Holy Spirit - The Pentecostal Age
It was on the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were sitting together that the place was filled with a sound like that of a mighty wind and ‘there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each one of them’ (Acts 2:1-3). The result was that ‘they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance’ (v.4).
A Vision Realized
The day of Pentecost had been foretold by the prophet Joel.
‘And it shall come to pass ... that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also, on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days’ (Joel 2:28-29).
That prophecy was fulfilled at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was outpoured in power
The Holy Spirit had been active in Old Testament times. The anointing of kings and priests for office symbolized the gift of God ‘s Spirit to enable them to fulfil their office. Those who belonged to the true church in Old Testament days were regenerated by the Holy Spirit. But at Pentecost a new era dawned. No longer would the church be largely confined to one people and nation; now it would be supra-national (transcending all national barriers) and prepared for the task of world-mission. It would be truly catholic - universal in appeal and membership.
In their best days, Israel’s poets and prophets had that vision. They looked to a day when God’s truth would be known on earth and his salvation ‘among all nations’ (Psalm 67). We find that vision clearly expressed in the prophets:
‘The Gentiles shall come to your light; and kings to the brightness of your rising ‘ (Isa. 60:3)
The promise made to Abraham would be realized:
‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore...’ (Gen. 22:17).
And if we are Christ’s then we are ‘Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise’ (Gal. 3:29).
Pentecost was a once-for-all event. Prophecy had been fulfilled. The Holy Spirit had been outpoured by the risen Saviour (Acts 2:33). The Christian Church as we know it had been established. We no more need another Pentecost than we need another Calvary. What we do need is to know the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the Pentecostal age. What that means for the church we must now consider.
Confirming Signs
The New Testament Church is ‘built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone’ (Eph. 2:20). Apostles were chosen and commissioned by Christ. They wrote with Christ’s authority. See how Paul commences his letters by introducing himself as ‘an apostle of Jesus Christ’. The Apostles were witnesses to the fact of Christ’s resurrection. Their work was foundational and is complete. We build on that foundation. Having, under God, completed their task, the Apostles have no successors. God has no further revelation to add to his Word. There he has told us all he wants us to know in this life.
The witness of the Apostles was confirmed by miraculous signs - healings, speaking in tongues. These were frequently in evidence in the church in the time of the Apostles. They are called ‘signs of an apostle’ (2 Cor. 12:12). They authenticated the claims of the Apostles. They were their credentials as the agents of Christ. These signs and wonders ceased with the passing of the apostolic period. They are no longer needed. They were like scaffolding around a new building: there comes a time when it is taken down, having served its purpose.
So, what shall we say of the claims of modern Pentecostalism and of the Signs and Wonders Movement? Speaking in tongues, hearing and receiving messages from the Holy Spirit are all claimed, and there is much that has to be explained. This is an area that calls for caution and a number of observations need to be made.
It is a serious error to believe that the Holy Spirit operates independently of the Word of God. To claim to have received messages directly from the Holy Spirit is in effect to add to that Word, and that is forbidden (Rev. 22:18; compare Deut. 4:2- 4).
Supernatural happenings prove nothing: they can come from two very different sources, one good and one evil. The Bible speaks of ‘the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders’ (2 Thess. 2:9). The Lord Jesus said, ‘False christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect’ (Matt. 24:24).
The “signs and wonders” - healings, tongues etc - of what is now termed the ‘charismatic movement’ (‘charismatic’ refers to divinely bestowed gifts or power from the Greek charis, meaning grace), are by no means limited to professedly Christian circles. They are to be found in spiritist seances where the ‘medium’ speaks in a trance, in many primitive heathen tribes where spiritism is clearly in evidence. The Roman Catholic Church has claimed healings at Lourdes and elsewhere, and at times these have occurred. We are not saying that all such happenings are demonic, but in spiritist circles, where mediums while in trance profess to receive messages from those who have died, and where speaking in tongues can occur, there is no reason to doubt the activity of demons. The same is true of the activity of sorcerers and witch doctors who can accomplish healings. When I asked a spiritist medium if it was possible to receive a message from an evil spirit, he replied that it was. Then I asked how he could tell the source of the messages he claimed to receive. Could he be sure that he was never deceived by an evil spirit? At that point he became angry and hostile. In fact, spiritists are being ‘controlled’ by evil spirits impersonating the dead. In 1 Timothy 4:1 we read of ‘deceiving’ or ‘seducing spirits’ and ‘doctrines of demons’. So it must be stressed that supernatural happenings, in and of themselves, prove nothing.
4. Much that passes today for speaking in tongues can be practised by anyone. In charismatic circles, people are told to ‘switch off their minds’, to ‘receive’ rather than to ‘analyse’. They can think and pray later. In that situation, almost anything can happen. To ‘empty’ the mind is a highly dangerous practice and is contrary to Scripture. We are told to ‘think’ and ‘test the spirits whether they are of God...’ (1 John 4:1).
5. The most extreme form of the charismatic movement found expression in what became known as the ‘Toronto Blessing’. In these gatherings the leaders could touch a person, or blow with their breath, and the person would fall backwards, sometimes lying on the ground (‘the carpet experience’) for a considerable time, often giggling uncontrollably or making animal noises. All this was supposed to be the result of the Spirit’s power! Well, is the Spirit the author of order or disorder? Clearly at such gatherings a ‘power’ was present, but what power? Where in the New Testament do we read of anything remotely like this? Is there any instance of someone collapsing when touched by Christ or one of the Apostles?
6. Christian psychologists, who have made a special study of such happenings, agree that much may be explained by known psychological laws. Videos of ‘Toronto’ meetings have been shown to professional hypnotists and they have immediately recognized hypnotic techniques. The ‘Toronto’ operators (who do not roll around and bark like dogs) are in fact using such techniques whether they know it or not.
7. When it comes to healings we need to distinguish between ‘functional’ and ‘organic’ disease. The former can cause disfunction of an organ, although the organ itself is sound. The latter means that the bodily organ is damaged or diseased. Some years ago, Richard Mayhue, who has written on this subject, repeatedly challenged one of America’s most famous ‘faith healers’ to produce one genuine miraculous healing of an organic disease - no evidence was forthcoming. Functional disorders do respond to ‘faith healing’ techniques, whether in Christian circles or not.
8. We are not saying that God cannot heal an organic disease. But we cannot manipulate God or ‘tap into’ the Holy Spirit and expect instant results. Often it is God’s will not to heal. Even the Apostle Paul suffered from what he termed ‘a thorn in the flesh’. Three times he pleaded with the Lord that it might depart, but that was not God’s will (2 Cor. 12:7-8). Timothy suffered from a weak stomach and Paul advised him to use a little wine. No miraculous cures
9. We gladly recognize the godliness and missionary zeal of our Pentecostalist brethren, most of whom would shun the excesses noted above. In many respects they put us to shame. However, the fundamental weakness of all Pentecostalism is the tendency to distance, in terms of experience, the Holy Spirit from the Word that he inspired and by which he guides us into all truth (John 16:13). He never bypasses that Word.
10. Religious devotion that centres and focuses on the Holy Spirit is mistaken. It is part of the Spirit’s mission to direct our attention to Christ. Christ said, of the Spirit, ‘He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you’ (John 16:14). He draws attention not to himself but to Christ.
We must never forget that ‘Satan... transforms himself into an angel of light’ and consequently it is no wonder that ‘his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness...’ (2 Cor. 11:14-15) - that is their pose! On the last day many will say to Christ, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’. Christ will not contradict them or dispute their claims. But he will utterly disown them, saying, ‘I never knew you’ (Matt. 7:21-23). The mere use of Christ’s name is no guarantee of genuineness.