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Emotion, As A Test Of Fellowship
Jack Deere tells his readers he was "surprised by the voice of God," in his book
under that title. Zondervan Publishing House advertises the book by explaining:
"Jack Deere could have given you all the reasons why such things disappeared
once the Bible was complete. That is, until Jack searched the Bible deeply
enough for it to search him. What he found revolutionized his Christian walk -
and it can transform yours as well," (from back cover of Surprised By The Voice
of God, by Jack Deere; Zondervan, 1996).
Right away you know, Mr. Deere is promoting a Charismatic agenda. He reports to
his readers his "conversion" to the Charismatic belief and practice, explaining
that he used to tell people, "Read your Bible every day." Through experiences
with people he narrates in the book, he relates his gradual change. Now he is
excited about how God speaks today through prophecies, dreams and visions.
About halfway through the book, Deere makes the charge that "The Bible deists of
today worship the Bible."
He uses the word "deists" to accommodate his argument and build prejudice
against the non-charismatic. Deism generally identifies those who say they
believe in God, but that He is inactive (as defined by the individual deist).
Deists may or may not deny providence, but they are united in denying
"supernatural revelation." They say, of God: He created the universe and then
"abandoned it, assuming no control over life, exerting no influence on natural
phenomena, and giving no supernatural revelation," (American Heritage
Dictionary). Thomas Jefferson, for example, "...saw evident proofs of the
necessity of a superintending power [providence, -web], to maintain the universe
in its course and order," but he did not make an appeal to revelation. Thomas
Paine spoke of God as the Creator (and said his eternal destiny was in the hands
of God), but Paine did not accept the inspiration, authority and sufficiency of
the Scriptures. Classic Deism rejects Scripture. Jack Deere creates his own type
of deists, i.e., those who do not embrace his particular charismatic agenda. To
him, a "Bible deist" is one who resist "subjective revelatory experiences,"
(p.#254). Those who believe the Bible is sufficient - according to Deere - are
"Bible deists."
What comes next is expected. Deere pauses in his accusations against the
non-charismatic long enough to insert this note of further prejudice:
"Incidentally, I have just given you a test to determine whether or not you are
a Bible deists. If you have grown angrier as you have read the last few pages,
then you probably are a Bible deist," (p.#256).
This shows something I think is common in the Charismatic movement: an emotional
test of fellowship. If you do not display the expected emotions (in the manner
creedalized by the group or the leader), you are judged unsound, unanointed and
unfaithful. For all their talk of being loving, accepting, diverse and tolerant,
this becomes the reality in many Charismatic groups. They are protective and
defensive of their system, and their system has a subjective essence; an
emotional definition.
A friend of mine (who describes himself as "born again," evangelical but
non-denominational) attempted to embrace the Charismatic Movement a few years
ago but left for this very reason. If you didn't display emotions (as dictated
by the group), you were considered not a part of the "anointed," therefore
"withdrawn from" in effect if not formally.
This element of modern Charismatic religion falls on one point: Nothing should
be made a test of fellowship but as determined by one thing: the "doctrine which
you learned," (Rom. 16:17,18). "If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent
to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine
which accords with godliness...," (see 1 Tim. 6:3-5), Paul said, "from such
withdraw yourself." I cannot decide (as an individual or with others) that a
certain form of emotional expression is a sign of standing with God. I can only
warn, rebuke and withdraw as directed by the Word of God. (See also Gal. 1:6-12,
Eph. 5:11; 2 Jno. 9 and 2 Thess. 3:6).
Let us guard against the influence of current trends in the religious culture
(pre-modern, modern or post-modern). We must not allow human defined
expectations of emotion to become competitive and creedal. One thing must govern
all that we believe, teach, practice.
One paraphrase of 1 Cor. 12:2 (though admittedly an individual paraphrase), may
well express something thought-worthy: "Remember how you were when you didn't
know God, led from one phony god to another, never knowing what you were doing,
just doing it because everybody else did it? It's different in this life. God
wants us to use our intelligence, to seek to understand as well as we can."
(Eugene Peterson, the Message).
By Warren E. Berkley
The Front Page
From Expository Files 12.3; March 2005
