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

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REASON # 13

THE DANGER OF CLAIMING EXTRA-BIBLICAL REVELATION

While still in the Tongues Movement, I had to come to grips with the problem of divine revelation—was the Bible a completed, finished Book, or was God continuing to reveal new truths, even in our day? Does the Bible contain all that the man of God in the Church age needs for faith, and godly living, or do we need further revelations?

When a message was given in tongues and interpreted, or when a "prophet" would prophesy in the assembly, prefacing his remarks with "Thus saith the Lord" or "the Spirit speaketh expressly," was this indeed God speaking by inspiration? If so, then was this new revelation on a par with the written Scripture? And if so, could we add it to our Bibles? Was this "gift of prophecy" the same as that which Peter, Paul, James or John had?

When I began asking questions, the usual answer I received was, "No, we should not add these prophecies to our Bibles. They are simply reminders of truths already in the Bible, and must be in agreement with the Scriptures." All of which made me ask, "If there is no new truth revealed, why don't we go to the Scriptures themselves in the first place instead of this round- about method? Are we too lazy to read, study, and meditate? Must we get our Bible truths in this fashion? Is the Bible not good enough? Do we need this added procedure?

Secondly, I'm afraid that many Christians, particularly the younger ones, got the wrong impression of this procedure and concluded that this was indeed new revelation—God speaking directly by inspiration. They would rely upon such messages for their guidance, which in some cases, led to spiritual shipwreck. If we use these means to guide us, we leave ourselves open to deception. The message can be colored or even fabricated by the messenger. Remember the repeated warnings in Scripture about false prophets (Matt. 24:11,24, etc.). Many have found this to be so to their sorrow. But this I know, that the written Scriptures are sure, trustworthy, reliable.

Remember Peter's statement in 2 Peter 1:19: "We have also a more sure word of prophecy [that is, the Scriptures]; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed." To the Scriptures! They are the means that God has ordained for Christian faith, guidance, growth, and maturity.

Notice also Paul's statement on this point in 2 Tim 3:16-17: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works." What is Paul saying here? What does the man of God need for guidance, for growth into maturity, for producing all good works? Not new revelations or these round- about procedures that can be deceiving counterfeits, but the written Scriptures that God gave to the Church through those whom He had ordained to lay the foundation of the Church (Eph. 2:20, 3:3-5). Let's read these verses: "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone"; "How that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery (as I wrote before in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit."

Paul here lays claim to the gift of prophecy—by which God revealed "mysteries" (truths not revealed before) through him. But notice carefully verse 5: "Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men [that is, church truth and doctrine], as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit." "Now revealed." When? Not a continuing revelation throughout the entire Church age, as some try to teach, but the word "now" points specifically to Paul's day—the day of the apostles. God was pleased to give us Church truth, the New Testament, through the apostles and those closely associated with them. These writing apostles were New Testament prophets through whom the Holy Spirit spoke (2 Pet. 1:19-21). When the last apostle laid down his pen, the New Testament was complete and revelation ceased. All we needed for the entire Church age, "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16), was written and preserved for us in the blessed New Testament as it complements the Old Testament. The Scriptures are complete! The written Word is sufficient; there really is no further need for oral revelations!

Incidentally, that means that there is no longer any need for the real gift of prophecy in the church today. The canon of Scripture has been completed.

Why prophecies then? That is why, in 1 Cor. 13:8-10 Paul says: "Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail [or, "be done away"]; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect [or, "complete"] is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." Prophecy, a gift of revelation, was given by the Holy Spirit to give us the New Testament Scriptures, piece by piece, part by part, 27 books in all. But now that the canon of Scripture is "perfect," that is, "complete," this gift, as well as the other revelatory gifts here mentioned—tongues and the gift of knowledge, would "cease" or " vanish away." Why? Because their purpose in the Church was fulfilled and there was no further need or use for them. Why then, should we insist that we must have these gifts in operation in the Church today?

A brief further look at other Scriptures that indicate that New Testament church truth revelation is complete should be included here, though time and space does not allow the inclusion of all on this subject. But notice particularly Jude, verse 3: "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once [or, "once for all"] delivered unto the saints." Please notice the words "the faith." He is speaking here of the body of truth that was then being given to the Church, that is, the New Testament. The phrase "the faith" is also found in Gal. 1:23 "He which persecuteth us in times past now preacheth THE FAITH." And so also in I Tim 4:1. I am told that the definite article "the" here in the Greek indicates the one and only faith.

There is no other!

NO MORE PROPHECIES NEEDED!

Notice too the word "once" or "once for all" as the marginal reading in my Bible has it. According to W.E. Vine, the Greek word here means, "once for all, of what is of perpetual validity, not requiring repetition." The same Greek word is also used in Heb. 9:28: "So Christ was ONCE offered to bear the sins of many," and also in 1 Peter 3:18: "For Christ also hath ONCE suffered for sins." Obviously, the word "once" used in these three verses means that it won't be repeated. It was a once-for-all act. Since that is so, the Scriptures as given to us through the instrumentality of the apostles are complete and final. There is no further revelation needed or forthcoming in God's plan for the Church.

One more word here in Jude 3 needs our attention. It is the word "delivered." "That ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once [for all] DELIVERED unto the saints." John F. MacArthur, Jr., in his book The Charismatics, points out that in the Greek this word "delivered" is an aorist passive participle, which indicates an act completed in the past with no continuing element (John F. MacArthur, The Charismatics, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978, used by permission). So we must conclude that the Scriptures are God's final revelation to the church, and they are complete.

Some other Scriptures that indicate this also are Gal 1:6-9, Heb 1:2, 1 Cor 15:1-4, and Rev 22:18-19.

There is a dangerous trend in the Charismatic Movement in seeking after revelations and prophetic utterances and tongues and interpretations, apart from the written Scriptures. And extremes usually start with slight deviations. We must ask ourselves, "Where will this end?" Many cults have gone this route, such as the Mormons, Christian Science, the Children of God, the Moonies (followers of Sun Myung Moon), and also the Roman Catholic Church. Remember this: the great Protestant thesis is and always has been, that the Holy Spirit speaks through the Scriptures! Regarding new revelations someone has said: "If it's true it isn't new, and if it's new it isn't true"! Back to the Scriptures should be our watchword in these days of dangerous and growing deception! I close with this Scripture of warning, I Tim 4:1. Please consider it carefully: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils."

Reason #14--The excesses and deceptive practices condoned in divine healing campaigns