Charismatic
Description
The word “Charismatic” comes from
the Greek word for “Charisma”,
which means “gifted”. They believe
they are more “Gifted” than other
Christians. The Bible tells us what to
think about this in Prov 25:14. The
gifts they claim are apostolic gifts
(signs and wonders 2 Cor 12:12). In
Rev 2:2 they are called liars!

The term “Pentecostal” dates
to the early part of the 20th
century and refers to a desire to
recapture the miraculous experience
of Pentecost. Many denominations
have grown out of the Pentecostal
movement, including the Assemblies
of God, International Church of the
Foursquare Gospel, Church of God in
Christ, Church of God (Cleveland,
Tennessee), Pentecostal Church of
God, United Pentecostal Church,
and Church of God of Prophecy. The
“Charismatic” movement is of
more recent origin and refers to the
ecumenical tongues-speaking phenomenon
that has spread through non-Pentecostal
Baptist and Protestant denominations
as well as the Roman Catholic Church
since the 1960s. 1

History
Charismatics, as “Campbellites,”
came on the religious scene late. The
Bethel Bible College in Topeka, Kansas
(1900), and the Azusa Street Mission of
Los Angeles (1910) were the beginnings
of the present movement, and it came
into full blossom between 1920 and 1940
under a woman preacher in Los Angeles
named Aimee Semple McPherson. Later
(1945), Charismatics infiltrated the
Christian Businessmen's Fellowship
(1945–1950) and converted it into a
so-called “Full Gospel Fellowship”
(1950–1970). The word “FULL
Gospel” is a non-Biblical term (such
as “Four Square Gospel”) and would
be included in the anathemas (curses)
which God the Holy Spirit placed on
anyone in this age who is not preaching
THE Gospel (1 Cor. 15:16). “THE
GOSPEL” (Gal. 1:8-10) never includes
any mention of apostolic gifts given
to any apostle or to any convert under
an apostle since “THE Gospel” was
to survive centuries after the last
apostle was dead.

Charismatics were formerly
(1900–1940) called
“Pentecostals,” or in the old days
“Assembly of God,” “Church of
God,” or “Nazarenes.” All of
them bore the same stamp; all claimed
that the Jewish signs (1 Cor. 1:22)
given to Israel (Exod. 4:1-10), under
the Jewish apostles (Mark 16:17-20),
were for Gentile believers even after
the last apostle had died. 2

Doctrine
All Charismatics are
interdenominational and all of them
are deathly afraid to discuss,
read, or study (or preach) BIBLE
DOCTRINES. Because the Bible is a
book of doctrine (2 Tim 3:16), it is a
closed book to them. They will not be
able to discern it at all.

One of the keynotes of the Pentecostal
movement since its inception has been
the doctrine that the Lord's coming
will be preceded by a worldwide revival
of signs and wonders. Acts 2:16-20 is
used as a proof text. They say, “See,
sons and daughters will prophesy and
young men will see visions and old men
will dream dreams,” but this verse
is ripped from its context.
Peter says the Joel prophecy was
fulfilled in his day with the events
of Pentecost.

Pentecostals and Charismatics pay
lip service to the sufficiency of
the Bible, in reality experience and
“personal revelation” are commonly
the higher authorities. This is because
they have a spirit, but it is NOT
Holy! Remember the Holy Ghost will
lead you to truth. It is not going to
reject the words of God in preference
to personal experience. This is satanic
in nature.

Unknown tongues? In Acts 2 please note
the following:
No one is kneeling or praying for
any “baptism.
The “initial evidence” is NOT
tongues but it is the sound of a mighty
rushing wind.
Only twelve men speak in tongues (Acts
1:26; 2:1; 2:14). Since 120 disciples
were there (Acts 1:15), it is apparent
that tongues have nothing to do with
the ”baptism of the Holy Ghost”
for Christians, because ALL CHRISTIANS
HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY BY ONE
SPIRIT (1 Cor. 12:13), and at least 108
of them at Pentecost did NOT speak in
any tongue.
The Biblical rules for the use of the
“unknown tongue” in 1 Corinthians
are regularly violated by every
Charismatic church in America.

WOMEN are not to speak in tongues in
the assembly (1 Cor. 14:34).
MEN are to only speak in turn and never
more than three at a time; one after
the other (1 Cor. 14:27).
None of them are to speak unless an
interpreter is present (1 Cor. 14:27),
and then it is understood that all
tongues are for a “SIGN” (1
Cor. 14:22) to the unbelieving Jews
in Corinth.
That is why they only occur THREE
times in the entire New Testament
(Acts 2, 10, 19): in every case it is
for the benefit of a Jew who is seeking
a “SIGN.”

Sources/Notes

1. Way of Life Encyclopedia of the
Bible & Christianity↩
2. Five Heresies Examined by Peter
S. Ruckman↩