Just a question

Calvinist Dark Lord said:

Usually when pressured for my view on this issue, i use a standard reply:

"i once had the Charismatic disease, but God miraculously healed me."


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...which tells the questioner exactly nothing.


Since i'm not known here (ah, screen names, how useful), i will say that i do not consider myself to be charismatic...however i can find no biblical evidence to suggest that the Charisma have passed away. The two must be separated.

In recent years the Charismatic movement has been "taken over" by elements that are of doubtful doctrine. Some are outright heretical. It is not belief in the continuation of the charisms that makes one a charismatic. There are other issues involved.

Prior to joining my present denomination, i was part of what i call (lovingly!) Charismatic Wacko Church. These were people who were Calvinists and Charismatics...and were also part of the Shepherding movement in the late 70's - early 80's. One of our elders was a graduate of a well known Reformed Presbyterian Seminary in this area.

Oddly enough the majourity view in eschatology in that congregation was amillenial.

i've seen plenty of abuses, and been the recipient of some. One time the leadership of that church had become convinced (due to the efforts of a crazy spinster in the congregation) that i was possessed by a "Demonic Spirit of Intellectualism", and wanted to do an exorcism.

The church had commissioned me to do an exegetical study of the "proof texts" of the ICoC doctrine of baptismal regeneration, because our congregation had been troubled by Church of Christ "Evangelists" who were trying to "get us water baptised in their church and saved".

As some of you may know, i read, write, and teach New Testament Greek. (never mind where, too much personal info that). In the course of studying my material, i discovered passages that disproved the standard Charismatic and Pentacostal teaching that the "Baptism of the Holy Ghost" is a second (in time) work of Grace. i presented my findings to the congregation in my report (copies of which still exist today). It was THEN determined that i had a Demonic Spirit of Intellectualism. Interesting debate technique that.

After arguing back and forth with the leadership, and vainly hoping that they would be convinced by reasoning from the scriptures, i submitted...WITH ONE CONDITION.

i demanded to first lay hands on them and cast out a Demonic Spirit of Religious Error

Needless to say i wasn't long for that church. It passed away a few years later.

Moral of the story?

Even good men can go badly wrong, and so can any of us.

Submitted for your consumption

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