Strange Fire Controversy

I don't know how many of you aware, but I just became aware in this past week of a conference and a book called Strange Fire, authored by John MacArthur.  I have pretty much always respected the thorough Biblical works of this man and his ministry, Grace to You, listened to him countless times on the radio, read his books, even downloaded his Grace to You ap.  I have turned to many of his sermons when doing my own research for writing, trusting that his sources lined up with Scripture, and that he was correctly handling the Word of God.  I am thankful for the many resources he has made available to the Body of Christ.

 But, after listening to the over one hour conference prior to the release of his book, Strange Fire, I could actually hardly believe this was the same highly respected ministry claiming such general, potentially damaging, and largely undocumented statements about Christian brethren, which primarily included the Charismatics and Pentecostals.  It is controversial to say the least.  I do not make any claim to be of any particular denomination, other than a member of the Body of Christ, so I was not going to take any "side" on this issue.  My final authority is the Word of God, and my opinions are based on that, not because I am persuaded by any particular denomination, nor do I want to promote one denomination over another.  So I am writing this from the perspective of a (prayerful) observer of this debate looking in, and what I have seen gives me great cause for alarm.

 You can find a transcript of Strange Fire online, as well as the book, Strange Fire.  There are some statements from the Strange Fire conference that immediately raised red flags for me, and, I discovered, had the same effect on many others.  One statement was that, regarding true worship, the Charismatic Movement had brought nothing to add to it in a meaningful way.  The other is that it added nothing to how the Christian community overall interprets the Bible or to sound doctrine.  Strange Fire implied that whatever Scriptural understandings have come have been through a long line of godly preachers and teachers, but not from the Movement. 

 This is to say that half a billion charismatics have done nothing to advance Scriptural understanding?  As I said before, I am not taking sides for the sake of any denomination, but the divisive and negative effects that such broad sweeping words could have on half a billion charismatics (although it is unlikely they are all aware of Strange Fire) is truly staggering, not to mention the millions and millions of others, who are not charismatic, but have been enriched and grown leaps and bounds because of the Movement.  I know of many many people, myself included many years ago, who have attended charismatic meetings and known people of a charismatic persuasion who have added a great deal to the enrichment of worship, and have taught word for word out of the Bible, the teaching on the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 Suffice it to say, that after reading the entire transcript, and then going online to do further research, I soon discovered the volatile fall-out resulting from this conference.  Some die-hard cessationsists (they believe that the works of the Holy Spirit resulting in miracles, healing, and tongues have ceased at the end of the apostolic age) were branding anyone who even associated with a known charismatic, as a false teacher or false prophet!  Some were being branded as charlatans, false prophets and false teachers!  Some were accused of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit!  Oh my, is this not treading on very dangerous ground?

 There is a right way and a wrong way to approach a brother if he has fallen.  Scripture is very clear on this count:

 Rom 14:10    But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.Rom 14:11    For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.Rom 14:12    So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.Rom 14:13    Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.Rom 14:14    I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.Rom 14:15    But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.Rom 14:16    Let not then your good be evil spoken of:Rom 14:17    For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.Rom 14:18    For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.Rom 14:19    Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

 I became aware of a book that was written in response to Strange Fire, and it is called Authentic Fire, by Dr. Michael Brown.  I read it and found that, overwhelmingly, Dr. Brown demonstrates the right way to handle conflict within the Body of Christ.  He not only addressed the many problematic statements made in Strange Fire, but he did so in a way that was honoring to his brethren, and also honoring to the half a billion charismatics that had been, to put it mildly, cast in a negative light in Strange Fire.  Aside from the way the book, Authentic Fire is written (kindly, thoroughly documented, Biblically, and soundly theological), it was an incredible blessing to see how the Holy Spirit is working in the world today through committed and humble servants, regardless of their particular denominational affiliation (my take: do we honestly think that the Holy Spirit is limited by which denomination He can work with and through?).  And this is the work that really counts, the work that is being done for the cause of Christ, to reach lost souls.

 You may not have been affected personally or in your congregation by this conflict as yet, but please be aware of what is occurring in the Body of Christ, and make it a matter of intense and fervent prayer.  This is a critical time in history for all Bible-believing Christians to band together, not be split apart.  I will be writing more blogs related to this issue in the days to come. May God Bless You, and remember, if you do find yourself in any way affected with this current conflict, to pursue the higher calling of bringing glory to Christ first and foremost in the way that it is handled.