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Martyred for the Gospel

Martyred for the Gospel
The burning of Tharchbishop of Cant. D. Tho. Cranmer in the town dich at Oxford, with his hand first thrust into the fyre, wherwith he subscribed before. [Click on the picture to see Cranmer's last words.]

Daily Bible Verse

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Question and Answer: Tongues and Healing: Is It Real?







New Kidonthblogg asked:

Excellent article and discusson. For former pentecostals/charismatics, what was it like when you spoke in tongues? Did you fake it and can you or do you do it now? (Is it an authentic gift in any way?)How did it benefit you or did it benefit you? Nightline found no authentic healing in the Lakeland Revival. Do you know of any authentic healing?

5 comments:

Carol Noren Johnson said...

Thanks for this thoughtful and insightful response.

Charlie J. Ray said...

I still have Pentecostal friends. However, they are not open to discuss any of this since they would be renouncing their faith to even consider the idea that they might have been manipulated.

I have to tiptoe when I'm around them so as to avoid arguing. I can only pray that God will open their eyes. Some of them are even caught up in the Benny Hinn, Fred Price and Kenneth Copeland heresies.

In Christ,

Charlie

Charlie J. Ray said...

I forgot to say that in my experience Pentecostals get no more results in healing than any other Christian who prays. Someone who joins the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement will soon discover that everyone else is "claiming" to receive miracles and healings. But as you dig deeper and ask questions you soon learn that they are not getting any better results than you are.

It's a case of the emperor's new clothes, as I said.

In Christ,

Charlie

Unknown said...

Charlie,

I like reading this post as it seems to have helped me to understand the charismatic movement a little better. I am currently attending southeastern university and I wanted an easier answer to give all those pentecostals since some seem to be questioning why I am not a continuationist.

Matt U

Charlie J. Ray said...

Umve,

They love to quote 1 Corinthians 13:

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:8-10 ESV)

In their view the "perfect" is the return of Christ. So the gifts of the Spirit continue until Christ returns. But that is a very questionable interpretation of 1 Cor. 13.

And even if that interpretation could be proved--and it cannot--it would not indicate that what Pentecostals/Charismatics practice today is really the same thing that happened in the New Testament or apostolic period.

Sincerely in Christ,

Charlie

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