Misrepresentation of the Holy Spirit in Modern Churches
It is a sad fact that today’s churches don’t regard the Holy Spirit as a person who deserves our respect. They abuse the name of the Holy Spirit, attaching unbiblical worldly/pagan practices to the Spirit and turning the Spirit into a spectacle.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many Christians who are concerned or react to such defamation of the Holy Spirit as we see in charismatic circles today. But at the same time if the Father and the Son were mocked in the same way, many would protest.
Why should we be any less passionate about the glory and honor of the Spirit?
Here are some of the unbiblical practices that are being attributed to the Holy Spirit.
When asked, “what is the evidence that the Spirit is moving?” many charismatics would respond by saying, speaking in tongues, falling backward to the floor, laughing uncontrollably, and twisting on the ground.
When asked “to describe the Spirit’s presence”, many charismatics would respond by saying they felt a jolt of electricity, a remarkable tingling, and an electrifying sensation.
It is needless to say that such descriptions have no precedent in Scripture.
On second thought? What if all the tingling, trances, and tremors are actually evidence of Demonic activity? Scripture does warn us that even satan can do signs and wonders;
Exodus 7:11 (NKJV)
But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
In the Old Testament, we learn how the sorceress from Egypt duplicated some of the signs that God performed through Moses. Nevertheless, they were only able to go so far in their deception because they ability to duplicate God’s signs were limited by human ability.
In addition, these kinds of teachings have a drastic effect on the sanctification process in the lives of those who are not Spirit-filled Christians and who are immature, disobedient, and incomplete. And unfortunately, it gives credence to those who boldly claim sensational experiences one after another in order to showcase their spiritual worth. It’s actually more common for those with extravagant testimonies to be held in higher esteem spiritually, and their claims are rarely challenged.
In mordern churches it is common for them to offer cheap impotent replacements for the authority of the Spirit-inspired scriptures by offering entertainment, and a false sense of spiritual aura. They imply that the Holy Spirit causes people to bark like dogs / laugh like hyenas / knock people backwards unconsciously / enticing people to worship God in a chaotic or uncontrollable way and so on. But all of this is simply a creation of idolatrous imaginations and is not pleasing to God. We cannot mold God according to our image and specifications.
Unfortunately, some people have created a golden calf version of the Holy Spirit by throwing theology into the fires of human experience and worshipping the false spirit that came out.
The movement that claims to be devoted to honoring & emphasizing the ministry of the spirit;
- In practice, treat Him with casual contempt & condescension.
- Reduce Him to a mere force or feeling
- Exchanged the sovereign glory of His Holy Person for a hollow shell of human imagination.
Among the hallmarks of charismatic churches is the belief that baptism with the Spirit results in supernaturally enhanced obedience, holiness, and fruit of the Spirit. However, if this was the case, we would have produced leaders whose character is Christlike rather than filled with flamboyance, moral failure, financial scandals, and public scandals that are prevalent in charismatic churches today.