My Charismatic Experience - Part 2
Thursday, September 28, 2006
I actually do know what I'm talking about...(Make sure you read part 1 before reading this post)
My mother went through weeks, perhaps even months, neglecting to take any medication for her terrible ailment, since it had been made clear to her that she had been healed by the Holy Spirit. All she had to do, was believe. The prophecies were uttered, the prayers were made, the hands of healers had come and gone. The deal was done.
One problem: my mother was as sick as ever.
If anything, my poor mother was in the worst shape ever since she had stopped taking her medications which had brought her some relief. She soldiered on for some time thinking (perhaps hoping) that the Lord was just testing her faith, but it didn't take too long for us to conclude the very obvious: my mother was never healed of anything.
It wasn't long after this realization that my mother went back on her medications which brought her some physical relief, but ushered in some serious aggravation from some of her "Christian brothers and sisters". You see, in everyone's eyes, my mother's decision could only mean one of three things:
1- The prophecies/healings were 100% bogus.
2- My mother had some terrible sin in her life which kept the Holy Spirit from doing His work.
3- My mother lacked the long-term faith necessary to attain unto the said healing.
For months, my mother investigated all three of the above possibilities, causing her much heartache. I wasn't so thorough. At this point, possibility # 1, as far as I was concerned, was the most likely explanation, but I was no slouch, the young scientist in me took over. Every prophecy, every tongue babbling, every miracle claim was observed, analyzed and even scrutinized.
The results of my "charismatic experiment" was a real disappointment, and the conclusion was unquestionable: charismatic "churches" are NOT faithful, New Testament churches. Are there true, born-again saints in charismatic churches? Certainly. Are they faithful churches? Absolutely not.
What has brought me to such a conclusion? What, exactly, is it that I have observed which has brought me to such a cut and dry conclusion? Click here!
Rand
Labels: Charismatic Movement
