If you’ve kept up with the latest Christian buzz, you’ve probably heard about John MacArthur, Strange Fire, and the uproar of the Charismatics. As with any internecine tiff within the Christian community, insults have been hurled, personalities have been maligned, and blogs and Twitter feeds have rolled out an incessant verbiage \u2014 some helpful and some not so much.<\/p>\n
What can we learn from the controversy and its fallout? Are there any takeaways? Let\u2019s take an objective look at the issue, and then discuss some responses.<\/p>\n
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The Spark that Started the Fire<\/strong> <\/p>\n What is \u201cStrange Fire?\u201d<\/strong> <\/p>\n MacArthur\u2019s Position against the Charismatic Movement<\/strong> MacArthur presumably anticipated the backlash, and offered a few disclaimers, \u201cDo some in the movement believe the truth? Yes. Do some hold to sound theology on some issues? Yes. But none of those true understandings have come to them through that movement.\u201d MacArthur\u2019s conclusion is clear: \u201cNothing coming from the Charismatic movement has provided recovery or strengthening of the biblical Gospel. Nothing has preserved truth and sound doctrine. It has only produced distortion, confusion, and error.\u201d In contrast to Charismatism, MacArthur offers the reformed position as the locus of biblical faithfulness and practice. In his keynote, he stated, \u201cBy contrast, Reformed theology, sound doctrine, is not a haven for false teachers.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Charismatic Believers Respond to John MacArthur<\/strong> Others like Samuel Rodriguez, leader of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and a Pentecostal minister, told Christian Post that MacArthur is \u201cignorant of the [Charismatic] community\u2019s unbridled commitment to biblical orthodoxy.<\/p>\n Most of whom rallied to the support of MacArthur are those of the cessionationst reformed camp including many others who are decidedly cessationist. Those who object to MacArthur\u2019s strong position include presumably, the Charismatic movement en masse, continuationists, and those who are cessationist yet sensitive to the acceptability of differing viewpoints.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Personalities and Movements behind the Controversy<\/strong> What Really Matters?<\/strong> This is nothing new. The controversy over miraculous gifts has raged ever since the emergence of Charismatics into mainstream Christianity. MacArthur himself authored the book, Charismatic Chaos in 1992. But the controversy goes much farther back in time. As early as the 2nd century, a Christian sect \u201cwent Charismatic,\u201d and experienced persecution. Even in the apostles\u2019 day when the miraculous gifts were unarguably in place, there was confusion and disagreement over their place and purpose.<\/p>\n This latest flare-up provides another opportunity to take a good, hard look at the issue. Here is how we might respond:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1. Defining one\u2019s position.<\/em> <\/p>\n 2. Being confused or undecided.<\/em> <\/p>\n 3. Yearning for unity.<\/em> The Grace to You blog mentions unity: \u201cUnity through silence has not held back that tidal wave [of \u201cdangerous, damning lies that are leading hundreds of millions of people to hell\u201d]… Truth does matter, and it\u2019s worth fighting for.\u201d Yes. And is unity worth fighting for? Is it possible to \u201cfight\u201d for unity?<\/p>\n Jesus prayed that believers \u201cmay be one, even as we are one\u201d (John 17:11). In other words, he wanted Christians to have the same kind of unity that he enjoyed with the Father and Spirit. Such a unity blows our minds. What\u2019s the purpose of such unity? \u201cThat they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me\u201d (John 17:23).\u00a0Unity is for evangelism. Unity is for mission. Unity is worth fighting for.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 4. Pursuing mission. <\/em> Look into the faces of people who do not know Christ. Gaze at a map and let your eyes wander over the millions of square miles where people live who have never heard his name. Do some research on the number of people who are needlessly dying every day due to lack of sanitary water, food, or health care. Find out how many people do not have the Bible in their language.<\/p>\n Then, armed with this background information, go back to your study of the controversy. Allow it to shape your perspective and passion.It may not change your position, but maybe it will change how you consider the issue.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tell Us What You Think<\/strong> If you’ve kept up with the latest Christian buzz, you’ve probably heard about John MacArthur, Strange Fire, and the uproar of the Charismatics. As with any internecine tiff within the Christian community, insults have been hurled, personalities have been maligned, and blogs and Twitter feeds have rolled out an incessant verbiage \u2014 some helpful and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[4156,2307,4135,4145],"tags":[671,1894,1893,433],"class_list":{"0":"post-10818","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-christian-book-reviews","8":"category-christian-lifestyle","9":"category-church-leadership","10":"category-church-resources","11":"tag-christian-book-review","12":"tag-controversy","13":"tag-john-macarthur","14":"tag-theology"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogrouting.sharefaith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/11.11.13_StrangeFire-480.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nThe imbroglio began during a pastor\u2019s conference in California. The conference, Strange Fire, was hosted by Grace Community Church and keynoted by John MacArthur. According to the Grace to You blog<\/a>, \u201cStrange Fire was a response to a tidal wave of dangerous, damning lies that are leading hundreds of millions of people to hell.\u201d In the teaching and preaching of the conference, speakers were \u201ctrying to identify the body of Christ,\u201d as John MacArthur explained in a tweet. Accompanying the conference was the announcement of John MacArthur\u2019s latest book of the same name. Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship<\/a> is released today, November 12.<\/p>\n
\nThe term \u201cStrange Fire\u201d comes from the Old Testament story of Nadab and Abihu. These two sons of Aaron defied God\u2019s instructions in their administration of temple ceremonies. As a result, God punished them with death. In borrowing the term, MacArthur draws a connection between today\u2019s Charismatic Christians and the priests who spurned God\u2019s holiness. As MacArthur explains in the book, “This is a sobering and terrifying account, and it has obvious implications for the church in our time.”<\/p>\n
\nMacArthur believes that the miraculous gifts recorded in the New Testament no longer occur, in contradiction to other Christians who claim to witness and practice such gifts as healing, prophecy, and speaking in tongues. MacArthur rightly identifies some in the Charismatic movement whose overemphasis upon this doctrine have created unscriptural excesses. Trevin Wax, a reformed cessationist blogger sums up MacArthur\u2019s position<\/a>: \u201cThe continualist position…necessarily reaps a harvest of aberration and false teaching.\u201d Another supporter of the conference, Tim Challies, wrote after blogging the conference, \u201cI find myself grateful for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThose who remain convinced of the legitimacy of the continuationist position have expressed their disagreement. Adrian Warnack, himself a reformed Christian and a continuationist, tweeted to MacArthur, \u201cAm I, & my reformed brothers not a part of the body of Christ?\u201d More directly, David Hayward erupted with his article, \u201cJohn MacArthur Sends 500,000,000 Charismatics to Hell.\u201d There are others who summed up their objection to MacArthur\u2019s arguments in the following way: \u201cSo Pastor @JohnMacArthur has decided, apparently, that I am not a follower of Jesus. Why? Because I am not a cessationist.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThere are several key positions in play \u2014 cessationism and continuationism. Additionally, several influential names have become part of the controversy. MacArthur identified individuals (including T.D. Jakes and Joel Osteen) as representatives of aberrant Charismatism. Here is a list of the people and positions that are involved:<\/p>\n\n
\nSo that\u2019s a summary of the controversy. With the publication of the book, Strange Fire, the disagreement is likely to deepen as the book is purchased, read, and reviewed.<\/p>\n
\nPerhaps you can define your position on the issue. There is nothing wrong or arrogant about holding a position, so long as it is done charitably, humbly, and graciously. Since this issue has been raised anew, perhaps you may wish to engage in a close and careful study of what Scripture says or does not say, and draw your own conclusions.<\/p>\n
\nIs it okay to be undecided on the issue? Is it appropriate to postpone a hard-and-fast decision? Yes. Just as you can humbly hold a position, so you can humbly remain undecided. That is acceptable. Salvation and Christian growth do not require you to dot every theological \u201ci\u201d and cross every theological \u201ct.\u201d There\u2019s something comforting about possessing the capability to eloquently defend one\u2019s position, but, realistically, that is not always possible for everyone of us on every single issue.<\/p>\n
\nThough we may not be virulently defensive about a particular position regarding gifts, we should be bold in our commitment to Christ, to truth, to love, and to unity. When within the arena of conflict, it\u2019s hard to see beyond the dust of the fight to the larger issues of the Christian life. But there are more foundational issues than whether one is continuationist or cessationist.<\/p>\n
\nWhen you feel yourself losing touch in a controversy, getting overly focused, or getting altogether consumed with it, it\u2019s time to take a step back and put it in its proper place.<\/p>\n
\nWhat is your position? How has the discussion and controversy affected you?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"