From the "Patriarch", Mar/Feb 1996
While many Christians are flocking to the charismatic movement, Jones felt he had to leave
it for several reasons:
*AWE. Charismatics are contemptuous of noncharismatics whom they regard as moribund and
spiritually impoverished. Do they think that their giddiness and exuberance is proof of
their relationship with God? Consider Job's awe in the presence of God: "I am
unworthy - how can I reply to You? I put my hand over my mouth" (Job 40:4).
* PROPHECY. Current charismatic prophesying does not hold a candle to the "death
penalty" seriousness of Biblical prophecy. "But a prophet who presumes to speak
in My name anything I have not commanded him to say .. must be put to death" (Deut.
18:20). Clearly, charismatics lack the certainty that their prophecies are from God. In
fact, they dismiss this requirement by arguing that the New Testament allows fallibility
that the Old Testament did not. Not true, according to Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17.
*TONGUES. What many charismatics do not understand is the vital role that tongues played
in first-century conversions. Old Testament prophecy regularly carried God's promise that
in the face of continued disobedience, Israel would be dominated by people who spoke
foreign languages (Deut. 28:49; Jer. 5:15). Furthermore, Paul makes it clear that tongues
"are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers" (1 Cor. 14:22). Tongues,
therefore, were a clear and powerful signal of impending destruction which did indeed
bring foreign domination by those who spoke other languages in 70 A.D. That significance
is now lost if the "charismatic mixture of odd sounds" is considered to be
tongues instead of the actual foreign languages supernaturally produced in the book of
Acts.
*PRIORITIES. The most devastating assault on charismatic priorities comes from the Bible
itself. Nowhere does the Bible give prominence to spiritual gifts. In fact, Paul says that
someone may have the gifts of prophecy and tongues and yet be a "clanging
cymbal" and "profit nothing" (1 Cor. 13:1-3). Charismatics say the
opposite. They denounce those who oppose their "gifts" as opponents of the
Spirit.