PENTECOSTALISM VS INTELLECTUAL CHRISTIANITY
1 Corinthians 14:1-5
Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
This portion of scripture is full of POWER and LIFE. The western church today is so inflamed with division that many fail to gravitate to passages such as these. THIS POWER of the Holy Spirit to the body of Christ is limited on two major fronts…. 1) Pentecostalism, 2) Intellectual Christianity
1) Pentecostalism has poisoned the watering hole in several ways: CHAOS is the opposite of ORDER! Paul lays out strict guidelines on how these gifts are to be administered in the church, and he goes on to say that failure to do so will have costly effects…
“Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?”-1 Corinthians 14:23
And this is not what what many in the Pentecostal church have enforced, on the contrary, the very opposite. They believe they have something the other churches don’t so they pursue reckless abandonment in the name of “holiness”. Because of their lack of discernment and their gratifications of the flesh much of the simplicity that is in Christ will remain hidden from them. Their glorification of themselves over Christ is the very opposite of what these gifts of the Holy Spirit were intended to do, and that is to bring glory to Christ that we may walk by faith in Him.
2) Intellectual Christianity is just as deadly as Pentecostalism. The wisdom and power of God is foolishness to men. These are the ones who rise above spiritual gifts in the name of “intellect”. The supernatural is not necessary for their knowledge of scripture has already superseded any need of revelation and dependency on His Spirit . And they are quick to use the chaos of the Pentecostals to denounce these scriptures. Like little spiritual Einsteins they have calculated the Grace of God to a manageable formula. They treat prophecy with contempt, and thus quench the Spirit’s fire. One of their leaders on the forefront is John MacArthur. He has removed scriptures from 1 Corinthians and proclaims the church in Corinth were speaking a demonic tongues. Another heresy to go with His “Lordship Salvation”. Again, the simplicity that is in Christ will remain hidden in the absence of the truth. If we neglect scriptures such as these we neglect the Lord Jesus Christ Himself for HE IS THE WORD!!
Conclusion:
“Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts”!! That about says it all!! And one more thing before I conclude this presentation... and that is to always be on your guard for the subtleties of our enemy. These divisions are not apart from his influence. He was a liar from the beginning and he knows that divisions such as these will limit the effectiveness of the church. So let us not be unaware of His schemes, but let us walk in a GRACE that is SUFFICIENT and always test the spirits!!.
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
I’m not a Pentecostal and I’m too stupid to be an intellectual, just a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ who speaks in tongues. So many Christians who speak in tongues are afraid to address the John MacArthurs of this world for fear they may be looked down upon, but we are not of those who drag our fear around like a blanket!! NO!! We are of those who were purchased by the PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST!!
Grace and Peace…..
1 Corinthians 14:1-5
Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
This portion of scripture is full of POWER and LIFE. The western church today is so inflamed with division that many fail to gravitate to passages such as these. THIS POWER of the Holy Spirit to the body of Christ is limited on two major fronts…. 1) Pentecostalism, 2) Intellectual Christianity
1) Pentecostalism has poisoned the watering hole in several ways: CHAOS is the opposite of ORDER! Paul lays out strict guidelines on how these gifts are to be administered in the church, and he goes on to say that failure to do so will have costly effects…
“Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?”-1 Corinthians 14:23
And this is not what what many in the Pentecostal church have enforced, on the contrary, the very opposite. They believe they have something the other churches don’t so they pursue reckless abandonment in the name of “holiness”. Because of their lack of discernment and their gratifications of the flesh much of the simplicity that is in Christ will remain hidden from them. Their glorification of themselves over Christ is the very opposite of what these gifts of the Holy Spirit were intended to do, and that is to bring glory to Christ that we may walk by faith in Him.
2) Intellectual Christianity is just as deadly as Pentecostalism. The wisdom and power of God is foolishness to men. These are the ones who rise above spiritual gifts in the name of “intellect”. The supernatural is not necessary for their knowledge of scripture has already superseded any need of revelation and dependency on His Spirit . And they are quick to use the chaos of the Pentecostals to denounce these scriptures. Like little spiritual Einsteins they have calculated the Grace of God to a manageable formula. They treat prophecy with contempt, and thus quench the Spirit’s fire. One of their leaders on the forefront is John MacArthur. He has removed scriptures from 1 Corinthians and proclaims the church in Corinth were speaking a demonic tongues. Another heresy to go with His “Lordship Salvation”. Again, the simplicity that is in Christ will remain hidden in the absence of the truth. If we neglect scriptures such as these we neglect the Lord Jesus Christ Himself for HE IS THE WORD!!
Conclusion:
“Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts”!! That about says it all!! And one more thing before I conclude this presentation... and that is to always be on your guard for the subtleties of our enemy. These divisions are not apart from his influence. He was a liar from the beginning and he knows that divisions such as these will limit the effectiveness of the church. So let us not be unaware of His schemes, but let us walk in a GRACE that is SUFFICIENT and always test the spirits!!.
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
I’m not a Pentecostal and I’m too stupid to be an intellectual, just a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ who speaks in tongues. So many Christians who speak in tongues are afraid to address the John MacArthurs of this world for fear they may be looked down upon, but we are not of those who drag our fear around like a blanket!! NO!! We are of those who were purchased by the PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST!!
Grace and Peace…..
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