presence

B. We have His presence by promise

C. Romans 5:5 “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” We are not promised better told than felt experiences or uncontrollable ecstatic activity; these come from man.

D. Martin Luther: “[Some preachers in his day] confuse their own spirit with the Holy Spirit…they think they have swallowed the Holy Ghost feathers and all.” (Let Us Reason Web site, “Slain in the Spirit”)

E. John Calvin: “The fanaticism which discards the scripture, under the pretense of resorting to immediate revelations is subversive to every principle in Christianity. For when they boast extravagantly of the Spirit, the tendency is always to bury the word of God so they can make room for their own falsehood.” (ibid).

F. Why do people seek experiences

G. Some seek experiences because they are bored with regular worship yet they never think to examine themselves and whether they are truly giving themselves to God when they come to worship in the way He commanded.

H. The Corinthians were rich in spiritual gifts yet there were some of their number who, when observing the Lord’s supper were spiritually dead.1 Corinthians 11:30 “For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” If there is a problem, it is not with God’s way of worship, it is with us. Some see tongues and ecstatic experiences as a short cut to spirituality; no study of the Bible needed.

V. Common experiences among different religions

A. Wen-Amon in Byblos 1110 B.C. “Now while he was making offerings to his gods, the god seized one of his youths and made him possessed. And he said to him: ‘Bring up the god. Bring the messenger who is carrying him. Amon is the one who sent him out. He is the one who made him come.’ And while the possessed youth was having his frenzy on this night, I had already found a ship headed for Egypt.” Glossolalia by Jimmy Jividen, p. 60.

B. Origen (~185-255) “There are many who, although of no name, with the greatest facility and on the slightest occasion, whether within or without temples, assume the motions and gestures of inspired persons…for the purpose of attracting attention and exciting surprise…To these promises are added strange, fanatical, and quite unintelligible words, of which no rational persons can find the meanings for so dark are they, as to have no meaning at all; but they give occasion to every fool or imposter to apply them to suit his own purposes.” Glossolalia by Jimmy Jividen, p. 64

C. Plato on the Delphi Oracles: “Herein lies the reason why the Diety has bereft them of their senses, and uses them as ministers, along with soothsayers and godly seers: it is in order that we listeners may know that it is not they who utter these precious revelations while their mind is not within them, but that it is the God himself who speaks.” Ibid, p. 61

D. Islam

E. Regarding spiritual gifts, an Islamic evangelism guide suggests: “Islam has also used such methods [miraculous gifts/tongue speaking], specifically through Sufi groups approaching Western societies through the Ottoman expansion. It is effective with Westerners for some unknown reason, perhaps because of the aversion to reason so prevalent in Western religion. Some Muslims might consider to what extent Islamic healing practices might open avenues to make fruitful contacts. A full-blown charismatic approach, however, would merely be a capitulation to a popular trend in Christianity rather than the spread of Islam.” (from http://www.al-islam.org/invitationhowto/11.htm ) Sufi mysticism: “They perceived that the Sufi’s emphasis on experience as a superior source of truth, and their tendency to neglect legal prescriptions, could lead to the corruption of Muhammad’s religion. The use of dance for spiritual purposes has become one of the most distinctive characteristics of Sufism, though not all the orders observe it. The dance is…intended to plunge the dancer into a state of concentration upon Allah.” Elliot Miller; “Sufis: The Mystical Muslims.” http://www.arabicbible.com/christian/islam_revival_p3.htm) Sufi approach: “Meditation…and breathing exercises induce altered states of consciousness. As the natural mental barriers to psychic intrusion are broken down…the Sufi may see visions, hear the voices of angels and prophets, and gain from them guidance. It is a condition of joy and longing. And when this condition seizes on the ‘seeker,’he falls into ecstasy.” Ibid.

F. Religions in Africa, among the native Americans, Mexican Indians, and eastern religions are filled with ecstatic utterances in unknown languages, reports of miracles and healing, and worshippers lost in emotional frenzy yet none of these are associated with the Holy Spirit and Christ.

G. There is a charismatic movement within Catholicism (they have their own publications, web sites, etc.) and believe in the authority of the pope, pray to Jesus calling on Mary or other saints to help, and other doctrines. Some have written that the Holy Spirit influence has helped them appreciate the mass and their relationship with Mary, the mother of Jesus, on a deeper level.

H. We can look at the diverse Pentecostal and charismatic landscape and see many who claim the active power of the Holy Spirit in their lives and worship yet practice diverse things.

I. 1 Corinthians 12:4-5 “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.” Ephesians 4:3-6 “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”1 Corinthians 1:4-10 – Though led by the Spirit, they were to be unified We cannot say that the one Spirit, who revealed one faith, is pleased by so many who are not of the same mind, and are not speaking the same thing. Which one is really being led by the Spirit and, thus, correct in its practice?

VI. Experiential religion becomes a double-edged sword because on what basis will you condemn practices in others that you yourselves practice?

A. The frenzied worship, indecipherable tongues, and individual ecstatic loss of control were foreign to the New Testament church so one cannot compare the New Testament church to pagan religions.

B. If a person wants to defend these practices, they must effectively refute the reasons why another person’s identical practice is fraudulent.

C. One cannot go to the Bible for defense for:

D. The practices were foreign to the New Testament church. The spiritual gifts that did exist passed away, as prophesied, when the apostles died and history supports that fact. Therefore, one’s defense must be subjective. Here is the double-edged sword: if it cannot be defended with scripture and the only defense is one’s subjective feelings, there is not valid reason to refute the experience of the Muslim, Catholic, Cybilline Oracle, African medicine man, New Age practitioners, or any other religion that encourages ecstatic experience.

VII. Sources:

VIII. De Artega, William. Quenching the Spirit. Creation House: Lake Mary, FL: 1992.

IX. Hinn, Benny. Good Morning, Holy Spirit. Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville: 1990.

X. West, Earl Irvin. The Search for the Ancient Order , Vol. 1. Gospel Advocate Company, Nashville: 1949.