There is abroad in our land and others a religious movement which gives the appearance of exalted spirituality. It pretends to possess the gifts which the Holy Spirit bestowed upon the Church in the days of the Apostles. This movement naturally attracts the attention of Christians and arouses their interest. Many want to draw near and see this “burning bush” more closely, and they wonder: Is this indeed from God? What could be wrong with it? Does not St. Paul treat it at length and even recommend it? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had those gifts in our churches?

Movements and gifts of this sort have occurred a few times since New Testament days, but have blossomed in the 20^th century. The modern Pentecostal movement sprang u p just after the turn of the century (19^th to 20^th), chiefly in southern California, USA. An Agnes Oxman received laying-on of hands and spoke in tongues on Jan. 1, 1901.In l906 seven more spoke in tongues. A mission was established on Azusa St. in Los Angeles. It received widespread attention from the press. From that point onward, the movement grew. The doctrine of the movement is sometimes known as the Full Gospel, meaning spiritual gifts besides mere salvation. It is also know as the Foursquare Gospel. Its four points are: entire sanctification, Baptism of the Spirit with tongues, faith healing, andpremillennialism. The Pentecostal churches, the Nazarenes, churches of God, and others owe their origin to this movement. But lately it has gone ecumenical and has infiltrated all the church denominations. This new thrust is fostered by the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship, International, founded in l953. It appears that the modern gifts do not occur spontaneously, but only after contact with some other person(s) with the same powers.

It is important for us to evaluate this movement, since the Bible commands us to “try the spirits, whether they be of God, because many false prophets are gone out into he world.” I Jn. 4:1 It is also important because we do not want to condemn a movement if the Holy Spirit is truly is Sponsor, nor approve it if it is wicked. We do not want to quench the Spirit or despise prophesyings nor speak a word against the Holy Spirit, which are very grave sins. Some say we are doing just this, because they notice that many people have been morally renewed through their experience of being “baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Is this, then, a Baptism of the Spirit? If we stick to Biblical language, we say no. The word “baptize” is used to refer to water-baptism, the Baptism of the remission of sins. Figuratively, it is used of tribulation, Mt. 20:22. In Hebrews 9:10 it refers to “divers washings.” Eph. 4:5 tells us there is one baptism only, and Mk.16:16 infers that it is necessary for salvation. Heb. 6:2, interestingly, speaks of a “foundation” of the “doctrine of baptisms”(plural). Probably this refers to the baptism of each individual; but in any case it is certain that baptism other than water-baptism were not intended here, since St. Paul says there is “one baptism.” Finally, we have the references to baptizing with the Holy Ghost and with fire, but we hasten to note that the book of Acts refers to Pentecost as the fulfillment of this prediction. So “Spirit-baptism,” in the sense intended today, is not a Biblical term.

The important question, however, whether we call it a baptism or Pentecostalism or Corinthianism or a charismatic movement, it this: is it genuine, i.e., does the Bible say the Church will always have such a movement? Or does it at least say that it will be revived at the end of days, just prior to Judgment Day? Is it, as many Pentecostals contend, necessary for the true church to have this “fullness of the Spirit”? In answer we say:

I. Where special charismatic gifts are required as proofs of true Christianity; there the Gospel of grace is already perverted.

We all know full well that we are saved by grace through faith alone, without the works of the Law. But if some further experience or some higher level of spirituality is demanded, then we are not saved by faith at all, but by something else. As F.D. Bruner writes, “the moment any rite, any obedience, any experience, no matter how buttressed with Scripture or with ‘angels from heaven’ becomes a supplement to faith or a condition fro fullness before God, then the anathema must be announced and the warning to avoid false teaching urged with all possible seriousness.” 1)

With which special gifts could we stop and be assured of our salvation? In Mk.16:17 there are five signs (not gifts) mentioned that will follow them that believe. Why specialize in tongue speaking and healing? Why not include poison drinking, snake handling and devil-expulsion? If the tongues are a proof of faith, then I should be able to drink poison harmlessly as another proof. Why not also add the healing shadow of the Apostles. (Acts 5:12ff.)? Or the moving of mountains, together with other wonders more spectacular than Jesus Himself ever did? Jn.14:12 There is no end to the standards one could impose as tests of “true church” if we follow Pentecostal logic. The genuine, Scriptural standards, or outward marks of true faith, are different. They are continuing in His Word, Jn. 8:31f.;confession of faith, Rom. 10:9-10; mutual brotherly love, Jn.13:35; and the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Gal. 5:22-24.

Requiring supernatural gifts also perverts the doctrine of the Trinity, for it considers the Spirit’s presence something different from the Son’s. Hoekema notices that according to the false doctrine of Pentecostalism, if one has not received the Spirit-baptism, one is living without his God-appointed Leader. He may have received Christ at the time of his conversion but he is still leaderless! To have merely Christ in his heart is to have an inferior, second-rate kind of Christianity!

How utterly at variance this is with the Bible! Christ teaches otherwise: ‘He (the Spirit) shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you’ (Jn. 16:14). To exalt the work of the Spirit is praiseworthy, but to exalt the Spirit above Christ is an error…2)

Supernatural gifts in the Bible were not marks of faith, but marks of the true Apostles of Christ. Throughout the book of Acts, such gifts are bestowed only on the Apostles and by the Apostles on others. They were not given to third parties. Every instance of speaking in new tongues happened in the presence of the Apostles. In some cases, as in Acts 19:6, it was by the laying-on of their hands. Sometimes, as in the case of Cornelius, Acts. 10:45-47, it was without their hands, but while they preached.

The Bible is plain in teaching that these supernatural gifts were marks of apostleship. In Mk. 16, where such gifts are foretold inverse 17, we see in verse 20 that the disciples went out and preached, “the Lord working with them confirming the word with signs following.” This is the purpose the signs fulfilled: confirming the Word. So Paul expelled devils, Acts 16:18; on Pentecost the apostles spoke in foreign languages; Paul was unharmed by he serpent’s bite, Acts 28:5;manydisciples laid hands on the sick and brought the recovery; and it is reported in tradition, outside of Scripture, that John drank poison without harm, 3) as did also Justus Barsabas, the disciple who lost the election to Matthias in Acts l. 4)

This truth, that the gifts signified apostleship, is underlined by Acts 2:43, where it does not say that all performed wonders, but “wonders and signs were done by the apostles.” And in Acts 4, after being threatened by the Jewish authorities, Peter prays to God, “Stretch forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.” A few verses later we see that the prayer was answered in this way: “And with great power gave the apostles witness of he resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them.” In Rom.15 Paul teaches that gifts were to serve the work of missions, “to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God.

In Heb. 2 it is implied that the age of such wonders is over, for it says salvation “was confirmed (aorist tense) unto us by them that heard him, God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will.” (Compare Mk. 16:20) Finally, and most cogently, St. Paul shows that he is equal to the other apostles by the signs which he did saying in II Cor. 12:12:”Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.”

on September 27th, 2008