Why I Left The Tongues Movement - By Alfred H. Pohl

social_media_nav_bar

SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH YOUR FRIENDS and FOLLOW

REASON # 11

THE FEAR OF QUESTIONING THE SO-CALLED ACTIVITIES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

This fear would manifest itself by failure to question or judge, even though some of those activities seemed strange, out-of-place, or even wrong. I recall that on many occasions in our church services when someone would "prophesy" or "speak in tongues" that the congregation would bow their heads and listen quietly and almost fearfully. The message that was coming through was, it appeared to me, more respected than when the Scripture itself was being read. Wasn't this God speaking directly to us?

And who would dare to question these messages? But should they not be questioned or challenged? This fearful bowing to every so-called prophetic utterance should be questioned, according to 1 Cor. 14:29: "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge." Not only was there to be order in the manner of giving the messages, but there was to be a judging of the validity of the prophecy. This, to my knowledge, was rarely done. Almost slavishly the messages were received as genuine.

May I give you an example? An evangelist was invited to speak in a series of meetings in the large city church where we attended at that time. He laid claim to being a prophet, and every once in a while he would give a "prophetic" message, usually apart from his sermons. He would begin these "prophecies" in a loud, booming voice, usually with the words: "Thus saith the Lord, " or, "The Spirit speaketh expressly" or other familiar introductory words used by Bible prophets. When he began, a real quiet ensued as people bowed their heads and almost fearfully awaited this "message from God." Not once did I hear any judging or questioning by any of the leaders or elders of the church. Everything seemed to be accepted as God's truth. When I voiced some misgivings, I was looked upon as someone who was in danger of God's wrath for not receiving "the message."

On one occasion, this was in the late 1940s, this man gave a message in "prophecy" informing us that all born-again Christians, of whatever denominations, would all be united together in one church in the 1960s. And he added, "If what I am saying today does come to pass, phone me collect, and tell me that I am a liar!" I wish I had his phone number! Obviously, he was a false prophet. But I venture to say that over 90 per cent of the people there believed him, but have long since forgotten about his prophecy. The biblical test of prophets is found in Deut 18:22: "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously; thou shalt not be afraid of him." Notice that the Old Testament ordered severe judgment on false prophets—it was death! Why? Deut. 13:5 reads: "Because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God."

Many times I have asked myself this question: "Why are so many Christians so gullible? Why are they so easily deceived by the clever acts of the deceiver? " And this, in spite of all the warnings in Scripture. There are at least a dozen direct warnings in the New Testament about deception.

Let's look at just three here: Matt. 24:4: "Take heed that no man deceive you." This warning by the Lord Jesus is given three times in this chapter.

Eph 4:14: "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive ..." Notice the phrase, "no more children." The Lord expects us to grow up and mature so that we are not tossed and "carried about with every wind of doctrine."

And Rom. 16:17-18 issues this warning: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Notice these words here: "contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned." Doctrine is very important! These deceivers must be judged by the doctrine of the Scriptures, not slavishly believed, feared, and followed.

The fear of ascribing the work of the Holy Spirit to the Devil or demons was and is very real in the Tongues Movement. There is, of course, a biblical basis for this, Matt. 12:31-32. But to go to an extreme and let deception go unchallenged, even though we are scripturally warned again and again, is also to be disobedient and sinful!

It is true that ascribing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan is a very serious sin, but it is also a serious sin when we ascribe the works of the flesh and of Satan to the Holy Spirit! I am afraid that too much of this is done today. The Holy Spirit gets credit for many, many things that He didn't do! Brethren, let us avoid this sin too!

Reason #12--The view that the Corinthian church was a model church