Replies

Brother, I must say that, in my not inconsiderable experience with Charismatics, there is a very fundamental difference which will forever separate them from Baptists. Whereas Baptists look to a God who is largely external to themselves for the hope of salvation, every single Charismatic I have known relies upon a claimed (borderline Gnostic) knowledge of God "within". I really think that if the words "self discovery" are banished, the communication of the Charismatic faith becomes almost impossible. The denial of self is not a key feature of their practiced believes, in my experience.

Then your experience is unfortunate and anemic, at best, imho.

The most self-sacrificing Christians I’ve ever known have been Charismatics/Pentecostals.

It is SCRIPTURE

WHICH INSISTS that

WE ARE *IN* CHRIST

AND

CHRIST IS *IN* US.

Take the issue up with HIM.

Obviously that IS THE TRUTH

else Christ would not have said it.

Denial of THE TRUTH does not cancel THE TRUTH.

I do believe there is an internal witness of the Spirit that we are children of God. The Bible says, “the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.” I think Charismatics & Pentecostals move well beyond this in the supernatural realm. I still believe in a supernatural God, yet very careful with internal feelings and external manifestations which can be deceptive.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
(2 Corinthians 4:16)

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
(Ezekiel 36:25-27)

I don’t know what Charismatics or even Baptists you may talk to but the ones I know-both Baptist and Charismatic subscribe to the verses above. God puts his Spirit into his children, and though his Spirit “ does not refer to himself” he works to “search out the deep things of God and to bring them to mind”. These “things” will never be out of alignment with the Bible.

The Spirit also helps us to pray even when we don’t know quite what to pray, with sighs and groanings too deep for words”. The prayers of both Baptists and Charismatics I have heard are nevertheless “outward directed” to the Father above and are done in Jesus’ name as He has commanded.

Perhaps you have run across some of the more modern “fallen out of the Way” Charismatics, the posting Thread speaks of.