Charismatics Practice Gnosticism?
- Thread starter DevotiontoBible
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Perhaps, but as you only asserted and have not demonstrated that the above is true, your assertions are still considered slanderous and baseless.
This is a profoundly simply concept: if you make an assertion (especially where you are criticizing), you need to provide a source that clearly supports that specific assertion.
This is a profoundly simply concept: if you make an assertion (especially where you are criticizing), you need to provide a source that clearly supports that specific assertion.
I really don't think so, I mean of all the charismatics I know not one of them believes in any of that gnostic crap, specially that of the first few centuries. That magazine you cite, Charisma, it doesn't purport to advance its far-flung ideas, so I don't see it as a viable source, and apparently nobody else does either.
A. This is not one of Plato's forms or ideas as far as I know, not the way you have it worded. Close maybe. Charismatics don't follow Plato. They follow Jesus.
B. Charismatics believe in salvation as you and I do, that Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, and salvation is a gift from God by His grace through faith and not at all by our works, when we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that Jesus is Lord. The "special race"ers you refer to may be a very far-out-there very secret fringe group made up of more than just Christians, and I'll say no more about them.
C. is predicated on B.
There is, on the other hand, special revelation knowledge. It's not secret though, but often it's private, between God and seeker. I will give an example. 2 years ago I asked God if I should apply for a certain job that would open my schedule for evening services. He Told me no, and explained (revealed) why. Another. God told the Pastor of my church a certain demographic would increase more than 10 fold in the coming few years, that it was the enemy, and to prepare for spiritual battle in that regard. You can also call it prophecy, same thing really. You can't tell me God never reveals anything to you, can you?
A. This is not one of Plato's forms or ideas as far as I know, not the way you have it worded. Close maybe. Charismatics don't follow Plato. They follow Jesus.
B. Charismatics believe in salvation as you and I do, that Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, and salvation is a gift from God by His grace through faith and not at all by our works, when we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that Jesus is Lord. The "special race"ers you refer to may be a very far-out-there very secret fringe group made up of more than just Christians, and I'll say no more about them.
C. is predicated on B.
There is, on the other hand, special revelation knowledge. It's not secret though, but often it's private, between God and seeker. I will give an example. 2 years ago I asked God if I should apply for a certain job that would open my schedule for evening services. He Told me no, and explained (revealed) why. Another. God told the Pastor of my church a certain demographic would increase more than 10 fold in the coming few years, that it was the enemy, and to prepare for spiritual battle in that regard. You can also call it prophecy, same thing really. You can't tell me God never reveals anything to you, can you?
I said Charismatics parallel the Gnostics not that they claim to be Gnostics. For example, Plato taught a duality to interpretation of literature. The physical written message and then the deeper spiritual meaning or the real meaning. Here we see a Charismatic take the narrative about two Old Testament kings to not be about God dealing with ancient Israel but really about how your heart should be in prayer. These "deeper meanings" they claim to have in order to get your money from selling books and booking speaking engagements.
https://www.charismamag.com/index.php/blogs/rt-kendall/25850-the-obedience-of-gratitude
https://www.charismamag.com/index.php/blogs/rt-kendall/25850-the-obedience-of-gratitude
Once again, there is nothing in the article quoted that gets anywhere near the assertions you made in your OP. Dutch Sheets (the article's author) takes two stories as illustrations, and applies a line from David in the Psalms. The worst you can legitimately accuse Sheets of doing is spiritualizing, and even at that, it's a very mild case of it. While his application is perhaps a bit of a stretch, his use of illustrations is good exegesis.
He makes absolutely no mention of money, so your slander is also unfounded.
He makes absolutely no mention of money, so your slander is also unfounded.