The
Toronto Phenomenon
What Is Happening?
In recent times, an unusual phenomenon has
been sweeping throughout churches across the United Kingdom. Worshippers have
been falling down, they have been caught up in hysterical laughter and
uncontrollable weeping, uttering indescribable messages, roaring like lions,
twitching, and jerking. We are informed that God’s people are being “refreshed”
and the earthly source has been identified to a Vineyard Fellowship church near
the airport in Toronto, Canada. It is alleged that this work of the Holy Spirit
is the prerequisite to a worldwide revival of major proportions which will
ultimately usher in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Rev. Sandy Millar, vicar of Holy Trinity,
Brompton, which is the bulwark of the phenomenon in the U.K., describes the
experience as a time of blessing from God and it is God’s way of “recalling His
church to the desire of His heart for relationship”. He adds that because it is
God demonstrating His love for His Church we should not worry about whether we
receive more or less of what others are experiencing. Furthermore, we should not
worry if we do not understand what is happening; we should “just keep coming,
sharing experiences and receiving”. In the Daily Telegraph Gerald Coates
commented,
I believe we are on the edge of what could
be the greatest thing to hit our nation this century.
In the newspaper published by Holy Trinity
Church, In Focus, various members of the church describe what happened to
them in recent meetings. One member said,
I spent over an hour rolling on the floor
hysterically crying and laughing. When I left I was so drunk! I couldn’t get
into the car. I had to be put in.
Another wrote,
I was on the floor for about two hours
laughing. The funniest thing was I could not stop laughing and I had a big
picture of Jesus with his head thrown back and he was laughing his head off at
me laughing - it was amazing!
And then, in the midst of the bizarre,
someone else wrote,
There are times when I have felt the power
of God very powerfully on me but not to the depths and the degree that it has
been recently. I’m just desperate to read more and pray more.
To whom can we
attribute the introduction of the ‘Toronto Blessing’?
The answer lies in the South African
Pentecostalist Rodney Howard-Browne who migrated to the U.S.A. seven years ago.
He had the sensationalist ability to ‘slay’ crowds in the Spirit and command
them to laugh. He packed auditoriums where he walked up and down the aisles
pointing to people in order to dispense ‘the Spirit’s power’. He described his
actions,
I just serve the new wine and invite them
to drink.
At one of his meetings some of the staff
from the Vineyard Church, Toronto were present and they subsequently brought the
phenomenon to their fellowship. The ‘father’ of Vineyard, John Wimber, is on
record of relating to a large auditorium in Australia that this century would
experience three great works of the Holy Spirit, - the Azuza Street
Pentecostalism, the Charismatic Movement, and the Wimber Experience. Needless to
say, the latter - to his mind - would supercede that which had gone before.
It is claimed that modern exponents of the
‘spectacular’ can allign their experiences with great men of God such as John
Wesley. There is no doubt that Wesley saw tremendous manifestations of the power
of God during the Methodist revivals. In fact, George Whitefield cautioned
Wesley against encouraging “visions and convulsions” in his ministry. However,
Wesley was aware of the danger and at one point he labelled the laughing
phenomenon as “devilish”. Earlier this century Watchman Nee described it as a
“soulish outburst”.
What ought to be our
response to the ‘Toronto Blessing’?
Some would accept ‘lock, stock and barrel’
the Toronto phenomenon as being the work of restitution and reviving of the Holy
Spirit. Some would adopt the stance of Gamaliel, the Pharisaic teacher of the
law (Acts 5:34ff.), who persuaded the Sanhedrin,
Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves
what ye intend to do as touching these men. ... . Refrain from these men, and
let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to
nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it.
Others would heed the warning and advice of
the apostle Paul,
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; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their
conscience seared with a hot iron. ... [Therefore] ... Take heed unto
thyself, and unto the doctrine. (I Tim. 4:1,2,16)
What Is It All About?
One of the books on sale at present which
deals specifically with the ‘Toronto Blessing’ is Catch The Fire by Guy
Chevreau, printed by Marshall Pickering, 1994. Chevreau became a Christian in
1972 amidst the surroundings of Christian friends who informed him that ‘the
miracles finished with the death of the first apostles, that they weren’t needed
now’ (p.3). After a while Chevreau entered College to train for the Pastorate.
He underwent what he describes as a type of conventional, orthodox training
which he considered so traditional as to be repressive to the work of God. Even
though, in his own words, he had become a Christian (and at that time heavily
involved in a Doctor of Theology degree in Christian spirituality) he had to
confess “I didn’t discover what I was seeking” (p.4). During a Pastorate he was
captivated by Mike Turrigiano who worked in an inner-city ministry. Turrigiano
spoke in glowing terms about John Wimber and his ministry. He began to analyze
the basis for their work and in so doing he studied again the writings of
Calvin, who ‘can be counted as one of the most foremost architects of Protestant
theology’ (p.7). However, he judged Calvin’s comments on the particular subject
as being ‘certainly skewed’ (p.8). He then consults the writings of Novatian and
Augustine. Both these men were mightily used of God and Chevreau goes to great
lengths to try to prove his point from a limited use of their writings.
Concerning Novatian, Chevreau has to confess,
If we read between the lines, it seems that
for Novatian, no Spirit - no supernatural gifts - no Church (p.10).
In this simple statement he is both
‘reading between the lines’ and ‘stretching-out’ the Spirit. Similarly, he also quotes some
passages, - of varying degrees of relevance to the subject, - from Augustine,
but in his haste to articulate his argument he fails to do justice to the
writings of this man whom he describes as having
charted the course of theological
understanding of Christian faith more than any other theologian, second only to
the Apostle Paul (p.10).
Gradually, Chevreau continued in his quest
for spiritual fulfilment, - despite the fact that he claims to have become a
Christian in 1972. It seems that Chevreau knew nothing of the depth articulated
in A.W. Tozer’s statement,
To possess a Spirit-indwelt mind is the
Christian’s privilege under grace.
Twenty-two years later he came face-to-face
with the phenomenon now described as the ‘Toronto blessing’. During this
particular period as he tried to understand and analyse carefully the phenomenon
the question I was forced to answer was what I expected, what would it be like,
for the Spirit of God to bring personal and corporate renewal? (p.13).
But by this time in his quest Chevreau had
already decided that this fantastic work of God would not be coming through ‘a
sermon from a master preacher’ (p.13) [i.e. the Word of God], instead it took
hold of his wife, first of all. She was down on the floor, repeatedly hysterical
with laughter. He boasted that
at times [she was] unable to walk a
straight line, certainly unfit to drive, or to host the guests that came for
dinner the next evening (p.13).
The following evening
Chevreau, himself,
attended the meeting. He went forward for prayer, and duly fell victim to the
experience which is dubbed ‘slain in the Spirit’. As he lay there in a
trance-like state, these were the very words which he said,
God, I don’t care if this is you or not ...
I am so tired, I’m just going to lie here a while (p.14).
Surely a statement such as this must be
repulsive in the extreme to any Bible-believing Christian, - ‘God, I don’t care
if this is you or not ...’ !! His statement was opening the door up to the whole
realm of anti-Christian and satanic influences! Foolishly, Chevreau had negated
the prompting of the Holy Spirit who had inspired the Apostle John to write the
warning,
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try
the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out
into the world. (I John 4:1)
By offering up those words - ‘God, I don’t
care if this is you or not’ - he was in danger of unlocking the floodgates of
hell. Similarly, Rodney Howard-Browne, (Chevreau makes mention of him, p.23) in
his published booklet on Revival comments on page 6,
I would rather see Satan and the flesh
being manifested at a meeting rather than nothing happening. ... If the devil is
manifesting, - don’t worry about it, just praise the Lord for it because at
least something is happening.
The true believer in Christ must be aware
of the subtleties of Satan’s message!
As he continues to endear this new
phenomenon to his reader Chevreau employs frivolous language which is foreign to
the language used by men of God throughout the Old and New Testaments, and the
post-apostolic period as they approached the Divine. For example, he speaks
about being on the floor, ‘loony tunes, again’ (p.14).
The information which has thus far been
produced is merely with reference to the Prologue of Chevreau’s book. He is in
no doubt that the Airport Vineyard Church has been host to a renewing move of
God that has brought a long-awaited revival of faith, hope and love. As of 1st.
September, 1994, conservative estimates count a cumulative attendance total of
90,000. Over 400 local pastors have come, at least to investigate. Over 4,000
pastors from throughout the world ‘have come to receive the outpouring’.
There is no doubt that the world craves for
a tremendous work of God. And the world needs a tremendous work of God.
Unfortunately, various reasons persist as to why the great work of true Holy
Spirit revival has not yet taken place. For example, we want God to revive the
world our way, i.e. with the fashion which is commensurate to the sinful nature.
We want something spectacular. In the beginning God created man, and throughout
his time on earth man has educated himself to the point where he now expects to
have the right to reverse the process and to create God. Of course this is
nothing new. In the Garden of Eden man had his first taste of being educated by
the most wily of teachers, Satan. Instead of achieving a tick for excellence, he
got a X-mark, and he was expelled.
As we proceed with our examination of the
techniques and idiosyncrasies of the ‘Toronto blessing’ one must not divert
one’s attention from God’s Word and God’s work today. In Britain Jacob
Prasch,
an Elim Pentecostal Pastor, who travels and lectures throughout the world is at
pains to alert believers to the dangers and inconsistencies of the Toronto
phenomenon. He points out that the charismatic experience in the Pentecostal era
saw unsaved people falling down upon their knees under the power of God and
repenting in droves and being saved. It was not already saved Christians
engaging in the kind of charismania that God warns us against in I Corinthians
12-14. Far from bringing revival, God’s Word warns that such chaotic behaviour
will cause the unsaved to think Christians are lunatics (I Corinthians 14:24).
Yes, there is holy joy, and holy laughter;
... and there is holy passion and holy anger. But He is not a God of confusion
(I Corinthians 14:33), and there is no such mention of holy levity or mimicking
animals. This latter phenomenon occurs in demonic animistic tribal religions,
but, says Prasch,
someone has to turn monkey tricks with
Scripture to find a basis for it in the Bible (the only instance is God’s
judgment on Nebuchadnezzar). ... What we see now is plainly not being practised
in a Biblical way, so even if it did begin with God, it is now at best of man,
or as some would suggest, in some cases possibly demonic.
[News & Prayer Letter, The Decline of
Western Pentecostalism: What is there to laugh about?, Moriel Ministries,
Autumn 1994, p.5.]
Among the well-known accomplices of
Chevreau are men like Benny Hinn and John Wimber. Benny Hinn, - along with E.W.
Kenyon, Kenneth Copeland, Freddy Price and Kenneth Hagan, - teaches that upon
His death Jesus became a satanic being in hell of one nature with Lucifer, and
was then born again in hell. They argue that Jesus Christ did not win the
victory on the cross, but in hell. Chevreau, however, easily dismisses any
opposition that may arise to any of his - or others - individual interpretations
of the Word of God,
a commitment to rigid Biblical literalism
is not conducive to the spirit of revival (p.53).
One could almost imagine Satan saying the
same thing to Eve when he advised her to eat of the fruit in contravention of
the express command of God (cf. Genesis 3:1-5). Setting the Word of God to one
side is an old tried and proven tactic of Satan! Chevreau would do well to
remember the words of Thomas Brooks,
The Spirit never loosens where the Word
binds; the Spirit never justifies where the Word condemns; the Spirit never
approves where the Word disapproves; the Spirit never blesses where the Word
curses.
In May 1992 and July 1993 Marc Dupont, a
member of staff at the Airport Vineyard, made a series of prophecies. He
prophesied that a tremendous outpouring of God would emanate from Toronto.
However, he could foresee opposition on the part of other believers, and he
threatened almost ominously,
Those stones which resist the Spirit will
be broken down into dust (p.29).
He continues to attempt to allign Toronto
with Jerusalem as the centre of God’s work being spread throughout the
contemporary world. Aided by a flawed eisegesis he reinterprets Ezekiel’s vision
of the valley of dry bones (chapter 37) with the purpose of interposing the
contribution which he claims is being made to Christendom by the Toronto
experience. He robs Jerusalem and the nation of Israel of its special
relationship with God, for, in both the Old and New Testaments, God makes it
abundantly clear that His work in the final days will emanate from Jerusalem,
the city of David. Furthermore, the work among His own special people, the Jews,
will be of special significance. Dupont and Chevreau would deny this work of
God, - this is no mere coincidence. Men who are influential on the British scene
such as Maurice Cerullo (who claims to have healed many hundreds at Earl’s Court
in London, however, he has never been able to produce a single case which can be
conclusively proved medically), Colin Dye of Kensington Temple, Rick Godwin,
Andrew and David Shearman and Wyn Lewis are increasingly more hostile in their
comments directed at Israel. For example, David Shearman (the pastor of an
Assemblies of God church in Nottingham) called upon his congregation to join
with him when he prayed “we do not ask Thee Lord to bless the government of
Israel”. With further antagonism he lombasted the nation of Israel, - that
nation which God loved and drew to Himself and for which He has a plan for the
future. Dupont and Chevreau are similarly withdrawing the importance of the
significance of Israel in the economy of God’s eschatological plan.
With almost a gnostic agenda they continue
their quest to misinform and deceive the gullible by comparing ‘the work of the
Holy Spirit in Toronto’ to the homage which was paid to the newborn baby in
Bethlehem,
Who would have figured? Just as the King of
the Jews was not found in the Holy Temple or even the Holy City, even so, God
has chosen to manifest His presence, not in a cathedral or sanctuary, but in an
industrial unit, a place that doesn’t look even remotely like a church building.
The smart ones are willing to travel when the Spirit of God is manifested
(p.52).
What kind of worship
is it?
Is it bound up with holiness, and a
realization of the majesty of the Almighty God? Is it a recognition of one’s own
sin in the presence of the glory of God? No, apparently not! Chevreau describes
it as ‘much fun ... and church has never been so much fun’ (p. 68). His
definition of the worship of Almighty God has absolutely nothing in common with
the worship of God described in Scripture, and does not even merit further
comment!!
He commences Chapter Four with an
interesting statement. He is surrounded by ‘the bodies laid out everywhere’
(p.70), and he confesses to his ‘reasonably broad biblical foundation’ and,
therefore, of the necessity for him ‘in processing the manifestations I was
witnessing and experiencing’ (p.70). To where does he turn? To the Bible? To the
infallible, inerrant, all-sufficient Word of God? No, to the writings of man, to
one J.D.G. Dunn, Jesus and the Spirit, and to John White’s When the
Spirit Comes With Power, and also to the footnotes contained in the latter.
He then directs his attention to turns to the Reformed School in an attempt to
persuade them of his historical accuracy (Edwards, Jonathan, The Works of
Jonathan Edwards, Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1992; Murray, Iain,
Jonathan Edwards: A new biography, Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust,
1992; Evans, Eifon, Daniel Rowland and the Great Evangelical Awakening in
Wales, Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1985; Martyn Lloyd-Jones,
Joy Unspeakable: Power and Renewal in the Holy Spirit; G. Campbell Morgan,
‘The Revival: Its Source and Power’ in Glory Filled the Land: A
Trilogy on the Welsh Revival, ed. Richard Owen Roberts). He examines the
relationship which Edwards and his wife enjoyed with God as he seeks to allign
their sense of intimacy with that similar to the Toronto experience. He quotes
Edwards’ employment of Acts 5:38,39 which, as has already been mentioned, could
become the reaction from many within evangelicalism, namely,
Refrain from these men, and let them alone:
for if this counsel or if this work be of men, it will come to nought: but if it
be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against
God (p.110).
However, as hard as Chevreau may try he is
not able to convince anyone familiar with the history of Jonathan Edwards that
there is anything remotely to be compared with the Toronto phenomenon. Edwards
(1703-58), probably the greatest theologian America has ever produced,
experienced revival in Northampton, Massachusetts (1734-47). The ‘General
Awakening’ which was occuring under Edwards’ ministry and wihin the American
colonies, had considerable power in preparing established churches for
disestablishment after the American Revolution. In 1741 he preached on ‘The
Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God’ in which he addressed those
who were hyper-cautious about the revival. In 1742 he produced a book entitled,
‘Some thoughts Concerning the Present Revival of Religion in New England’.
Aiming directly at the phenomenon associated with the ‘Awakening’ he argued that
phenomena such as unusual events, unusual effects on people’s bodies, and unwise
and irregular conduct, actually prove nothing.
Sensing that his arguments lack substance
Chevreau comes from a different angle to persuade the uninformed. He does so in
such a manner that Jonathan Edwards would even be taken aback by the way in
which his own writings have been desecrated by Chevreau.
In the fifth chapter of the book the
author, satisfied that he has dealt adequately with the Biblical and theological
foundations of the Toronto phenomenon, begins to probe into the benefits which
have been accrued by men and women who have ‘gained’ from the ‘blessing’. But
before doing so he quotes from the prince of preachers, C.H. Spurgeon. Once
again, the portion from which he makes reference has been separated from its
proper context and has been made to support Chevreau’s argument,
Observe how sovereign the operations of God
are ... He may in one district work a revival, and persons may be stricken down,
and made to cry aloud ... Many a blessing has been lost by Christians not
believing it to be a blessing, because it did not come in the particular shape
which they had conceived to be proper and right. (p.146)
[C.H. Spurgeon, The Early Years,
1834-1859, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1962, p.328].
Throughout the chapter there are
testimonies to the effectiveness of the Toronto phenomenon in the healing
ministry. One lady, known as ‘Sarah’, had attended ‘over thirty Rodney
Howard-Browne meetings’. ‘Sarah’ is ‘a Jewish believer and part of a Messianic
Jewish congregation’ (p.163). At one particular meeting she describes herself,
I remained the only vertical one, so it
seemed (p.158).
However, in time she too ‘felt a good deal
of energy flowing through [her], and [her] body was involuntarily jerking now
and then’. She went on to describe the experience as ‘unequivocally
supernaturally empowered’ (p.158). There continues her account of the
experience,
I do recall that my body went into the most
unusual motions in response to her prayers. ... After she prayed regarding
birthing a prophetic mantle, my whole being seemed to go into labour ... . My
head started to twist almost violently from side to side. ... As an expression
of what I was sensing in my spirit, I remember motioning slowly with my hands in
various ways I had never done before. Within seconds these motions became
supernaturally empowered, full speed ahead! [her italics, not mine]. My
hands and arms felt as if there was a power current running through them. Then
there was the flailing, which I can»t really describe except that my whole body
seemed to be twisting on the floor, and someone later affectionately commented
that I resembled the character ‘Big Bird’. I remember thinking this seemed to be
quite a workout for someone my age, and that perhaps this kind of anointing was
supposed to be reserved for the ‘under 30’ crowd ... . (p.159).
Following her experience she soon
discovered that she had the ‘ability’ to touch her non-
charismatic Lutheran neighbour in the belly
and she too received the ‘laughter in the Spirit’
(p.162).
In his conclusion Chevreau seeks to
summarize and bring together all the arguments raised throughout his book. He
continues to appeal to portions of church history which substantiate his point
of view.
What Are We to
Conclude?
As one reads through Chevreau’s book one
cannot fail to notice the general lack of references to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ and His contribution is peripheral. The cross of Calvary and work
of redemption receive minimal emphasis, - if any at all. Repentance and
forgiveness gives way to hysterical laughter and maniacal activity. There is no
precedent in Scripture for the kind of approach which he adapts for worship.
Nowhere, in any part of Scripture, is the Christian encouraged to be involved in
this type of behaviour. Neither is there any example of any member of the
Church, - Old or New Testament, - barking like dogs or roaring like lions. The
hyperbolic language of Amos, - “the Lord will roar from Zion” (Amos 1:2), -
was never intended to be humanized into the activities of the people of God. The
only person in Scripture who experienced anything like the ‘Toronto blessing’
was Nebuchadnezzar when God poured out His judgment upon him (Daniel 4:33)!
Familiar with the contemporary New Age
teachings and phenomena it is relatively simple to correlate their practices
with some of the activities that have emanated from the Toronto Industrial Unit.
The laughing, roaring, falling down are synonymous with some forms of Hindu
practice. The ‘altered state of awareness’, the use of music, relaxation,
‘freedom’, the tone of the voice can affect those who are open to suggestion
and susceptibility. It is a known and recognised fact that by repeating
suggestions, - whether by song (for example, in the form of choruses) or word, -
the desired experience can be articulated into the form which meets the needs of
the enquirer, especially within the ‘group’ context. In other words, “What is
wrong with me if I am not involved in that kind of behaviour?” ... and the onus
is upon the person to conform.
Is the ‘Toronto
Blessing’ a mark of revival?
Can
it be of God where the emphasis upon repentance is clearly lacking? God clearly
laid down His requirements, for example,
If My people, which are called by My Name,
shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked
way; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal
their land (II Chronicles 7:14).
When the Holy Spirit entered into the
Church at Pentecost, and they witnessed, - standing upon the foundation of the
Word of God, - there was no laughter, ... no barking or roaring, no ‘slain in
the Spirit’, no dancing up and down the aisles. Instead, the people who were
listening and watching were pricked in their heart, and said ... “Men and
brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37,38; also see 3:19) Peter’s reply
confronted them with the need to make themselves right with God through His Son,
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Isn’t it also significant that the people
in Jerusalem didn’t have to travel halfway around the world to ‘catch’ the
blessing. Yes, some people from the United Kingdom have travelled to Toronto and
have returned to their churches with fervour and excitement. Others have
experienced the phenomenon closer to home, and they have been impressed. But the
sovereignty of the Holy Spirit is not confined to any corner of an airport. His
worldwide work is being carried on in churches and mission halls which do not
even gain the attention of their local media. The omnipresent Holy Spirit, the
third Person of the Trinity, is the Medium by which the Church is ‘breathed
into’, revived and equipped for the work of God. He oversees and superintends
the work and witness of the Church. He works in the hearts and minds of men and
women, boys and girls, and brings them to a knowledge of the truth that only can
be found in the Lord Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity. F.D. Bruner
comments,
What the Spirit does is exactly what the
Lord does; the Spirit’s work is not an additional or special work beyond the
Lord’s; the Spirit is the Lord at work.
Through Him, and in the realization that He
has dealt with our sin-problem, the door is opened into the presence of the
Father. J.C.P. Cockerton analyses that
the Gospel is the ground of the believer’s
assurance, while the Holy Spirit is its cause.
And it doesn’t finish there, ... day by day
His Word encourages His people to be “filled with the Holy Spirit”, to enjoy an
ever-increasing faith and joy in their salvation. Thomas Brooks affirmed,
The first work of the Spirit is to make a
man look upon sin as an enemy and to deal with sin as an enemy, to hate it as an
enemy, to loathe it as an enemy and to arm against it as an enemy.
How Ought I To
Respond?
The Scripture warns us to stay away from
what is false. It tells us that not everything which lays claim to the Spirit is
from God. Many of the promoters of the so-called works of the Spirit are false
prophets, according to the Scriptural prerequisite. There is nothing new about
their activities; Paul spoke about them often, for example,
For such are false prophets, deceitful
workers, transforming themselves in to the apostles of Christ. And no marvel;
for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (II Corinthians
11:13,14)
He knew their pedigree. He knew that the
Church had to be warned. Unfortunately, his warnings weren’t always heeded!
Where is the Church in Corinth today? Where is the Church in Galatia, in
Ephesus, in Thessalonika, in Philippi, in Colosse? Sadly, they are the evidence
that Satan always has people in the church to promote his gospels in opposition
to the true message of Christ.
What then ought to be the response which we
afford to the Toronto phenomenon? Firstly, be aware of the facts surrounding
the unBiblical nature of the movement. Secondly, seek the daily reality of the
presence of God in your own life. Thirdly, learn to be discerning, ... not to
accept just because something or someone claims to be Christian. The Bible gives
clear guidelines. If there is a carelessness about sin and repentance, a
frivolity which is not commensurate with the practice of the Word, a desire to
promote a person or organization, then Paul’s advice, first given to the Church
at Galatia, remains relevant,
Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach
any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other
gospel unto you than ye have received, let him be accursed [Greek: anathema].
(Galatians 1:8,9)
What next will the Church behold from the
type of men who promote scurrilous teachings? When Satan sees that there are
many who will be deceived, - as indeed Paul prophesies (II Thessalonians
2:9-11), - what shall be the next trick which he conjures up? At this point I am
not prophesying, I am quoting the Scriptures. A false prophet, who many will put
their trust in because he has seemed to have proved his genuineness, will
appear. The Bible describes him as being like a lamb, but with two horns (like
that of a goat) and he spoke like a dragon (Revelation 13:11). He looked the
part and he fooled the people. He performed great and miraculous signs, -
nowadays, even, if you work so-called miracles many people think that there is
something specially spiritual about you! This man will be spiritual, but he
won’t be aided by the Holy Spirit of God! He will perform a miracle similar to
that which Elijah performed on Mount Carmel, calling down fire from heaven upon
the sacrifice. In time, - but too late for the gullible, - his true credentials
will be revealed. The Bible gives us his credentials and his identity, ... 666.
Almost two millennia have passed, since
the Lord Jesus Christ spoke to His disciples as they approached the end of His
earthly ministry; His warning must not go unheeded even in our generation,
Jesus answering them began to say, Take
heed lest any man deceive you: for many shall come in My Name saying, I am
Christ; and shall deceive many. ... If any man shall say to you, Lo, here is
Christ; or, lo, He is there; believe him not: for false Christs and false
prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were
possible, even the elect. (Mark 13:5,6,21,22)
John Wesley’s Journal, Vol. II,
ed. by N. Curnock, London p.122, 182, 221
Eifon Evans, Daniel Rowland and the
Great Evangelical Awakening in Wales, Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust,
1985; p.158, 217, 380
Authentic Records of Revival,
ed. William Reid, James Nisbet, London, 1860, pp. 47, 49
Questions
1. What gives you the right to question the
work of the Holy Spirit, as is manifest in the ‘Toronto Blessing?
A Warning!
When
the Lord Jesus Christ spoke to His disciples in the region of Caesarea Philippi
He questioned them regarding the Son of Man,
Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?
(Mt. 16:13)
From His disciples He received various
replies, which all centred around important Church figures who had gone before.
Popular opinion seemed to be in agreement that He was someone special, - maybe
even a reincarnation! The apostle John was correct when he commented,
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God. ... That was the true Light, ... . He came
unto His own, and His own received Him not. (Jn. 1:1,9,11)
Jesus proceeded to invite His followers to
answer the very direct and personal question,
But, what about you? Whom say ye that I am?
They had often heard Him speak. They had
seen the evidence of the miracles which He had performed. They had watched how
He lived among them. They had listened to His claims. They had watched as
religious crowds attacked Him for His ‘heresy’. This left them in no doubt as to
the identity of the Man standing before them,
Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the Living God. (Mt. 16:16)
As the words of the apostle Peter resounded
throughout the corridors of earth, heaven and hell the Second Person of the Holy
Trinity had succeeded in presenting the Godhead to humanity. The small number of
men surrounding the Lord Jesus Christ on that day had come to realize exactly
who He was, - the Messiah, the Christ of God. That is how John could testify ...
But as many as received Him, to them gave
He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name ... .
(Jn. 1:12)
Immediately, without any hesitation
whatsoever, the Lord Jesus informed His disciples,
... upon this rock [i.e. Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the Living God] I will build My Church; and the gates of
hell shall not prevail against it. (Mt. 16:18)
From that moment He left them in no doubt
of the attempts which the dominion of hell would make to overthrow His redeemed
Church, but those attempts would be unsuccessful. History records the
aspirations of empires and emperors to silence the voice and witness of the
Church. History also records the efforts of Romanism to silence the voice of the
Protestant Reformers and their message of salvation by faith. But Satan»s most
effective strategy was proved in the Garden of Eden when he discovered that he
could best undermine the work of God by becoming intricately involved with the
people of God. Satan has his eyes firmly fixed upon the Church. He even appealed
to the Foundation of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ,
I’ll give you all the kingdoms of the world
and their splendour ... if Thou wilt fall down and worship me. (Mt. 4:9)
Satan desired the Bride of the Church to
lie slain before him. He did not succeed, nor never will he succeed, but he is
aiming at the ‘next best thing’, - to render immobile and to defeat the Church
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Every book of the New Testament confronts
the deception which Satan has sought to inject into the Church. The Gospels
record the confusion which resulted from Satan’s deception of the Jewish people
when they described Jesus as Beelzebub, the prince of demons (Mt. 12:24; Mk.
3:22; Lk. 11:15). That same confusion has followed the Church ever since.
In the Book of Acts, as the Church
stretched out from Jerusalem, a revival had broken out, - people were being
saved, lives were being changed spiritually and sometimes physically. In Samaria
Simon the sorcerer could hardly believe his eyes. This manifestation of the
spectacular was what he longed for, - ... it immediately arrested his attention.
The Bible clearly says,
Then Simon himself believed also: and when
he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles
and signs which were done. (Acts 8:13)
On the outward this man was saved. His life
had been changed. He was a new creature in Christ. He even desired to follow
Philip to the various meetings where he undoubtedly would have heard and seen
the message of saving grace being accepted by many. However, the Bible
specifically points out the phenomenon which was attracting this man, - it
wasn’t the message of the Good News which had arrested his attention. No!
Simon was overwhelmed by the supernatural ability of Peter and John, - he wanted
it too!
“I’ll pay you for it. I want to do what you
do. I want to have what you have.” (Acts 8:18,19)
Peter discerned exactly where this man
stood before God. Simon the sorcerer had said the right prayer, was baptized in
the proper manner, he knew the right people and outwardly he belonged to the
Church but Peter confronted him,
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this
matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this
thy wickedness ... for I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and
in the bond of iniquity. (Acts 8:21-23)
Simon was confused. The Early Church
Fathers described him as the “Father of the Gnostics” - he was never saved by
the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. He may have had, for a while, all
the outward trappings of a Christian but he had never departed form the highway
to hell.
As the various fellowships of believers
became established Paul confronted confusion throughout his missionary journeys.
In the carnal Church of Corinth the believers had been divided into various
cliques (I Cor. 1:11ff.). Furthermore, they had allowed men to condemn the
preaching of Paul as ‘foolishness’ (I Cor. 1:20-31), - in other words they
considered themselves to have ‘progressed’ from the ordinary mundane truths of
Apostolic preaching. They launched into the New Testament phenomenon of the
spiritual gifts, - in particular, the gift of speaking in an unknown tongue (I
Cor. 12-14). As a consequence, they had rejected the preaching of Paul and had
relegated this mighty and faithful servant of God to the state of being
old-fashioned, out-of-date and antiquated. Nevertheless, he warned them,
But I fear, lest by any means, as the
serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted
from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another
Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have
not received, or another gospel which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear
with him. ... For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing [don’t be
surprized] if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of
righteousness. (II Cor. 11:3,4,13-15)
Paul had a similar problem with the Church
in Galatia (Gal. 1:7). He instructed them,
Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach
any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed. (Gal. 1:8)
He also strongly advised the Church at
Colosse against becoming involved with extra-apostolic activities (Col.
2:18,19). Into the Colossian fellowship had entered a Gnostic-type definition of
theology. As a consequence of this heretical teaching there had developed a
two-tier type of Christian believer, - ‘those who have it’ and ‘those who
don’t’.
In his second letter to the Thessalonians
he charged the Church to be on their guard in the final days,
And then shall that Wicked be revealed,
whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with
the brightness of His coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of
Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the
truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong
delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who
believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (II Thess.
2:8-12)
Paul was echoing the words of the Lord
Jesus Christ on the Mount of Olives as He spoke to His disciples,
Many shall come in My Name, saying, I am
Christ, and will deceive many. ... For there shall arise false Christs, and
false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it
were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Mt. 24:5,24)
In his personal letter to Timothy Paul
spoke, guided by the Holy Spirit,
In the latter times some shall depart from
the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking
lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron ... . (I Tim.
4:1,2)
He continued to describe their spiritual
pedigree,
Having a form of godliness, but denying the
power thereof. (II Tim. 3:5)
Peter, who had been reminding his readers
of his experience on the Mount of Transfiguration (II Pet. 1:18), began to warn
of the false prophets and false teachers who would arise in the last days. The
hallmark of these perpetrators of blasphemy and error will be that they will
preach ...
damnable heresies, even denying the Lord
that bought them, and [they shall] bring upon themselves swift
destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the
way of truth shall be evil spoken of. ... These are wells without water, clouds
that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for
ever. (II Pet.2:1,2,17)
John instructed the Church to ‘try/test
the spirits’ in the light of the Apostles’ teachings (I Jn. 4:1,6). A similar
instruction is given by Paul to measure everything according to the Word of God,
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of
these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the
words of faith and good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. (I Tim. 4:6)
Being aware of the damage which can be done
by the false prophet to individual members of the Church John’s ancient advice
remains relevant,
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in
the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ,
he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come many unto you, and bring not
this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed ...
. (II John 9,10)
Similarly Jude is uncompromising as
regards the deception of the false prophets,
For there are certain men crept in
unawares, ... ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and
denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 4)
As the New Testament brings to the
attention of the ‘born again’ Christian the absolute necessity of being aware of
the subtlety of Satan being manifest in the Church the ‘religiousity’ of the
beast is described in Revelation 13:11-18. This beast, which will come up out of
the earth, has all the appearance of a lamb, - innocent, not given to violence,
attractive and beautiful. However, when he will open his mouth he will speak
like a dragon [see 12:9 for the significance of this statement.] He will
demonstrate his overwhelming power. He will feed the people’s appetites for the
supernatural as he works tremendous miracles. He will effectively mimic the
miracles of Scripture, including the miracle Elijah performed on Mount Carmel (I
Kgs. 18:38).
Indeed, is it not significant that
Revelation 13 alludes to Elijah who precedes the coming of the Messiah (Mal.
4:5)? The false prophet of Revelation 13 will deceive the inhabitants of the
earth and based upon the signs and wonders which he will be able to perform
they will be prepared to worship any form of deity or religious practice which
he will introduce.
Satan is preparing to introduce the grand
delusion. He has sown the seeds of his perverse gospel. Many within the Church
are tasting of it, and it satisfies them. They want more and more of the
supernatural. It doesn»t matter if the source is spurious and lacks spiritual
credulity. It doesn’t matter if the preaching of the Gospel of Saving Grace is
silenced. It doesn’t matter if the Bible is set to one side. It doesn’t matter
if the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, - purchased by His precious blood, - is
divided, split apart and confused. ... It doesn’t matter!?
Those “it doesn’t matter Christians” will
be clothed with shame when they stand before the judgment seat of Christ. They
will have ignored all His warnings, ... all the warnings of Scripture. Their
hearts will be breaking when they realize that they had become pawns of the
enemy in the hand of the Saviour.
Through the pages of Holy Scripture God
has warned His people about the subtleties and dangers of accepting the
unBiblical. Simon the sorcerer was a member of the visible church who sought
after the spectacular, instead of the Saviour who won the victory over sin,
death, hell and Satan. Simon threw away his opportunity for finding salvation.
Our own subjectivity and religious
feelings are no substitutes for testing the spirit in accordance with the Word
of God. God’s Word has stood the test of time, and when the bubble bursts on the
‘Toronto’ experience, God’s Word, - and God’s Word alone! - will once again be
proved to be an accurate means whereby the faithful Bible-believing child of God
may be taught, rebuked, corrected and trained in righteousness.
