Pentecostal Legalism vs.

Charismatic Worldliness Yes, there ARE big differences between so-called Pentecostals and Charismatics, but both have big problems. Both categories of Christian love Jesus, but both are steeped in manmade traditions taught nowhere in Scripture. Both groups fall into error and walk in the flesh instead of following the free Spirit of Christ (2 Cor.3:17). Pentecostal & Charismatic Stereotypes Pentecostals Charismatics Sour, judgmental, self-flagellating Jolly, tolerant, positive self-image Doom and gloom, prepare to die Grab all the blessings you can Poverty is a blessing. Christ was Worst sin is being poor. Jesus and poor and so were His disciples. His men lived like kings. Poor or lower middle-class Middle class or wealthy Unadorned women, dowdy duds Shine for Jesus, glamour-obsessed Men wear jeans & overalls Men dress like Wall St. execs Tumbledown Tabernacle Wonderland Worship Center Spontaneous shrill shouting and Dignified. Pastor invites you to crying, even during sermon. amen his remarks. Song leader Prayers full of unrest and fear prompts appropriate praises Shouting in tongues, occasional Staged production. Shouts get you prophecy, healing lines, pastor thrown out. Only prophecy preyells at demons, isnt afraid of approved by pastor permitted. offending visitors. Slain in spirit. Climax is altar call. If youre not Frenzied dancing and singing healed, check your giving record Pastor quotes minimum Scripture. Pastor reads more Bible, but Rest of sermon raw emotion SELECTIVELY to maximize offering Tithe or youll fry in hell. Even if Tithe or God will curse you with you cant feed your own family sickness or poverty. Divorce for any reason will send Some church leaders divorce and you to hell. Even if adulterous remarry several times. Jesus said spouse initiates divorce, youre at thats a no-no, but hey, dont fault and suffer church shunning sweat the small stuff Salvation is NOT secure. Christ Salvation by grace through faith gives salvation but youre kept alone. No sins to big to keep you through good works and holy out of heaven. You can even be living. Youre on lifelong probation raptured out of a bed of adultery Faith put in a sovereign God Faith in faith creates miracles

Members of each group accuse each other of fitting all these commonly perceived stereotypes. Charismatics accuse Pentecostals of feeding on raw emotion instead of the pure Word of God. Pentecostals accuse Charismatics of quenching the spirit and being far too intellectual and worldly to be much use to God. Furthermore, Charismatics live lawless, undisciplined lives. After all nobody ever looks that happy unless theyre enjoying some secret sin in their life! Legalism leads to self-righteousness and judgmentalism, the Pharisee spirit so detested by Jesus. I read of one woman who got badly hurt by a divorce her unfaithful husband put her through. At a time she needed the love and support of the Body of Christ the most, they only poured salt in her wound. When one member hurts, the whole body hurts with it (I Cor.12:26). And when it does, it amputates the hurting member because it no longer fits in with its perfect picture of what a Christian should be! Such a troubled individual is a reminder that life doesnt always come in neat, predictable little packages, and answers to satans messy attacks dont always come easy! The other church members thought this woman must be some Jezebel for being divorced, even though it wasnt her choice. They shunned her and drove her away. All too many Christians are eager to pick up the first stone instead of asking why they feel the need to feel superior to somebody else. God doesnt grade on a curve. Teachers do, and only so they wont have to fail their whole class and feel like a failure themselves. Contrary to what many Pentecostals think, the flesh doesnt ALWAYS manifest itself in obvious forms of lawlessness. Faith in law-keeping is walking in the flesh and brings forth death (2 Cor.3:6). Paul taught that we are dead to the Law, and putting ourselves back under it brings a curse not a blessing (Rom.7:4; Gal.2:19; Gal.3:10). Virtuous though it may seem, it is lethal to faith in Christ to base your hope of heaven on your own efforts to live a sinless life. As long as you occupy your physical body, youll be tempted to commit both sins of omission and commission. Sins of commission are obvious: theft, murder, idolatry, etc. Sins of omission result from good deeds you DIDNT do but should have done (Rom.7:15-24). Sometimes sins of commission arent outwardly expressed in physical actions or words. Even if people think youre saintly as Ned Flanders, you might harbor hidden resentments toward some Christian who lives in a bigger house then you do. Stuff like that. 2

It is spiritual suicide to replace grace with a works-based righteousness you try to achieve through religious works and rule-keeping. This might seem like holiness but rejecting salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone shows lack of submission to, and rebellion against God (Rom.10:3). Dependence on works is just as much GOING YOUR OWN WAY as when Jonah decided not to go Gods way to Nineveh and sailed off in the opposite direction till he took the Whale Jail Express back to the straight and narrow path. Thats lawlessness and rebellion against God, going your own way either physically or doctrinally. Many Pentecostals might agree that were no longer under the Law of Moses (Gentiles never were under it anyway), but they think we need to be under SOME religious law to replace it. So they help God out by making up laws He forgot to include in scripture, such as Thou shalt not play cards, or, Thou shalt not ride the roller coaster or watch I Love Lucy, etc.. Oddly enough, name-it-and-claim-it Charismatics also have come up with new laws to go by, and if you arent living THEIR way, you cant be much of a Christian. Some Pentecostal women think its a sin to wear open-toed shoes. If thats the case, the Virgin Mary sinned by wearing sandals! When I went to certain churches years ago, there was wide disagreement about what was okay (or even compulsory) and what wasnt. In my younger days I was part of a church where liberty in Christ was preached, but there were unspoken standards to observe, which were just short of being considered laws. I dont know whether my very first Spirit-filled church fell into the category of Pentecostal or Charismatic, maybe it enjoyed the best of both worlds. Although my pastor held more of a mid-trib view (Im pre-trib), I agreed with most of what he taught. Our church enjoyed balanced teaching (vs. the extreme emotionalism and legalism of the Pentecostal churches in our area). And unadorned, modest, neat appearance was encouraged, as opposed to the highly polished glamour of modern mega-church Charismatics. Jewelry was borderline sinful. Mixed bathing was improper. Some sisters wore makeup, others didnt. Television was of the devil, and back then, you didn't even have the excuse of hooking it up to a DVD to watch your favorite preachers! Christmas was a no-no. The church elder, who disagreed on a few points, lived on church grounds in a trailer. You could spot his own Christmas tree through the window.

Some Pentecostal woman we knew always went around looking sad, as if her religion was a heavy cross to bear. Whenever wed see her shed point disapprovingly at my long pink nails and my skirt two inches above the knee (an early 70s look). Shed love seeing me now. I wear long skirts (which are very popular where I live). Is wearing nail polish a sin? No more than wearing sunscreen. Nail enamel helps protect my weak nails when I type and wash dishes. Whatever their religion, women need more maintenance than men do. Strict Pentecostal women dont cut their hair. There were no rules about that at our church, except long hair on men wasnt okay. The pastors wife did wear her hair long (and up) for awhile, but later she took her liberty and wore it shorter than a lot of men did. So did her daughter (why is it okay for women to wear short hair but men cant wear long hair, and did Samson sin by wearing his long?) We visited many churches together as a group. One church insisted that women wore head scarves during services. In another church about half of the women wore them, the others didnt. At our church, the pastor didnt like seeing them because they were legalistic. So if you had a bad hair day, you couldnt hide it under your religion! We were all surprised to find out this missionary the church supported actually wore a mustache. In the early 70s this was a sight to see, because proper preacher decorum dictated that you look like a relic of the 50s. A lot of Charismatics look trendy these days, but some Pentecostals still think its a sin for a Christian man to wear a beard. What about Jesus? This man we knew got spied on at a nice restaurant by brothers from the church. He and his wife got caught celebrating their wedding anniversary with a glass of wine! Oh, my! SCANDALOUS! Talk about the UNFORGIVEABLE SIN! Every Christian knows Jesus turned water into the finest Koolaid those wedding guests ever drank! (John 2:7-11) So when Jesus got accused of being a winebibber and a glutton by selfrighteous Pharisees (Matt.11:19; Luke 7:34), He was only having KoolAid. As for what Jesus ate to incite a gluttony charge, maybe He had two olives on His fig salad instead of one. Some New Testament pattern churches were against mixed bathing (ours was) Yet the head scarf church saw nothing wrong with the sisters wearing swim suits in front of the brothers. It makes me wonder why some activities are virtual sins in similar churches and perfectly all right in others. Why do some churches avoid other peoples 4

legalisms like the plague only to make up their own legalisms? Talk about a pick-and-mix bag! Personally, I dont consider shorts to fall in the category of modest apparel for Christian women, except maybe in a ladies gym class. But I wouldnt be quick to condemn anybody who disagrees. I listened to some Word Faith preacher on TV who likes his ladies out in Pewland to look foxy. He hates to see women come to his church in long dresses. But this good prosperity Charismatic probably feels cheated when theres no shapely thighs to stare at as he babbles on in the pulpit! If a woman doesnt want to flash her figure (and spider veins) to men in the church, she should feel free to wear a flowing skirt below the knee if the Lord shows her to dress that way. Then there was this TV preacher who was sour-faced and built like a tanker truck. He looked like hed polished off a whole coopful of chickens. He griped because the ladies out in the pews werent skinny enough to keep their husbands from straying. It is wrong to let yourself go till you look like last years oatmeal, but God doesnt have one standard for women and a different one for men. Its a popular misconception that a woman shouldnt be allowed to minister in a big fancy church unless she looks like Miss America. Thats sinful discrimination condemned by the Word of God (John 7:24). Were supposed to live by higher standards than the world. Lack of perfect physical beauty does not excuse the epidemic of marriage breakups in carnal churches. If Christians cant honor their marriage vows before God because they whine and complain about human weakness, how could they be strong enough to stand up to persecution from the world if it should come before the Church is raptured? Poverty does not make your puff up with pride like wealth does. Poverty forces you to live day to day and depend on God for each mouthful of food as it comes. If youve got nothing, you dont lay awake all night worrying some thief will steal it. ONLY in ways such as these could you possibly construe that poverty is a blessing. But it is NOT a blessing to be so poor you cant feed your kids and must depend on others to scrape you up off the floor when satan wipes you out financially. By its very nature poverty forces you to focus on earthly things you need to keep yourself fed, safe and secure. The devil knows you cant focus on more than one thing at a time and if he can keep you so poor you cant help others or go forth to do the will of God (it takes money to travel), hes placed severe limitations on your life. Money might not be everything, but unless you live out in the wild and eat bugs like John the Baptist, you cant live without money. 5

But its not okay to measure a Christians spirituality by how much theyve got in their bank account (or pocket). Modern Charismatics have been led astray by the Greed is good Mammon teaching peddled from pulpits. Preachers promise you the moon if only youll give to THEM and keep them from being poor. Im not against an honest preacher making a decent living. But why should preachers own several cars and homes apiece when some of their donors cant even afford to keep from freezing in the winter? Why must everything be plated with gold? Some preachers howl that Gods cursing the poor for failure to tithe. Funny how tithing is NOT taught to anyone after the Cross. And it never involved paying money to anyone. Tithing was given to Israel ONLY (Lev.27:30-34). Yet many preachers, both Charismatic and Pentecostal, who have been to Bible School and know the real truth, excoriate nontithers from their pulpits as being leeches on the Body of Christ. Preachers exalt the richest members of their congregation and let the poor know theyre failures in some vague School of Faith. But what does the Bible have to say about the rich and the poor? Luke 16:19: There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. Mark 10:21: Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. 6

23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! James 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? 8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. The above passages contain not one word of condemnation for the alleged sin of being poor. If you want to know why theres so much poverty in America or elsewhere, just ask the Occupy Wall Street activists. Theres only one pie in this world. In order for the privileged one per cent to hog most of it, 99 per cent of humanity have to struggle. Jesus wasnt much impressed by displays of earthly wealth when He was on earth. How many preachers would go sell all they had and give the proceeds to the poor if Christ were to ask this of them like He did the Rich Young Ruler? What few times I visited a Pentecostal church, I sensed unrest in the atmosphere, amid all the shouting and emotional displays. Many felt insecure in their salvation. This woman pleaded, O Lord, help me hold out to the end! What does that mean? Does that mean youll never sin again if you manage to do that? Does that mean youll keep the rules of how to live a holy life good enough to merit Gods approval? How good do you have to act to earn the right to hang onto your own free salvation? If you act like an angel for 75 per cent of your life time, is that a passing grade that gets you into heaven?

I read an article where this Pentecostal guy grumbled about how Charismatics dont take life seriously enough. They go to church to enjoy Jesus. Theyre too backslidden to realize were all in a war and they need to fight satan harder. The writer insists that well all barely scrape into heaven by the skin of our teeth, and only after fighting our way through one big bloodbath of a battle with the devil, and why arent the Charismatics doing their fair share of spiritual travail and agonizing at the altar? Why arent they fasting as much as the Pentecostals, because fasting is by far the strongest praying you can do. (Funny, theres not ONE verse in the apostles epistles which even recommends fasting in spiritual warfare). What few times Jesus mentioned fasting, He was addressing religious Jews who habitually did it anyway, and He didnt make His own disciples fast to increase the miracles they were already doing. John the Baptist hardly ate anything, and not one miracle is attributed to him. Anybody who thinks they can whip old satans tail by worrying and struggling and starving themselves is seriously deluded. That old rascal could have us for breakfast if Christ didnt dwell in our hearts by faith, and if God wasnt the One doing the actual fighting as we pray in the tongues of the Spirit (I Cor.14:15). Paul wrote that satan has ALREADY been defeated by Christ (Col. 2:15). When Jesus whipped the devil on Calvary, He made a big spectacle of it, just like when a victorious Roman army paraded their defeated captives down the street, to the roaring cheers of crowds. God has called us to peace (I Cor.7:15; Col.3:15). Were to pray with supplication and thanksgiving, but we arent supposed to worry about anything, including the devil (Phil.4:6). Many think supplication means fasting. All it means is a prayer of petition. The writer of the article grumbled about prayer being replaced with praise in Charismatic congregations. You do need to actually ask God for things, and pray prayers of repentance when necessary. You do need to spend time in prayer pleading for God to bless and protect loved ones from the wiles of the devil. But when the assurance of answered prayer wells up in your heart, you cant help but praise God for the blessing you already see in the spirit (I Cor.5:15). That inner KNOWING is more solid than gold. Jesus taught us to become as little children, and said those who would not humble themselves thus could not make it into heaven (Matt.18:3). Do little children go around with a sour face screaming at the devil all day, beating up on themselves and each other about being rotten 8

sinners unworthy of Gods love? No. When you see little kids, theyre usually running around laughing from the sheer joy of being alive. Sour-faced churchianity holds little appeal for lost sinners who would only say, No thanks. Ive got enough problems. And Christians do have problems. One of the worst is they try to convert sinners while acting like sinners themselves. They tell sinners Jesus loves them but they cant love their own spouses with Gods patient, forbearing love. For the past century, especially since the 60s, marriage has been under terrible attack by the enemy. Pentecostals are right to be concerned that some Christians are too lax in their attitude about marital breakups. One famous Christian author is on his FOURTH marriage. In his writings he laments about what a rotten, sinful world this is, and how society in general is falling apart. You can be a trained theologian and know how God views marriage. But that doesnt stop you from trading in your old gray mare for a younger, prettier filly. Jesus did forbid divorce, except in cases of marital infidelity. But what do judgmental believers do about the odd case where a cheating husband has caught AIDS? Should this woman continue to sleep with her husband and catch it herself, possibly passing it on to unborn babies? What about some woman whose husband comes home drunk and beats her and the kids? Should she stay and hope this monster wont kill her or her children? If she runs out of the house injured and screaming, are Christians supposed to help this woman rebuild her shattered life, or do they order her back to suffer more abuse, and then heap condemnation on her if she cant endure any more? What would Jesus own attitude be toward such unfortunate people caught in a bad situation? Would he say Tough luck, or would he offer a haven of peace and rest, and a refuge from the storm? This faith issue has given rise to a lot of confusion. Some people arent even sure what faith is, and the most extreme Charismatic (Word-faith) groups have turned faith into some kind of metaphysical FORCE which YOU release through planting a seed to meet your need, positive confessions, etc. If this is so, it seems like some are dispensing with God altogether and bringing about their own signs and wonders through self-effort. Thats a lot like witchcraft. I fear for any preacher who pushes this doctrinal voodoo just to enrich himself! When all is said and done, it isnt religion which saves you and gets you to heaven. Its Jesus.

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