by Nathan Busenitz
If someone were to ask me, “Are you a Charismatic/Continuationist?” I would answer, “No.” If I was then asked to explain why, in 100 words or less, my response would look something like the following:
I am convinced that the biblical gift of tongues was the supernatural ability to speak in authentic foreign languages that the speaker had not previously learned; AND that the gift of prophecy was the accurate proclamation of authoritative, inerrant revelation that the prophet received directly from the Holy Spirit; AND that the gift (or gifts) of healing resulted in the immediate, undeniable, and complete recovery of a sick or injured person at the hands of the healer.
I am equally convinced that those things are not currently happening in church history today.
Therefore, I am not a Charismatic.
If I were then given an additional 100 words to clarify, I would probably add these subsequent thoughts:
When Charismatics/Continuationists redefine tongues as a “spiritual language” which, in fact, is not an authentic foreign language; OR when they admit that their definition of prophecy allows for numerous errors and inaccuracies; OR when they excuse their inability to heal as a lack of faith on the part of the sick person; OR when they redefine the gift(s) of healing as an extension of James 5:13–18 . . .
I am convinced that, though they are using biblical terminology to describe their experiences, there is no true equivalence between their present practice and the authentic New Testament sign gifts.
HT: The Cripplegate
PDF Possibly related posts:
