by David J. Stewart | March 2016
Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
I have a handy little book by Dr. John R.
Rice titled, “The Charismatic Movement.” The book has 248 pages. I bought
them years ago at a clearance sale from the Sword Of The Lord for $1.95
each. I bought a bunch of them and gave most of them away. By the way, you
can buy some awesome Bibles, books, sermons, et cetera, at
Sword Clearance Sales.
If you'd like to get a copy of The Charismatic Movement, check
Amazon.com.
Here is a quote from The Charismatic Movement, on pages 139-140...
III. False Prophets, Evil Spirits, Continually Try To Mislead God's People
Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matt. 7:15). And He says that after death:
“. . .Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” —Matt. 7:22-23.
So evidently there are preachers and leaders in religion who themselves are unsaved and have never known Christ and we are to beware of them.
Paul was troubled because in the churches which he had founded there came in false prophets with evil doctrines. And he said:
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” —II Cor. 11:13-15.
We would be foolish if we did not take to heart such solemn warnings. Not everyone who claims to be for God and the Bible can be trusted. And not everybody with a smiling face and a testimony for Christ is really right in doctrine.
We are warned in I Timothy 4:1:
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”
So some do depart from the faith, and all of us need to be watching.
Second Peter 2:1,2 says:
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.”
Ah, here we have it again. There are false workers, false prophets, and many will follow their pernicious ways. We do not believe that everyone who is led astray by false teachers is intentionally wicked. Sometimes they are simply naive, not well-founded in the Scriptures, and so easily led astray.
In I John 4:1 we are commanded to be on guard:
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
Do these lessons apply to the Charismatic Movement? I am sure the warnings are needed in this movement, because if the unconverted and false cults and heathen religions, unconverted modernists and Catholics and immoral people sometimes talk in tongues, we would be advised to search carefully to see that we be not misled and do not go along with other false cults in this matter.
SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, The Charismatic Movement, pp. 139-140; Sword Of The Lord publishers, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, ©1976; ISBN: 0-87398-101-4.
My friend, the speaking-in-tongues which occurs in today's apostate Pentecostal and Charismatic churches is of the Devil. Many pagan religions also speak in tongues, which is demonic. The gift of “tongues” in the Bible dealt with established, known, earthly, languages. Thus, the “gift” of tongues must be differentiated from the “miracle” of tongues.
The miracle of “tongues” in Acts chapter 2 and elsewhere in the New Testament was always initiated by God, never by man. In sharp contrast, today's demonic speaking-in-tongues is done at will, for entertainment purposes. In the Bible, the miracle of tongues was ALWAYS used only for the purpose of preaching the Gospel to the lost. And in fact, the 16 different ethnic groups present on the Day Of Pentecost “HEARD” the Gospel in their own native tongues. The Bible never says that Peter spoke different tongues. Peter only preached in his native language, probably Greek, but the thousands of people present from dozens of different nations all heard the Gospel preached in THEIR OWN TONGUE...
Acts 2:8-11, “And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”
This is vastly different than the nonsensical jibber-jabber called “speaking-in-tongues” that happens in weird churches today.
You'll also find that oftentimes such unbiblical tongues-speaking religious groups are led by a female. Women preachers are unbiblical, because it is forbidden for women to speak with authority in the church. To do so is shameful.
I have heard false prophets, like Creflo Dollar (a multi-millionaire religious con man), teach that God is instructing the church how to speak-in-tongues in 1st Corinthians 14. This is untrue! In fact, the church at Corinth was carnal and immature according to 1st Corinthians 3:1. The Apostle Paul rebukes the worldly church in his first Epistle to them. Paul is rebuking the carnal church for trying to imitate the miracle of tongues at Pentecost. This foolishness was confusing people. You see, they meant well, but they were ignorant of the truth. It was God Who initiated the miracle of tongues at Pentecost, so that the thousands of people could hear the Gospel in their own native language.
The Bible says in Acts 2:41 that 3,000 souls were saved in one day! Amen! Kindly, evangelists Ray Comfort, Paul Washer and David Cloud would suspect most of those were false professions of faith! This Bible verse alone proves that thousands of people can be saved in one day. Obviously, getting saved didn't require making a full surrender to serve Christ, nor forsake sinful behavior, nor make Jesus Lord of their life! They simply heard the Gospel message and believed it!!!
It certainly wouldn't fit the context on 1st Corinthians to say that Paul shifted gears in chapter 14 and is now teaching them how to speak-in-tongues. No, rather, Paul was rebuking them and teaching them the proper way to exercise the “gift” of tongues. The truth is plain to see if we simply read and take the Bible at face value...
1st Corinthians 14:27: “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.”
Clearly, Paul is talking about speaking in different KNOWN languages within the church. He says to use an interpret (someone skilled in translating one known language into another known language). This is the “gift” of tongues, not the “miracle” of tongues. This wasn't some insane unknown gibberish which required some Spirit-filled person to interpret privately. The demonic speaking-in-tongues which exists in carnal churches today is neither a gift nor a miracle. It is wickedness!!!
Remember, when the miracle of tongues occurred in Acts chapter 2, no interpreter was needed, because the Holy Spirit worked a miracle, so that everyone present could HEAR the Gospel preached in their own native tongue. No one spoke in some unknown jibber-jabber. How much clearer could the Bible be that the modern tongues movement is of the Devil!!!
To clarify, there are three different types of tongues being addressed here.
(1) The miracle of tongues at Pentecost (Acts 2) and in Acts 10 and 19.
(2) The gift of tongues in 1st Corinthians 12,13 and 14.
(3) The demonic fraud of tongues in carnal churches today.
The Bible plainly teaches that God no longer speaks to people today through visions, dreams or a word of knowledge, as he did in Bible times. Many Old Testament saints (e.g., Jacob, Joseph and Daniel) received dreams from God, to communicate truth to them. God warned the wise men not to return to Herod by use of a dream.
Albeit, today God only speaks to men through the Word of God, the Holy Bible. The written Word of God reveals the living Word of God, Who is Jesus Christ according to John 1:1-3,14 and Revelation 19:13. Anyone, like Ellen G. White of the Seventh-day Adventists, who claims to receive private visions or truth from God, is of the Devil...
2nd Peter 1:20, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”
Hebrews 1:1-2, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.”
If you were to remove women leaders from the Charismatic Movement, it would practically vanish overnight. Scripturally, women are not even supposed to debate doctrine in the church. Evidently, they had this problem back in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul, in the same chapter, teaches Christian ladies to keep quiet and ask their own husband questions at home...
1st Corinthians 14:35, “And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”
There is nothing more shameful than Melissa Scott, Joyce Meyer, Catherine Booth, and the horde of rebellious women filling pulpits today worldwide and of the past. Meddling women are rebellious women! No God-fearing pastor would ever tolerate a meddling secretary opening his mail and interfering with his responsibilities. No church secretary ought ever comment on the length of her pastor's Sunday morning sermon. A secretary does only what she is told, or she's fired!
The Charismatic Movement is of the Devil—with their speaking-in-tongues heresy, and their damnable doctrine that salvation can be lost, and their well-documented fraudulent healing meetings! I'm talking about the Assemblies Of God. I'm talking about Victory Outreach! I'm talking about Pentecostal churches! I'm talking about Oral Roberts, Bill Hamon, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Mike Murdoch, Pat Robertson, Peter Popoff and thousands more like them, all of the Devil!
May I truthfully say, if you believe that the gift of eternal life can be lost or returned, you have never been born-again by the Holy Spirit of God. A person who believes that salvation can be lost, has the wrong mindset that the life they live (or don't live) can affect their salvation's status with God. Such thinking adds works (human effort) to the grace of God. The Devil loves to con people into believing that eternal life is a free gift that must be labored for to receive. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born-again.
I have spoken with Charismatics, who could quote the King James Bible well. They had a zeal for God. It seemed impossible that they could actually be lost and on their way to Hell with such zeal, love of God, loyalty to their church, Bible knowledge and good testimony. Yet, Satan himself quoted the Scriptures to Eve, and to Jesus. Cornelius loved God, tithed, fasted and prayed to God in Acts chapter 10, but he was a lost religious man. I have heard unsaved Roman Catholic priests make profound theological insights and statements. Yet, they were all hellbound! Judas was one of Christ's very own chosen Apostles, but went to Hell forever.
That which glitters is not always gold my
friend. Hell is filled with morally upright people, religious people, and
honest people; but they died in their sins without ever having been
born-again by faith alone in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. As
difficult is that may be to wrap your finite brain around, it is THE TRUTH!
We find a sincere group of religious people in Matthew 7:21-23, as Dr. John
R. Rice (1895-1980) just pointed out, who preached in Jesus' precious name,
and did many wonderful works, yet the Lord said the most horrifying words to
them... “I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY”! So
you see, you can be the most devoted religious person in all the world, and
yet still go to burn in the Lake of Fire for all eternity without end!!!
Beware Of False Prophets!
Phooey on the Charismatics with their salvation
by works, who say that eternal life can be lost if you have not works! They
are liars!!! Phooey on the Charismatics with their money-making,
thrill-seeking, spectacularized, entertainment, fraudulent,
speaking-in-tongues. If a law was passed that forbade making money off
speaking-in-tongues, it would disappear overnight! It's all a big fraud of
the Devil, where people are seeking fulfillment in the spectacular. The
Christian life is mundane, doing what you are supposed to do day-in and
day-out (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The heresy of speaking-in-tongues is a
diversion from winning souls to Jesus Christ. The miracle of tongues in the
Bible was always to get others saved, not turn it into a money-making
sideshow attraction!
Millions of victims have been deceived by the fraudulent healing crusades of Dr. Wayman Mitchell.[1] He founded the Potter's House ministries. The individual churches of the Potters House also use other names, including: The Door, Victory Chapel, Christian Center, Crossroads Chapel and La Puerta. They all speak-in-tongues of the Devil. They all teach that eternal life can be lost. They all attend fake healing meetings of the Devil, where participants fall backwards and are allegedly healed of their afflictions. It's all a big hoax! Why do people fall for such demonic deception? It is because humans are prone to believe whatever is right in front of them, regardless of how false it may be. As Dr. Rice evidenced, the Bible teaches that demons (evil spirits) work through false prophets to misled others, even God's people.
People just don't think for themselves! If you
don't think for yourself, someone will do it for you to their advantage!
Truthfully, if you don't believe something, you're vulnerable to fall for
anything! The average person never reads a book, nor does any research, nor
watches any video documentaries. They simply sit in front of the television,
mentally dead, and foolishly believe whatever the lying mainstream newsmedia
and ungodly Hollywood program them to believe. No one can make you a fool
but YOU!
Doctrines Of Devils
Heresy is creeping into our fundamental,
Bible-believing, Baptist churches by the hour! The Bible plainly teaches
“repentance” as a simple change of mind that prompts a person to believe the
Gospel. We repent to believe, not repent and believe. We are repeatedly told
in the Gospel Of John to believe (or believed) 85 times, yet the word
“repent” is never mentioned even once. Hence, the man who has believed has
already repented. If a person refused to repent, that is, to think
differently, then they would never believe the Gospel to be saved at all. No
one ever got saved without repenting. Repentance is not optional, it is
mandatory. A man must “repent” to be saved. There is no debate over the
necessity of repentance. Repentance is simply the recognition and admission
of one's guilty sinful condition. We repent to be saved.
The idea that a person must abandon all their sins to be saved is a doctrine of devils. I hear that kind of garbage taught on religious radio almost every day. May I say, you are going straight to burn in the fires of Hell if you gave up intentional sinning to get saved. That is salvation by works (human effort). You cannot turn from all your sins! No one can! The truth is if you had to cease from committing even one sin to be saved, you didn't get saved! I'm tired of preachers corrupting God's plan of salvation in an attempt to force people to turn away from sinful behavior. It may be effective in the short-run to compel people to live upright, but they'll spend eternity burning in the Lake of Fire in the long-run, having died in your own sins and self-righteousness. Mankind has no part in God's plan of salvation for man, except to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30-31). Our part is to believe, period. Whatever else is required in one's salvation, that is God's department, and you can rest assure that He will attend to that (Hebrews 12:6-8).
It is false doctrine to teach that God won't
save a lost man unless he forsakes sinful behavior,
surrenders his will to serve God, openly confesses the name of Jesus Christ
to others, et cetera. These all constitute religion and not
THE GOSPEL
(an excellent sermon by Pastor Harry Ironside). Multitudes of people are
being misled by evil spirits today, errantly being told by false prophets
that inviting Jesus into their life will get them into Heaven.
Why Inviting Jesus
Into Your Life Is A False Gospel (an excellent MP3 sermon by Dr. Hank
Lindstrom). The Devil and his angels are continually trying to trick
believers. Satan has done so with the hundreds of modern corrupted Bible
versions in the churches today, which are confusing everyone. You can't talk
any sense to 99% of them, because they are pig-headed and stubborn men!!! Or
else it's because they are reckless and simply couldn't care less. Only God
can show them the errors of their way.
We Need A Whole New Breed Of Preachers In America
We are living in grossly wicked times, and
today's pastors and religious leaders are leading the crimes against God and
humanity. From supporting the satanic Bible versions—to promoting Zionist
fraud and apostasy in Israel today—shame on today's backslidden religious
leaders. From the woeful deliberate ignorant concerning the 9/11 attacks
being an Inside Job—to the satanic heresy of repentance from sinful living
being added to the Gospel to be saved—corruption has entered into the
churches. From the fraud of a Young Earth—to the insane voting by
evangelicals for abortion-funding, secret society member, Republican, U.S.
Presidents—We've lost our sense of spiritual discernment and good character
in America! Need I continue? Little by little, America's pastors are
cashing-in on higher annual salaries, but the churches are deteriorating by
the hour! If pastors and preachers were paid according to their productivity
and effectiveness, their families would starve to death!!!
It is tragic that many men pursue the ministry because they perceive it as an easy life. When's the last time you saw a pastor with greasy, dirty, hands? Check to see how much that visiting evangelist makes per year... $75,000? $125,000? $250,000? You'd be shocked! There's nothing wrong with being honestly wealthy, but there is if you did it by exploiting Christianity. A minister means “servant,” and a servant ought not be wealthier than half the people in the country! More than half of Americans today earn less than $30,000 a year. So why should some evangelist make $80,000 a year? The man who runs the popular radio and newsletter ministry, Voice Of The Martyrs, pays himself $137,875 a year!!! That's 450% more than the average U.S. worker earns in a year! Is it any wonder why people despise and hate ministers and their ministries? I think not! I wouldn't give them a penny! Let them suffer for a change!
But you say, those chief executive officers work hard and have special skills? So does the Diesel repair mechanic who struggles to earn $40,000 a year doing a very rough line of work. So do the brave fireman who risk their lives rushing into burning building to save people's lives for less than $50,000 a year in most cases. Who's kidding who? Most charities are a scam in America!!! Most ministries are a scam in America! I would NEVER knowingly donate a dime to any organization that pays it's leaders 6-digit figures. It's just wrong! These organizations are supposed to be benevolent charities to benefit the public, not stuff their pockets with cash! People are so easily manipulated, duped, suckered and deprived of their money! Avoid big charities and 6-digit salaried organizations!!!
We are at war folks! We don't need religious leader training at 5-star luxury resorts with swimming pools and Jacuzzis. I'm sick of shameful affluent pastors like that. And then they take trips to Israel every few years, something that only wealthy church members can do. I'm not against taking a trip to Israel, but I am against the affluent lifestyle of so many pastors today, who are dropping the ball for God, going along to get along with mainstream apostate evangelicalism in America. Pastors who go against the tide don't usually become wealthy. The man of God who grabs the dog by the ears usually gets bitten. 2nd Timothy 3:12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
Evangelist Billy Sunday was correct a century ago, when he said that today's churches haven't suffered persecution for hundreds of years, and we're going back and lagging behind! The church in 2016 is completely idle, doing nothing for God, letting the world go to Hell. False teaching abounds. The Gospel has been corrupted in most churches. The truth is that most people these days won't tolerate hard Bible-preaching, offensive preaching, preaching that puts people on the spot and forces the individual to make a decision in their pew. There are thousands of precious fundamental Bible sermons on YouTube, which are worth more than a world of silver and gold, but have only received a few hundred views over the past 5 years! Yet, some homosexual whore sings a song, behaving in shameful promiscuity on YouTube, and her videos have hundreds-of-millions of views. What does that say about the world we live in? 1st John 5:19, “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”
Sadly, many of our churches are controlled by wealthy snobs, and the pastor is henpecked. I'd fire every one of those buzzards if I had my way. They'd go to work at a real job and get their hands dirty. I know what it's like to work in a truck shop and be covered in dirt, grease and oil at the end of each night. I know what it's like to hurt from head-to-toe, and my fingers ache in soreness from working so hard. I know what it's like to break down in tears on the job, being overwhelmed by everything. I detest richy-rich pastors who get paid close to 6-digit salaries or more. Jesus plainly said that NO MAN can serve God and mammon (wealth). Evil spirits use the love of money to destroy preachers, silencing them. Ironically, the pastors who love money would never admit it. This is evidenced by their cowardly silence in the pulpit, but they receive a big salary. The average pastor is 80% administrator, 19% referee and 1% preacher. Pastor Johnny Pope is right... “We need a whole new breed of preachers in America!!!”
