Some more thoughts in the wake of the recent discussion of all matter charismatic.
Well it wasn’t much of a wake, really. Not really any complaints, come to think of it. Mostly snorts of agreement and a few words of confirmation. How dull. Shall we try to stir the pot again?
I think we all know that pot-stirring ain’t my soup, but it does happen. And in the realm of charismatic goings-on, feelings can get hurt very easily. Everything is based on experience, so when you question the authenticity of their claims, you call them either liars or fools. Neither is bound to get you appreciated.
Herein lies another complaint of mine: Since everything is based on experience and personal validation, the major problem for me is that their claims become unfalsifiable. They are the arbiters of truth. You-don’t-know-because-you-weren’t-there-and-you- aren’t-me When one person holds all the cards, we have a problem. This is a completely unreliable way to know the truth. That is why we look to the OBJECTIVE Word of God which is revealed from OUTSIDE of us for the truth.
Secondly I would like to harp on the charismatic preoccupation with the miraculous. Be it speaking in tongues, healings, prophecies, oral fillings turning to gold, appearances by angels, Jesus, or even God Himself, there is a clear and unhealthy emphasis on the supernatural. Charismatic evangelists have bragfests on TBN all the time about their miraculous conquests.
Allow me to pop a hole in that balloon.
I am VASTLY more impressed with the providence of God than the miracles of God. Now is not the time to discuss cessation of the miraculous gifts, but we can all agree that God has acted miraculously all across Bible history. For example, in Isaiah 38, God causes the sun to go backward. Ask any scientist and they will tell you that this should be a universe-shaking event. Yet, I am more impressed that today the Irish Calvinist needed to borrow my lawnmower (yes, my lawnmower) and providentially I had offered an extra mower somewhere else but was unable to be accepted. It suddenly occurred to my wife that the Irish Calvinist could use to just keep it. So I gave it to him. He was happy, we were all happy.
Physical signs of inter-male appreciation and gratitude were nearly exchanged!
When God works miracles, He simply suspends the rules that He has put in place (Heb 1:3) and does something different. When He’s done, He sets it all back in motion.God’s providence is impossibly complex, lie a living machine with countless moving parts, all synchronized from eternity past.
I ask you which is more impressive, that God could make a cancerous tumor disappear, or that all of your good works have been written beforehand from eternity past (Eph 2:10)? The answer is obvious.
Every hair on your head is numbered. The length of you life is determined by Him. He raises up political powers and then brings them to their knees. He has counted the stars and calls them by name. Nothing escapes His control. This is what is truly amazing.
The charismatic will object that he agrees with this, but he should listen to his own church service. The celebration of the miraculous blots out the sun compared to God’s providence.
Just as charismatics subvert the sufficiency of Scripture with their prophecies and dependence on subjective signs for God’s leading, their emphasis on God’s ability to briefly change the rules of the universe distracts from the far more incredible things He does all the time, every day. Far from exalting the work of God, it is cheapened.
It would have been the providence of God if a Chiropractor had met you in the parking lot after you received your ‘faith non-healing’. 😉 How is your back now?
You said, “Charismatic evangelists have bragfests on TBN all the time about their miraculous conquests.”
I think you hit the nail on the head there. This preoccupation with miracles (so-called) exalts man over God. I am sure that the Charismatics would vehemently deny this, but the fact remains that the “miracles” rarely occur without TV cameras, fake hairdo’s, large audiences, and loud, dramatic performances. And don’t forget the 1-800 number flashing at the bottom of the screen…of course, if it’s at a local “church”, then leave off the phone number and just pass the plate. Something about “filthy lucre” comes to mind. Maybe it’s just me…
Matt, the lawn mower is not working…what was the name of that radio show where they will heal your appliances? Perhaps it’ll work on the mower.
thanks again for the mower bro.
btw, providence the city is highly underrated….
E Ray,
You called your shot. That was funny. BTW, that guy was only able to heal washing machines, so you’re out of luck.
Ginny,
That’s says it pretty well. Don’t forget the one where the guys says that his friend or someone he knew was “there” and saw it all.
Nath,
No dice on the chiropractor. Thanks for the concern. I am feeling better though, kind of gradually fading away. They’ll probably take credit for that, too. Jesus would put His name on that kind of ‘mriacle.’