Expert: Andrew Foley - 8/6/2006

Question
What is the sin of Pentecostalism?  I heard this term once, and I think it means putting the gifts of the spirit above the work on the cross.  Can you clarify this for me?
thank you

Answer
Greetings! Thanks for writing. I've never heard of the term "sin of Pentecostalism" and that particular phrase returned no results in a Google search. In my mind, the phrase "sin of Pentecostalism" could either refer to a specific type of sin (such as sins of the flesh) to which members of that faith are particularly subject, or- more likely in my opinion- the phrase refers to the way in which Pentecostals emphasize a particular theological idea or practice to such an improper degree that it overshadows greater truths, or a theological idea or practice which they distort into a false teaching.

In my opinion, the "sin of Pentecostalism" is the elevation of the emotions and subjective experience over the mind and over legitimate authority, a practice which manifests itself in many pernicious ways. One important manifestation of that error is, as you pointed out, to over-emphasize the spiritual gifts (in particular the "miraculous gifts" or "manifestation gifts" such as tongues, prophecy and healing) against the "boring" Fruits of the Holy Spirit such as are enumerated in Gal 5:22. Pentecostalism is big on creating new TV stations, hosting exciting "miracle-filled" revival services and listening to stories about the latest "signs and wonders", but with all its adherents around the world, I'm not aware of the existence of one Pentecostal hospital or major charity. That right there seems to me to testify that certain of its priorities are out of whack.

The whole process starts with the method of Pentecostal worship, which emphasizes excitement above all, with loud, emotionally manipulative music and loud, emotionally manipulative preachers combining to agitate the listener into a state of emotional frenzy. In such a state, with the added peer pressure of pastor and fellow believers, it is a short step for the baby Pentecostal's mind to click into neutral and to begin "speaking in togues", a mental process exactly like that engaged in by ancient pagans (very popular at Corinth), modern day spiritualists, voodoo witch doctors and other practitioners of ecstatic religion. From glossolalia, which undoubtedly makes a person feel good, the individual is compelled, like a drug addict, to seek greater and greater subjective religious "experiences" from Slaying in the Spirit, to trances, visions, divination and other mind-altering, emotional experiences which have their parallels in pagan and New Age practices and which can be explained by the mind's proven ability to convince itself of anything. The culmination of such an escalation would seem to be the Vineyard Revivals, typified by the Toronto Airport Church, in which a whole megachurch congregation were seen rolling around on the floor, screaming, laughing uncontrollably and imitating barnyard animals, and blaming it all on God.

Another problem with such emotional subjectivism is that it makes a person spiritually arrogant and immune to any argument or correction. It is the common belief that once one "receives the Holy Spirit", it is the third Person of the Trinity who is behind every thought, feeling, opinion, prejudice and inclination in the individual's head. It is a common refrain in Pentecostal circles that "God told me" and obviously there is nothing you can say to such a person that will convince them otherwise. This presumption extends so far that the individual's "feeling" trumps even the Bible's authority. I remember asking a Pentecostal pastor how he could justify a service I had attended where he and his church violated every single one of the rules St. Paul laid down for speaking in tongues. (1 Cor 13:22-36) He simply responded that "the Holy Spirit" was guiding them. Obviously, if you haven't had the same "experiences" that they've had, then you're at a lower spiritual level than they are and have no right to question the Holy Spirit's instructions to them. When you're receiving instructions straight from the Holy Spirit, you're your own ultimate authority and have no need for anyone else, let alone the teachers that Jesus left us to ensure we would not be swept away by false doctrines. (Eph 4:11-14) Pentecostalism has little or no time for doctrine or truth. It's all about experience.

Another problem is that the belief system makes a person naively credulous about things which are demonstrably false. There has never been a single proven miracle healing or fulfilled prophecy in a Pentecostal church, yet its hundreds of millions of adherents believe that individuals like Benny Hinn or Kim Clement are healing millions of people and predicting the future. The fact that those two, as well as many other proven charlatans, have not been tarred and feathered and driven from organized religion is a powerful testimony that the Pentecostal belief system requires the abdication of the mind. I can't imagine that Jesus, who abjured us to be as shrewd as serpents (Mt 10:16) really wants that. I know a Pentecostal church which split a few years ago, amidst bitter acrimony, because half the church believed in a Columbian pastor's vision (which he claimed was from God) about how the "Church" should be organized. Millions of people's lives now revolve around the system this Columbian pastor devised, on his word alone, believing that it was an order from God. You can imagine how this unbelievable credulity can be manipulated in so many horrible ways by the unscrupulous or deluded.

I've only scratched the surface with examples of how the "sin of pentecostalism" can be manifested. I hope this was of some help.