In the
past few years there has been an increase in the number of reported shenanigans
done by the clergy. I do not know if the mischiefs have increased or access to
information has increased due to the internet and social media. The incidents
range from a pastor asking people to drink petrol to another making people eat
grass and yet another claiming to walk on thin air. From the rather
embarrassing failed prophecies to the recent spraying of the insecticide “doom”
on people’s faces, these are just a few of the many issues that have become
common practice in the many charismatic churches around our country and the
African continent. Some issues are silly, comical and embarrassing while others
are unhealthy, disturbing, unacceptable and utterly shameful. Yet with all the
drama and activities, I see three major problems with the current happenings
and teachings of the Charismatic movement in our country and the continent in
general.
It dilutes the gospel
The gospel
according to the Bible is a holy God as the creator, father and judge of the
world giving His only son Jesus Christ as a perfect sinless sacrifice to pay
the penalty for our sins by dying in the place of a sinful, rebellious people
who deserve wrath and judgment, and yet if they believe in the work of Christ
and repent of their sins, they will be saved (Acts 17:22-32, Romans 3:11-18, 2
Corinthians 5:17-21, John 3:23). That is gospel, the good news! Sadly all we
hear now is deliverance and promotion. If you believe in a “Jesus” you will be
delivered from all sorts of demons, spirits and curses that need binding or
loosening and have been hindering your progress in life. And the Bible makes it
very clear: a diluted gospel is no gospel at all.
I am astonished that
you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are
turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are
some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we
or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we
preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say
again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received,
let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:6-10
It belittles sin
The
consequence of a diluted gospel is that you invariably belittle the horror of
sin. The Bible teaches us that Christians wrestle with three enemies namely
self (sinful and does not seek God), the world (hostile to God and his word)
and the devil (the enemy of God and his people). A man-centered gospel will always
have an unhealthy preoccupation with the devil and world as being the problem
and not sinful self. The common message now is that there are spirits and
demons for everything the Bible calls sin. So you have the demon of adultery,
theft, murder, drunkenness, lust etc. If it is not a demon, then it is the
spirit of one of your ancestors. Therefore, man becomes a victim of his sinful
nature and desires and is not responsible and answerable for his sins. This
belittling of sin has led to the damning to hell of a lot of people. Unless a
person acknowledges his sins and repents from them by calling on the name of Jesus
he cannot be saved. What a tragedy!
It promotes materialism
It is true
that the prosperity gospel finds fertile ground in poverty stricken Africa, but
more than that it finds fertile ground in a naturally materialistic people,
whose desire is to amass more and better things. We have a longing desire to
quench the thirst for satisfaction in life with possessions and positions, and
the prosperity gospel promises to fulfil that longing, and it promises health,
wealth and promotions. Again this message is leading thousands to hell, and in
a sense is God’s judgement on a people who do not desire him but simply want to
use Him to get what they want. Paul Washer is spot on when he says:
“False teacher are
God’s judgment on people who don’t want God, but in the name of religion plan
on getting everything their carnal heart desires… those people who sit under
him are not victims of him but he is the judgement of God upon them. And they
want exactly what he wants, and it’s not God”[1].
Any
preacher or church that does not preach Christ is false and is misleading
people. The church and its ministers should have Christ central to their
message and ministry; they should decrease and Christ should increase. Every
minister of the gospel should echo Paul’s charge “woe is me if I do not preach
gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16).
This is an excellent read Chopo. Very enlightening
ReplyDeleteThank for the feedback. Very encouraging.
ReplyDeleteJust a question, are you basically putting all charismatics in the same box as the doom and snake prophets? Including the Bible preaching, holiness pursuing, truth pushing ones?
ReplyDeleteNo... there are some generalizations. I must say the "bible preaching, holiness pursuing, truth pushing ones" do seem to be at a premium in my observation.
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