You’re certainly right and considering there are reportedly 500 million Pentecostals and charismatics across virtually every denomination and country then why should we be surprised. Then we have the well-intended opinions, where we have developed less than perfect doctrines and practices; of course there is the outright abuse and deception as well. Of course I could very easily be summarising Paul’s letters to the various churches that he planted and then there’s the hard-core cessationist elements.
As for those whom you’ve met that have claimed that they were faking tongues, you must be well travelled as my 40 years in Pentecostal and charismatic circles from memory, has only produced one very embarrassed and frustrated Spanish speaking Bible college student who sang in Spanish during times of free praise and worship. Now to his credit, he wasn’t claiming that he was singing in tongues so he probably wasn’t doing anything wrong. Hopefully he eventually got over his emotional blockage where he could eventually pray in tongues. I have certainly met some new and inexperienced Christians who have wondered if they were speaking in tongues or in human syllables but these people tend to quickly sort themselves out. There are certainly a few who might ‘try and help the Spirit’ by saying things such as ‘i-am-a-honda’ over and over but these but these people are also quickly encouraged/counselled to stop getting in the way of the Spirit.
Since you are also one of them, what is the chance that one of your own is going to tell you that she faked it? LOL, no. That would sort of defeat the purpose, wouldn't it? Then you would know that they aren't as "holy" as you are, or that's the way they seem to think.
If your church teaches that the evidence of having received the HS is speaking in tongues, and you aren't speaking in tongues, then obviously, you haven't received the HS.
And no one wants to be left out of the group...
And we also have the many thousands of testimonies from both cessationists and ex-cessationists who have said that their congregations have used either coercion or even threats if they move into the things of the Spirit, or we're they dare go outside of their circles for prayer over some sickness; does this mean that all cessationists employ coercion or threats?
I have no idea what a "cessationist" is supposed to be...but I've never, ever heard anyone being warned not to move into the things of the Spirit or not to go outside of their circles for prayer.
I am very sorry if you've ever encountered such.
You definitely have yourself in a bit of a self-induced cessationist bind as we are also warned against false teachers, so you should probably avoid any churches that contain teachers or for that matter who even teach; and it goes on and on where the only safe option is to stay home and lock our doors. Keep to the Word, it’s the only safe option.
I'm not sure if that is meant to be sarcastic or not...the bit about locking my door does sound as if you are trying to mock me. However, you are right about one thing. Keeping to the Word is, indeed, the only safe option.
Maybe you should broaden your horizons a bit more.
Always good advice. Thank you.
When I gave my heart to the Lord I was only a teenager where my foundations were within a cessationist congregation, not that I understood much of this at the time but I did start to notice that even though there were some very nice people in my circles, there were many not so nice people and in my opinion some very cold and very un-nice people. This was before satellite news and the Internet (but post-colour TV) so it wasn’t so easy to see what was happening around the world; this meant that the only contrast to what I was seeing around me was in the Word. I started to notice an ‘apparent’ discrepancy between what was seeing in my circles with what happened back in the so called Bible days. Anyway, once I left school I encountered some charismatics where I quickly met hundreds of people who had a fervency for the Lord that I had not seen before along with a huge amount of nice people, and of course, I still came across some not so nice people – but such is life.
I am happy for you that you met so many good people. Now, I have also met several good people who have a fervent desire for the Lord, and who live to do His Will. Yes, I even know a charismatic preacher that I believe is authentic, even if he is a tad naive. He is a wonderful man of God, and one who will always be poor... Why? Because he gives everything away. His congregation is forever hitting him up for money...and he's always giving it to them.
I've had him to my house for dinner a few times...I mean, the guy's got to eat, fapeetsakes...
So my point is that we need to avoid looking at the world around us and keep to the Word. When I consider the constant troubles that Paul went through with the churches of his day, he could probably be forgiven if he wanted to go and live in a secluded cave with a Do Not Enter sign on his door.
I sometimes wonder...if Paul could see what we have made of the church in the 2000 or so years since Christ, what would he think? Perhaps he would wish that he had gone to live in that secluded cave...
The more knowledgeable Pentecostal or charismatic would know that when the Spirit prays through us within the congregational setting or during times of private prayer that he does not ever do so in a known human language. Now even though my tongue sounds similar (and only similar) to French I know full well that it is not a human language, where scholars will often say that tongues is “language-like but not language”.
Is this so that the devil won't be able to understand your prayers? I have heard some charismatics say so.
Paul himself has been very careful to never equate tongues with human languages which is evidenced by his use of “species of tongues” (1Cor 12:10) and in 13:1 he carefully describes how he speaks in both a human tongue and an angelic tongue where he employs γλῶσσα glossa and not the Greek διάλεκτος dialektos for this purpose, as Luke did in Acts 2:8 where the spokesman for the crowd said “we hear them in our own (dialektos) languages”.
What did Paul actually say?
Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Corinthians 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Notice that in each of these verses, Paul is NOT saying that he does have or do these things...but only IF he did, but did not have charity...we would say love...none of them would be worth anything.
IF he spoke in the tongues of men and angels, but did not have love, he would be nothing more than a bunch of annoying noise...
As everyone always has full control of their faculties and emotions then what you are witnessing is obviously hype and foolish emotion, which is often produced for the likes of “GOD”TV; they know that this will sadly attract the less astute Pentecostal and charismatic – and yes, they are among us.
I see we share the same opinion of "GOD" TV. You know, if you ever got to know me, you might find out I'm not such a bad ol' lady after all...
May I suggest that you avoid Youtube (along with the erratic antics of the various Todd Bentley’s) and allow yourself to experience the harmonious and joyful praise of Christians in a prayer-group; now that’s generally something to behold!
I don't really watch Youtube too much...till very recently, the laptop I was using had no speakers. Most of what I've seen of the charismatic movement I've seen in various churches. There is one near here called "New Beginnings"...well, I don't think you'd be any more pleased than I am with that bunch. And it is quite a large church for this small town. Of course, they always seem to have a lot of folks from out of town in their parking lot...
I agree, as do countless millions of others.
Yes. But again, the people who are involved in it are quite serious. In this little Alabama town where I live, being "slain in the spirit" is very popular.
These stories tend to bemuse me, by the way, did their heads spin around and around while smoke was pouring out of their ears? I did see this on in a movie once so I was wondering if we’re talking about the same movie.
My friends are dead. That is nothing to mock at.
It's been a very, very long time ago...