Sunday, December 1, 2013

Strange Fire

Recently pastor John MacArthur gave a seminar on the charismatic movement. He took them head on. MacArthur is a reformed/Calvinistic believer so I disagree with some of his theology & doctrines- but on this PARTICULAR POINT of WARNING about the STRANGE FIRE of the CHARISMATIC  movement he is right.
We need to be more forceful in challenging this strange fire in our church too. Although we don't really have a problem with gibberish tongues or "faith" healings in the SDA Church-but we do have some of the flickering flames of the strange fire within our church through the charismatic worship styles creeping in and dividing congregations.

"We know there are people who are in this Movement who are deceivers and they know they’re deceivers.  They’re false teachers and they know they’re false teachers.  They’re in it for the money and they know they’re in it for the money.
We also know there are people caught up in the movement who are deceived and may not know they are deceived.  They are brans that need to be snatched from the burning, to borrow the words from Jude."  MacArthur
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron,
took either of them his censer, and put fire therein,
and put incense thereon,
and offered strange fire before the LORD,
which he commanded them not.
And there went out fire from the LORD,
and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
Leviticus 10:1,2
"It is dangerous to all who offer strange fire.  It is dangerous to all who offer corrupt worship.  It is dangerous to declare things that the Holy Spirit has not done, has not said, would not participate in as works of the Holy Spirit." MacArthur

Watch below the full presentation:
***********************************************
Apparently there is a rift in the Calvinist groups as a younger Mark Driscoll is bringing into modern Calvinism the charismatic movement. The older John MacArthur is challenging it. But the younger, apparently less mature Driscoll, pulled a stunt and showed up in person to get publicity with his stunt.
"As many of you know, John MacArthur is hosting the “Strange Fire” conference at his church in California this week. The conference is focused on reasserting a cessationist position and highlighting the dangers of the charismatic movement.
The Christian Post is reporting that Mark Driscoll showed up to the conference today, engaged attendees, and handed out free copies of his new book, which has a chapter advocating the continuationist position. Driscoll himself posted pictures of his visit on Instagram." ChristianPost
 
"The church has risen up,
as I said,
 to defend the Father,
risen up to defend the Son,
why will it not rise up to defend the Holy Spirit?"
MacArthur