Extreme Charismatic theology produces a hierarchy; a class mentality among professing Christians. It divides and distinguishes between those who are most eager to express the charismata and those who don’t; those who are intent on seeing the Holy Spirit at work and those who are not concerned with such things. We are to the point now that some are considering themselves to be “apostles”. These people have “arrived”, they think, at the top of the ladder.
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THE LADDER OF WORLDLY SPIRITUALITY
For example, if you don’t speak or pray in tongues-regularly-you are considered to be lower down the spiritual ladder than those who do. You aren’t considered to be so powerful in the spirit world. God and the angels don’t pay so much attention to your prayers. You don’t know the deep things of the Spirit. You aren’t so much at peace with your life. God can’t use you so much. You aren’t likely to be given any postition in your fellowship, and what you might have to say or do will be looked down upon as being inferior.
BABES IN CHRIST
We could have an entire chapter here titled “The power of the Spirit”, because enormous blessings are said to be yours if you pray in the Spirit, but not if you don’t. This is the assumed power of prayer in tongues, which those of us who don’t just can’t have or experience. We are lacking. We are deficient. We are powerless. Such is the class theology of those who have a faulty view of what it is to be a spiritual Christian. I’ve written in previous posts most specifically about tongues:, and I’ve examiined some of the claims and answered them. You can find these articles in the search box above by entering “tongues”.
It’s no secret even in some Charismatic circles that the Corinthians, who, as we know were very fond of speaking in tongues, were not in reality any more spiritual than anyone else. In fact, they were unspiritual. worldly and immature. They were living in the flesh. Here’s what Paul had to tell them frankly:
“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1).
What a put-down for a church which was “eager” to demonstrate the charismatic gifts of the spirit (1 Corinthians 14:12).
The Corinthians made the mistake of thinking that if they spoke in tongues and prophesied, especially in front of other people, they were clearly living the Christian life in a powerful way. The truth is that no amount of tongues-speaking or alleged prophecying makes you a spiritual Christian: it’s the way you live which matters. Are we really seeking the ways of God? Are we really loving our God and other people or just thinking that we do? Are we walking in humility, repentance and brokenness?
OUR PART IN THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
The New Testament tells us that all believers in Jesus Christ have the potential to live the truly spiritual life, now it’s just down to us to actually do it. Yes, salvation is a gift from God, but He doesn’t “drive” us. He doesn’t make us live like real Christians: we have to do that ourselves, with His help. What did Jesus Christ say about this? He said:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
COMPLETE IN CHRIST
Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that after salvation you have to seek a “second blessing”, and then several rolling on the floor sessions, and then speaking in tongues, in order to really arrive as a Christian. Where the rubber meets the road in spiritual terms is how you live in your walk with God and with other people. In this regard, as I said, we have been given the potential by giving ourselves to Jesus and His gospel. There iis no ladder to spirituality or godliness apart from our way of life. Paul told us that we are complete in Christ, lacking nothing that we need in order to live our lives for Him:
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead]bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:8-10).
Paul said you are complete in Christ. He didn’t say “those of you who speak in tongues are complete in Christ”.
Here’s what Paul told the Ephesians:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).
We have every spiritual blessing “in Christ” says Paul, not “in the Holy Spirit”. It’s Christ who is to be our focus, not the Holy Spirit… and not the band…
TRUE WORSHIP
To the Romans Paul defined true sprituality, and true worship. He didn’t mention tongues, or dancing and swooning to our favorite worship artist. Here’s what truly spiritual worship is:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship (Romans 12:1).
Sacrifice and holiness in every way: that’s what true spiritual worship is.
James echoed this thought:
The worship that God wants is this: caring for orphans or widows who need help and keeping yourself free from the world’s evil influence. This is the kind of worship that God accepts as pure and good (James 1:26-27).
WE ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED
Peter said this on the matter:
To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (2 Peter 1:1-3).
Peter is saying that we have everything we need “through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ”, and he didn’t say “through our being baptised in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues”. He went on to say that we are to make “every effort” to live in love and service, and didn’t once mention speaking in tongues, prophecying, or falling over.
THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR CHURCH LEADERSHIP
Read Paul’s qualifications for Church leadership, and you will find that he did not include any second blessing or speaking in tongues (1 Timothy 3).
THE EVIDENCE OF OUR FAITH
And James, the apostle who wrote about what the true evidence of faith is didn’t say that it’s speaking in tongues or falling over. These things do not fulfill our faith:
You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? (James 2:20).
As a believer in the gospel of Christ you have all the blessings God has to offer. It’s for you to apply them to your life and your walk with God. I will continue this theme. Thanks for reading.
Fuel for Faith, Food for Thought 