The
Gifts of the Spirit Through the Ages
(The
Pentecostal Experience)
By Mark Greenwood
2002/3
God has given to the church gifts for the work of the ministry and for the edification of the body of Christ. These can be seen in the office or calling of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastors and teachers. Also we are told he has put in the church (the body as a whole), miracles, gifts of healings, helps, governments and different kinds of tongues (1 Corinthians 12 v 28).
In 1 Corinthians 12 v 8 – 10, Paul list nine gifts of the Spirit given to profit the church, these are; the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, the gift of faith, the gift of healings, working of miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, different kinds of tongues and the interpretation of tongues. These are the gifts to the church for the edifying of the body of Christ. However I believe the bible shows us that the gifts are not limited to be used only when the church is assembled for fellowship.
Much misunderstanding abounds concerning speaking in tongues. Jesus Christ said that believers would speak in new tongues (Mark 16 v 17). Some would say that the gift of tongues is only given to be used in conjunction with the gift of interpretation of tongues for the churches edification, but that would limit it to just a few Christians in the assemblies. The bible shows us that when Jesus Christ said that those who believe on Him would speak in new tongues, he meant it as a gift to all believers (although not all speak in tongues). We must not limit tongues to one specific function when the bible clearly shows other aspects of this gift. When the Holy Spirit comes upon a person they are endued with power, which will often result in the natural overflow of speaking in tongues. Another important aspect of speaking in tongues is the prayer language. Praying in tongues is the natural expression of praying with the spirit. This is usually done in private and is one of the means whereby God builds the individual up in the spirit. 1 Corinthians 14 v 4 tells us that if we pray in an unknown tongue we edify ourselves.
It would seem that a church can function in the gifts of the Spirit and yet fall short in the fruit of the Spirit. The Corinthian church are seen to have many of the manifestations of the gifts of the Spirit in their midst and yet they were, carnal, proud, arrogant, boastful and lacking much of the fruit of the Spirit. However, Paul did not take that as proof that the gifts and manifestations were not of God but rather corrected their abuse by giving direction and guidelines. Thanks to the Corinthian church not being as they should be, we now have these guidelines for all time so that abuses and false manifestations can be checked.
Let me clearly say that I am not against discernment ministries. Many discernment ministries do recognize the importance of the gifts of the Spirit for today. These have a very important role to play in these days when there is a falling away from the word and people prefer a spiritual thrill rather than knowing God. In fact I am extremely indebted to the discernment ministries who teach the truth and warn about error rather than mixing them up. They expose false ministries and warn about ministers who, having strayed into error, now promote unity above doctrinal truth. They expose those who teach that the Holy Spirit is subject to our confession, rather than our confession being subject to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Now I am not against the power of the confession of our lips. What we speak is very important especially if we are preaching the gospel. What I do recognize is that Jesus only spoke what He heard the Father say. This should be the same principle when we are confessing God’s word to “remove mountains”. We should be led by the Spirit of God. How can we be led by the Holy Spirit unless we wait on the Lord? How long do we spend waiting on the Lord to find out His will?
The Holy Spirit has given the gifts to magnify Jesus Christ yet how often the emphasis of churches with spiritual manifestations is on “more power” and more spiritual manifestations, which just promote and excite the flesh. The Holy Spirit works on man via his spirit while the enemy works on man via his flesh.
In this last century the churches that have functioned with spiritual manifestations are mostly the Charismatic and Pentecostal churches. Many people point to Azusa Street in Los Angeles during 1906 as the beginning of the Pentecostal movement and speaking in tongues, but the baptism in the Holy Spirit was already being preached by many ministers well before this time and also the gift of tongues is recorded for us at other times in history. However Azusa Street is an important milestone for the outpouring of the gifts of the Spirit all over the world.
Those who oppose the baptism in the Spirit in the church today would point to all the defects, the work of evil spirits and the lack of maturity in handling the manifestations in the meetings to ‘prove’ that this was not of God. However that is not how Paul dealt with the Corinthians or how he perceived what was happening there. He didn’t denounce the work as being of the devil but rather admonished them and taught them how to bring order into the church meetings and still allow the Spirit to minister through the gifts.
Let us take a look at Azusa Street through the eyes of Frank Bartleman.
Based on the Book, ‘Another Wave Rolls In’ by Frank Bartleman
What
really happened at Azusa Street?
Frank Bartleman spent much of his time in prayer, giving tracts out and preaching. He received from God in 1905 the following keynote to revival: “The depth of revival will be determined exactly by the depth of the spirit of repentance”, and this, he said, “will obtain by all people at all times”.
He
said that there was much rattle in the camp.
Most were seeking selfish blessings.
They rushed to meetings like a big sponge, to get more blessing.
They needed stepping on.
As
in Wales there was much travail of soul for the unsaved.
Frank
Bartleman and those he was with were seeking revival not tongues, in fact by
February 1906 they hadn’t even thought about tongues.
He
believed that a body must be prepared in repentance and humility, for every
outpouring of the Spirit.
Right
from the beginning, he said, the enemy did much counterfeiting.
Satan will always mingle with the genuine revival in order to discredit
it and destroy it.
When
they first started meeting at Azusa Street, discernment was not perfect and the
enemy got some advantage. The devil
scoured the country for crooked spirits to destroy the work if possible.
They
didn’t mind outside persecution but had the most to fear from the working of
evil spirits within. Spiritualists and hypnotists came to investigate and try
their influence. Then all the
religious sore-heads, crooks and cranks came.
The
press wrote shameful things about them.
What
he desired to see was not big numbers but rather changed individuals.
He used to go into saloons to preach the wrath of God
As
in the Welsh revival, great emphasis was placed on the ‘blood’ for cleansing
etc. A high standard was held up
for a clean life. The Word of God
itself decided absolutely all issues.
God’s
way to Pentecost was via Calvary. Pride
and self-assertion, self-importance and self-esteem could not survive there.
When
they arrived at a meeting they avoided human contact as much as possible so that
they could get under some bench to pray. A
room was set aside for people to seek God in, they had a notice saying ‘not to
talk above a whisper’.
Men’s
hearts were being searched as with a lighted candle.
It was a tremendous sifting time, not only of actions but of inner secret
motives. Nothing could escape the
all searching eye of God. Jesus was
lifted up and the blood magnified, and the Holy Spirit honoured once more.
Eventually,
Azusa Street took for itself a name that would distinguish it from other
churches, ‘Apostolic Faith Mission’. Frank
felt this grieved the Holy Spirit and opened up another place, immediately the
devil sent the cranks.
A
spiritualist woman started to lead the singing so he prayed her out.
Then a fanatical minister with a voice that rattled the windows took over
the whole meeting. Frank rebuked
him openly. The first time he
opened the church he found one of the worst fanatics and religious crooks in
town sitting on the steps waiting for him.
He was a preacher and wanted to run things, Frank chased him from the
place. Crooks and cranks were the
first at the meeting, there was much professional, religious quackery.
What was needed to create a spiritual atmosphere was humility and prayer.
At
the beginning of Azusa Street there was a wonderful group of seasoned veterans
who had already been walking with God and had learnt the things of the Spirit.
Alas, now there was a mixed multitude who had come from all over to get
on the bandwagon. The seeds of
apostasy now had time to work. In
many cases there were Babylonian doctrines and practices.
In
the previous building they had the prayer room where one could come aside and be
still from the noisy wild excitement, to be quiet before God.
However in the present building that wasn’t possible, and foolishness
and fanatical self-assertion seemed to take over.
He
says that from the beginning he was very concerned that Jesus should not be
slighted by the exaltation of the Holy Ghost and the gifts of the Spirit.
Jesus was all in all and he endeavored to keep Him as the central theme
and figure before the people. The
Holy Ghost is given to show the things of Christ.
He said that the word of Calvary and the atonement must be the centre of
our consideration. The leaders were
usually found on their faces on the floor in the meetings, not out cold but
rather praying.
He
said that everything must surround round Jesus, We may not put the power, the
gifts, the Holy Ghost or in fact anything ahead of Jesus.
Any mission that exalts even the Holy Ghost above the Lord Jesus Christ
is bound for the rocks of error and fanaticism.
So,
from the words of Frank Bartleman we can see they had the desire to be led by
the Spirit in all that was
happening with the revival of spiritual gifts, however that doesn’t mean to
say they did not make mistakes as they had a lot to learn in this area of
spiritual manifestations in the church. It
was a beginning, a beginning that would need order and direction yet a beginning
that would draw men of God from different parts of the world to see if this was
of God and to take the message back, ‘the baptism in the Holy Spirit with
speaking in tongues is for today’.
G. H. Lang
gives a critical analysis of Azusa Street, in his book “The Early Years Of The
Tongues Movement”. This was
written about 1950. His own contact
with the “Tongues Movement”, as he calls it, goes back to 1909.
Lang believed
that the gifts of the Spirit (including speaking in tongues) are permanent in
the church age and need to be desired earnestly.
He wrote his book not to cause people to withdraw from the realm of
things supernatural but to enable them to ‘discern more accurately between the
divine and human, the heavenly and the earthly, the workings of the Spirit of
truth and the counter workings of the great liar and deceiver’.
This is an important statement, we are all responsible to discern
according to the word of God and the witness of the Holy Spirit.
He says that
Pentecost opened to all believers that higher region of the kingdom of God but
that many children of God have no acquaintance with this and that many honest
seekers are misled into the counterfeit realm of the supernatural.
He says
concerning Frank Bartleman that he was a chief and godly leader however he
questioned whether the manifestations proved that this was of the Spirit of God
and said that the reader must judge for himself.
Manifestations of course do not prove anything either way.
Bartleman spent
many hours in prayer and this quite exhausted him. Although Lang could respect the zeal and revere the devotion,
he questioned the wisdom of praying until one was worn out and close to death
due to exhaustion.
Lang said
concerning Azusa Street and the resulting movement that there was plainly a deep
mixture of what was of God and what was not of Him.
He fails
however to differentiate between the initial baptism of believers in the Spirit
which the bible shows clearly may result in several speaking in tongues and
prophesying, and the church meeting which should be kept decent and in order
with only two or three giving a word of prophecy, and tongues only being given
if there is an interpreter. For the
one hundred and twenty in the upper room on the day of Pentecost there would
have needed to be forty meetings for them all to speak in tongues if it meant no
more than three per meeting. For
the twelve men at Ephesus (Acts 19 v 7) there would need to be at least four
meetings. However if there was no
one with the gift of interpretation present at the meeting, then no one would be
allowed to speak in tongues.
At the
beginning of Azusa Street, Lang recognized there were godly men and women
involved however he later questioned the fruit of this work. This is understandable due to the unchecked questionable
manifestations and excesses that followed.
Some of these would be due to dubious characters in the congregation
others from leaders making dubious statements.
Often neither would be corrected. However
God did raise up many men of a godly character in the Pentecostal churches who
were willing to correct these abuses. Later,
as the older denominations opened up to the Pentecostal experience we find other
godly ministers teaching the need to receive the Holy Spirit as a separate
experience to salvation.
One of the
fruits of the baptism in the Spirit was a great increase in evangelism, with the
gospel message being proclaimed all over the world.
The
Fire Spreads to Europe
T. B. Barrett a Norwegian (who was born in Cornwall,
England), was a Methodist minister who visited America to raise funds for a hall
in Oslo. The year was 1906 and he
was in a hotel in New York waiting for a boat home when he was baptised in the
Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues.
He arrived in Norway and a Pentecostal revival started
and spread like fire over Europe.
A A Body, an Anglican Vicar from Sunderland, England,
went to investigate, was convinced it was of God and invited Barrett to his
Church in Sunderland.
The Holy Spirit baptised those at the church and they
spoke in tongues. This made the
news in the press and people from all over Britain travelled to Sunderland to
find out what was happening.
The result of this fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit
in Britain was a great increase in evangelism with signs following.
However, in the early days of
this Pentecostal outpouring there was a lack of direction and much abuse
of the gifts of the Spirit. It was
into this scene that God called the Jeffreys brothers and other godly leaders.
George Jeffreys who at first was sceptical, later was
baptised in the Holy Spirit and became one of Britain’s great evangelist.
It is said that he was a level headed man who was extremely logical and
thorough in his discourses. The
extravagances that had marred so many passed revivals were excluded from the
work that God called him to initiate. George
preached the word and many thousands were saved and healed all over Britain.
Stephen Jeffreys who, along with his brother George,
was saved in the Welsh revival, travelled to Sunderland to find out what was
happening and was baptised in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues after which
he noticed a new power in his evangelistic work.
Smith Wiggleworth another man
used of God also visited Sunderland in 1907 and was baptised in the Holy
Spirit. This also revolutionised
his ministry.
He was loved and respected by many who saw him as a man
of God full of love and compassion, but he was also hated and maligned by others
who criticised him for being rough and abrupt with people.
He has been called the apostle of faith.
He was an evangelist who witnessed to most people he met as the Lord led
him. He was saddened by those who
enjoyed the baptism for their own pleasure rather than recognising its primary
purpose of power to witness. It
grieved him to see people looking to fleshly manifestations rather than to soul
winning.
These men of God, and many others,
evangelized around
England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Many
Churches around the country were established.
When people were baptized in the Holy Spirit then signs followed, the
main one being speaking in unknown tongues.
The older denominations could not accept this as from
God and denounced this move of God as being of the devil.
The Pentecostal churches became a denomination and
eventually settled down into respectful churches losing much of the fire that
started them off.
Other places, such as South Chard became places that
people went to because God was using them in body ministry and the gifts of the
Spirit.
The 1970’s and 80’s saw the Charismatic revival, as
the older denominations became open to the move of the Spirit and accepted the
baptism in the Spirit and also speaking in tongues.
The early emphasis, according to Frank Bartleman, was
on dying out to the self life, carnal ambition, pride, etc. These days the
emphasis seems to be on more power and enjoying a spiritual high, even before
being right with God.
As
I have said, there were revivals and spiritual manifestations well before Azusa
Street.
The
Gifts of the Spirit at work in the Reformation
Let
us now jump to the time of the Reformation.
These
next interesting accounts are taken from, ‘The Scot Worthies’ by John Howie.
George
Wishart.
George Wishart was one of the reformers who died at the stake in 1546. A friend of John Knox, it is said of him that he possessed the spirit of prophecy to an extraordinary degree and was at the same time, humble, modest, charitable and patient. He often prophesied against those who stood against the word of God. When he was stopped from preaching in Dundee, he prophesied that it would not be long before trouble would come upon the city. Four days after he left, the plague hit the city, many people dying every day. He went back to the city and preached “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from destruction”. The people begged him to stay and preach to them, which he did.
Another
time, when he was mislead to go to a sick friend the Lord warned him of an
ambush. He turned back saying that
he would die at the hands of the cardinal but not yet.
Eventually
he was taken by the cardinals men and killed at the stake.
He forgave his executioner, committed his spirit to the Lord then
prophesied that the cardinal would meet his end not many days hence.
Less than three months later the cardinal was stabbed to death.
John
Knox.
John
Knox was born in 1505, he was a disciple of George Wishart and also a friend and
admirer of John Calvin who he spent some time with in Geneva.
He
has been called a prophet, a man full of the gifts of the Spirit, and also an
apostle to Scotland, which are, I believe, true descriptions of him.
Several times he had to escape from Scotland because his life was in danger. However the Lord preserved him and he died naturally of old age.
Mary Queen of Scots said she was more afraid of the prayers of
John Knox than of an army of ten thousand men.
Prophetical
expressions given by him had the most remarkable accomplishments.
He prophesied concerning castles and cities, Kings and Queens.
When
he was once praying for the sick a paper was put in his hand, which made mirth
of his friend, a nobleman, who had been slain the day before.
He
didn’t say anything at the time but after his sermon he gave a few words about
the loss of his friend, the good Regent, the Earl of Moray.
He then said, “there is one here who maketh that horrible murder, at
which all good men hath occasion to be sorrowful, the subject of his mirth.
I tell you, he shall die in a strange land, where he shall not have a
friend near him to hold up his head.” Thomas Maitland, the author of that
paper, hearing what Knox said, confessed the whole to his sister saying that
John Knox was raving; she replied with tears that none of John Knox’s
threatenings fell to the ground. Thomas Maitland later went to Italy and died on
his way to Rome having no man to comfort him.
After
the death of John Knox in 1572, Mr. Thomas Smeaton said of him, “I know not if
God ever placed a more godly and great spirit in a body so little and frail.
I am certain that there can scarcely be found another in whom more gifts
of the Holy Ghost, for the comfort of the Church of Scotland, did shine.”
There
are other recorded instances of the gifts of the Spirit in the life of John Knox
and other ministers of the reformation. Here are a sample from some of the other
ministers.
John
Davidson.
John
Davidson was a minister of the gospel who also prophesied to some of the
well-known noblemen of his time. At
another time, a gentleman related to a great family in the parish of Preston,
but who was violently opposed to true piety was beating a poor man and gave him
a mighty stroke across his back saying it was for John Davidson.
When John Davidson heard of this the next Sabbath he prophesied against
this rich man saying, “He that hath done this, were he the laird or the
laird’s brother, ere a few days hence God shall give him a stroke, that all
the monarchs of the earth may not challenge”.
This
came to pass at the close of that same week, while the gentleman was standing
before his own door, he was struck dead with lightning and had all his bones
crushed to pieces.
John
Scrimgeour
John
Scrimgeour was a minister of the gospel around the year 1620.
When
he was ministering at Kinghorn a godly woman fell sick of a lingering disease.
She suffered greatly in the mind being overcome by much temptation and
feeling she was a castaway.
He
went with two of his elders and they prayed for her but she grew worse.
He said that comforting her and praying for her will not do, “we must
try some other remedy”, in the name of Jesus Christ he commanded her “to be
loosed from these bonds”. Immediately peace and joy ensued.
He lost a lot
of friends and also some of his children to death. His only surviving daughter at that time, and whom he loved
dearly, was also at the very point of death so that he was called up to see her
die. Finding her in this condition
he went out into the fields at night to pray.
He travailed in prayer before the Lord beseeching Him that He would spare
her. The Lord met him and told him
that He had spared her. When he
arrived home he found the child recovered and she took some meat.
When he looked at her arm it was perfectly whole.
Robert
Bruce.
Robert Bruce
was born about 1554. He was the
second son of Sir Alexander Bruce the Laird of Airth.
His father had plans for his life but God had other ideas and worked on
Robert’s conscience so that he could get no rest until he went to study
divinity under Andrew Melville.
He
became a minister in Edinburgh where King James V1 had such a high regard for
him that when he left the country for Denmark
he asked Robert to acquaint himself with the affairs of the country
because he could trust him more than the rest of his brethren or other nobles.
He was not disappointed for the country was more blessed under the care
of Robert Bruce than before or afterwards.
However, some time after this he lost the Kings favour because he stood
for the word of God with other ministers and was eventually banished from the
country, The next year he came back but was confined to his house and removed
officially from his function at Edinburgh.
He was charged to remain at Inverness which he did for four years
teaching and preaching with much affect. He
was continually persecuted by the King and council and was tossed about having
to move from place to place.
Robert
Bruce was a man who manifested and demonstrated the Spirit in his speech.
It was easy for his hearers to perceive he had been much in prayer.
He
was also a man who could prophetically predict future events, speaking of
several things which afterwards came to pass.
Also, people who were past all recovery from epileptic diseases, or
falling sickness were brought to him and after being prayed for by him were
fully restored from the sickness.
Some
ministers came to him concerning a church problem.
He prayed over them repeating to the Lord many times the problem they had
brought to him. The Holy Spirit
came upon those present causing extraordinary motion on all present, “and such
sensible down-pouring of the Spirit, that they could hardly contain
themselves”.
It is said
that, “There was none in his time, who preached with such evidence of the
power of the Spirit; and no man had more seals of his ministry; yea, many of his
hearers thought that no man since the days of the Apostles, ever spoke with such
power.”
John Welch.
John Welch was
born around 1570, his father being the Laird Collieston in Nithsdale Scotland,
so he wasn’t without money however his story is a bit like the prodigal son at
the beginning. He would rather play
truant than go to school and eventually joined himself to the thieves on the
border between England and Scotland.
When he
eventually found himself clothed only in rags he decided to return home to his
father. His father put him through
college where he worked hard, became a sincere convert and proceeded to the
ministry. It is said that from the
beginning of his ministry he reckoned the day ill spent if he did not spend
seven or eight hours in prayer.
He married the
daughter of John Knox to whom he had three sons all who died as young men.
He was
imprisoned by King James, who’s intention was to destroy the Church of Scotland
and establish bishops instead who he believed would give him absolute dominion.
After being
moved from prison to prison he was eventually banished to France where he and
his wife resided for sixteen years.
Welch did try
to return to Scotland but was denied by King James 1. Mrs Welch had an interview with the King who asked her who
her father was, “John Knox” was the reply.
“Knox and Welch” said the King, “The devil never made sic a match
as that”
The King asked
her how many children her father had and if any where boys, to which he was
told, “three girls”. “God be
thanked” said the King lifting up his hands, “for if they had been three
lads I never would have enjoyed my three kingdoms in peace”.
The King at
last told her that if she would persuade her husband to submit to the bishops he
would grant her request, to which she lifted her apron and said, “Please, your
Majesty, I’d rather receive his head there”.
Welch often
uttered prophesies against ungodly men, which came to pass.
The story is told that when he was once entertaining a company with godly
discourse, a Popish young gentleman began to mock and laugh and pull faces.
Welch became sad and asked all to be silent and observe the work of the
Lord upon the mocker, upon which the young gentleman sunk down and died beneath
the table.
At another time
while in France, a young gentleman student of his died.
He stayed with the body praying even though others came to take the body
for burial. He asked for more
time which they gave then he asked for more time still, after two days had past
they thought that perhaps he wasn’t sure that the man was dead so they called
in the doctors to prove it to Welch. He
still asked for more time, he begged them to give him an hour or two alone with
the body, which they did. He fell
down and cried out to the Lord with all his might until eventually the young man
opened his eyes. Welch called his
friends in and showed them the young man alive.
This young man went on to acquire a great estate in Ireland, became Lord
Castlestuart and was asked by the Earl of Stafford to be a counselor in Ireland.
A Popish friar
once stayed with him and listening outside his door as he prayed to God through
the night, the next morning he declared to Welch what he had done and told him
he wanted to become a Protestant.
When Welch was
still in Scotland some friends were waiting for him as he prayed in the garden.
One of the friends opened a window and saw a strange light around him and
heard him speak strange words about his spiritual joy.
There are many
more stories about John Welch, it was said that no man could hear him preach
without weeping.
He was
eventually allowed to go to London where the king allowed him to preach.
Having preached he went inside and passed on to be with the Lord.
(The above incidents in the life of the reformers were taken from, "The Scots Worthies" by John Howie)
The Gifts of the Spirit After The Reformation.
In
1741 Jonathan Edwards wrote that manifestations neither prove or disprove a work
of God. The test was the fruit
it produced.
A
revival comes when the people of God recognize that except God does a work their
labours will be in vain. Their hearts cry will be for the spirit of prayer and love to
so fill their lives that their one desire will be to be on their knees with God
in prayer, yet without God they can do nothing, they are barren, dry and empty,
and they know it.
The
first sign or fruit of a genuine revival is repentance.
When people recognize their real state compared with a holy God, they
will cry out for mercy. Repentance
may include with it manifestations of cries of anguish and even falling to the
ground as the sinner is convicted of his uncleanness (Luke 18 v 13, John 18 v 6,
Acts 9 v 4).
Believers
will be filled with the Spirit. This
may include many tears as they behold all that Christ has done for them by His
death on the cross. The blood of
the Lamb will be honoured and the Lord Jesus shall be magnified in praise and
worship. This may involve speaking
in tongues and prophesying. They
too might find themselves prostrate on the ground in awe and reverence of a Holy
God (1 Kings 8 v 11, Ezekiel 1 v 28, Daniel 10 v 9, Revelations 1 v 17).
The
immediate effect on a Christians life will be a greater desire to know the word
of the Lord, there will be an increase in the time spent alone in prayer to God.
A burden to intercede for others will be manifest in their lives.
A godly character will become apparent as they spend time with the Lord.
I say these are the immediate effect because as the revival wanes, if the
believers neglect their duties then once more they will become dry, barren and
carnal.
If
there is no repentance and brokenness, no lifting up the
Lord Jesus Christ, no spirit of prayer or spirit of holiness present in
the revived persons life, then the question is, what has been revived?
John Wesley and the
Methodist
If
we go to the year 1766 we find John Wesley had developed a “second blessing”
theology. It was John Fletcher
(Wesley's co-worker) who
called this second blessing a “baptism in the Holy Spirit”.
The seed was now sown. During
the nineteenth century it is said that thousands of Methodist claimed to have
received this experience. Their
meetings would sometimes involve much sighing and groaning which they believed
to be the work of the Spirit amongst them. This would be in accordance with
Romans 8 v 26-27, however to what extent this was the Spirit or a work of the
flesh is difficult now to ascertain.
While
John Wesley was preaching people would sometimes fall to the floor and there was
often much groaning and crying out in anguish as those listening to him, being
under powerful conviction, were filled with fear, horror and despair as they saw
the state of their souls before a holy God. This would often be turned into
love, joy and peace as they praised God on being set free from their sinful
desires that they might serve God.
There
were many manifestations in Wesley’s meetings, however he did not take for
granted that they were all of God but rather discerned between that which was of
God, that which was of man and that which was from Satan.
This was not an easy task. He
said that the danger in regard to these extraordinary manifestations was to
either see them as essential to the inward work of the Spirit or to condemn them
altogether as not being of God. There
were many genuine cases but as time went on he saw that Satan would mimic the
work of God in order to discredit the whole.
He said that every spiritual manifestation should be checked by the
“Law and Testimony”, and that the resulting fruit in a persons life should
be noted.
As
for the spiritual manifestation of uncontrollable laughter, where the people
could not resist it, this he believed was the work of Satan amongst the people
and prayed for deliverance for those who were affected
When Charles Wesley met a member of the French Prophets the man started to
make noises like a turkey which the Wesley's perceived as the work of the devil.
John Wesley warned his followers to beware of such activities, and to line everything up with the “law and
the testimony”. Speaking with the
tongues of men and angels is one thing, making animal noises is quite another.
After The Wesley Brothers
In
1831 Edward Irving was a popular Presbyterian Pastor in London.
When tongues and prophecy were experienced in his church a lot of
ministers lost respect for him. It
was Edward Irving who established the theology that the glossolalia was the sign
of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It
was in 1830 that Edward Irving heard that the gift of tongues and prophecy were
being manifested back in Scotland.
On
Page 300 of the book, “The Life and Letters of St Paul” by David Smith, which was written
in the early 1900’s, we read that Mary Campbell was a “young woman of
saintly character”. It was as a group of Christians were gathered round
her couch praying for the restoration of the gifts that she started to speak in
tongues. She later was
miraculously healed. The saintly
Thomas Erskine of Linlathen spent six weeks at this time with the “devout”
Macdonald brothers and said that he believed that the miraculous character of
these gifts was of God.
Around
the years 1867 to 1880 many of the American Holiness churches were recognizing
the need for a fresh baptism in the Spirit and after 1875 they began to stress
the Pentecostal aspects of the second blessing.
Around 1880
even in the Methodist Holiness churches there were different views on
holiness. Some rejected the holiness teaching, others saw it as a gradual
work in the believers life while still others saw it as a faith work that needed
appropriating immediately. Some believed that the witness of the Spirit to
our spirit was the eradication of the sinful nature instead of what is believed
today as the God given assurance of our faith. Some of the Holiness movements
leaders started to promote
teachings such as ‘sinless perfection’, which caused them to lose a lot of
favour with other churches.
After
1875 the Keswick movement flourished in England and this too preached the need
for an enduement of power for service.
The Keswick doctrine denied the eradication of the sinful nature, saw the baptism with the Spirit as being for enduement of power and the manifestation of the gifts rather than for sanctification, which had been maintained in the Holiness churches, At this time they were experiencing the enduement of power but the gifts of the Spirit were not so much in evidence.
R. A. Torrey, D. L. Moody, A. J. Gordon and A. B. Simpson in America followed the Keswick teaching and laid the foundation in America for the Pentecostal revival.
By the late 1800’s men like D. L. Moody and F. B. Meyer were looking for and hoping for a latter day outpouring of the Spirit, another Pentecost. In his message titled “The Holy Ghost”, D, L. Moody said, “Another great work of the Holy Spirit, which is not accomplished, is the bringing on of the latter-day glory. In a few more years - I know not when, I know not how - the Holy Spirit will be poured out in a far different style from the present.”
F. B. Meyer in his forward to the book “The Ministry of the Spirit”
by A. J. Gordon, 1896, hopes “that the age would close with a world wide Pentecost.
And there are many symptoms abroad that this also is in the purpose of God.”
By
the time the 1900’s came, the doctrine of the
baptism in the Holy Spirit for enduement of power was well established.
It is said that people like A. B. Simpson, A. J. Gordon, Jessie
Penn-Lewis, R. A. Torrey and D. L.
Moody all believed in the baptism in the Holy Spirit and all professed to have
been baptized in the Holy Spirit. However
they did not see tongues as the scriptural sign of having received the baptism.
Simpson did not join with the rising Pentecostals because of the difference in
the tongues issue also he wasn't happy with some of the manifestations at Azusa
Street. Torrey, due to the many dubious manifestations at Azusa Street
rejected it as a move of God.
On
the first of January 1901, a young woman who was a student of Bethel Bible
College in Topeka Kansas (which was run by Charles Fox Parham), asked that hands
be laid on her that she might receive the Holy Spirit as in the book of Acts.
Her name was, Agnes N. Ozman, after prayer she was baptized in the Holy
Spirit and spoke with new tongues. Other
students at the bible college were also baptized in the Holy Spirit with
speaking in tongues. Between 1901
and 1906 revival of the Pentecostal experience with speaking in tongues broke
out in different American cities as the fire was spread by Parham and these
students.
Agnes
Ozman had previously been to the D. L. Moody bible school in 1894 and had also
been a student of A. B. Simpson in New York.
She learned much about the Holy Spirit from A. B. Simpson and his
colleague Steven Merritt.
William
Seymour learned about the baptism in the Holy Spirit and went to hear C. F.
Parham teach about it. He was invited to be the Pastor of a small church in Los
Angeles. Shortly after arriving he
spoke on the baptism in the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues, he was locked
out and barred from holding any more meetings there. The church was affiliated with the Holiness Church
Association of Southern California, who also condemned him.
He
was invited by some Baptist of North Bonnie Brae Street to take some gospel
meetings in their house. It wasn’t long before several of these saints were baptized
in the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues. Word spread and more people joined them,
including those from the church he had been barred from.
The house could not contain the large numbers that gathered so they had
the meetings on the lawn. Eventually
a large building was bought on Azusa Street, where people from all over the
country came to find out what was happening.
The leaders at this time were very conscious of the need to keep Jesus exalted in the right place and to beware of seeking signs and wonders. W. W. Menzies in his book 'Anointed to Serve', on page 54 quotes an observer, A. W. Orwig, as saying,
"In the first year of the work in Los Angeles I heard W. J. Seymour, an acknowledged leader, say, 'Now don't go from the meeting and talk about tongues, but try to get people saved' Again I heard him counsel against all unbecoming or fleshly demonstrations, and everything not truly of the Holy Spirit. Wise words indeed. There had been some extremes and still are in places. But these things no more represent the real Pentecostal work than do the follies in various churches represent genuine Christianity. Brother Seymour constantly exalted the atoning work of Christ and the Word of God, and very earnestly insisted on thorough conversion, holiness of heart and life, and the fullness of the Holy Spirit."
A big influence on the emerging Pentecostal movement in America were the Holiness churches and also the Fundamentalist who were influenced by J. N. Darby in their style of meetings. Many of the Holiness churches merged into the Pentecostal Holiness Church, others, along with many independent churches became the Assemblies of God.
In England, the experience of the baptism in the Spirit produced many evangelist. The two brothers, George and Stephen Jeffreys with the experience of the Welsh revival still very much alive, and having been baptized with the Holy Spirit, evangelized around England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The Elim movement in England was a result of the work of George Jeffreys. Stephen Jeffreys joined with the Assemblies of God in England. Both Elim and the AoG consisted of new converts plus many Christians who were forced out of the older denominations because of their Pentecostal experience. Many independent churches joined with the AoG.
The baptism in the Spirit is a wonderful gift, given by the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ to all believers throughout the church age. The gifts of the Spirit are given by the Spirit to the church for her edification, exhortation and comfort.
The
baptism in the Holy Spirit will empower a Christian to be more effective in
their ministry. However, even after their initial baptism in the Holy Spirit,
the Christian still needs a continual infilling of the Spirit to have an
effectual ministry.
It
is a great mistake for any Christian to believe that because they have been
baptized in the Holy Spirit they cannot be deceived either now or in the future.
The Christian needs to be continually discerning the spirit and the
teaching that they come into contact with.
It
is also a mistake for that Christian to believe they are now perfect and unable
to sin. The baptism in the Holy Spirit does not make an immature person into a
mature person.
To
judge someone as not having been baptized in the Spirit because they have become
deceived in some area, or are overcome by temptation is the same mistake as
saying that this experience makes one infallible.
While
at Antioch, the Apostle Peter, because of fear of those who were of the
circumcision (who had recently arrived at Antioch), "walked not uprightly according to the
truth of the gospel", causing others to also fall into error.
Paul did not judge Peter as never having the truth but rather corrected
his error (Galatians 2 v 11– 14).
Discernment ministries are there to point out the error of different teaching so that the Christian can humbly and prayerfully seek God for the truth. If the discernment ministries are speaking truth then the Spirit will witness to it.
The Charismatic Movement.
Around
the 1960's 70's and 80's the traditional denominations became open to the
baptism and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
In his excellent little booklet on the "Charismatic Movement in the Historic Churches" 1972, W. T. H. Richards recognized these dangers. He wrote:
"WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT
On
the surface there appears to be very little difference between the two, but in
fact there is a great deal of difference. I am not suggesting that the one is
more lively or spiritual than the other, but that there are important
distinctions and maybe if we look at some of them it will help us to understand
the position better. Notice first of all, then, there is a difference in
When
the world-wide Pentecostal Movement came into being, the pioneers felt that the
correct thing to do was to form a fellowship of like-minded believers who agreed
upon sound evangelical principles. Throughout the world we have Spirit-filled
Pentecostal fellowships with their own system of Church government and
procedure, maintaining their own identity, united together for the purpose of
fellowship and witness. I am not advocating denominational systems and I do not
think God is very interested in them, but He is interested in the people. God
blesses men, not systems. The great need is for dedicated men.
The danger is always present that people become denominationally minded.
We must always remember as Ministers of Jesus Christ that it is our duty to
build the Church of Christ, not a denomination. One good thing, however, that
can be said about having a loosely formed Fellowship with its practical
guidelines and Statement of Fundamental Truths is that at least we know where it
stands and what is expected of its adherents. I believe I am right in saying
that the Statement of Fundamental Truths would be almost identical in all the
groups within the Pentecostal Movement throughout the world. This, if it does
not act as a safeguard against error, at least highlights it.
The
neo-Pentecostal Movement is quite different. This started about ten years ago.
The recognized Charismatic leaders in Britain, America, Canada and other
countries are still members of their own particular denominations, some of which
are Church of England, Methodists, Presbyterians and Catholics; denominations
which, incidentally, are themselves rife with modernism and humanism. Some
leaders are completely independent of any local church or organization. One can
see how difficult it would be, even if there was a desire to do so, to create a
Fellowship and formulate a Statement of Belief that would be agreeable to them
all, even on a broad basis.
It is
also difficult to see how, in its present state, the neo-Pentecostal movement
could promote and co-ordinate a united missionary work, train young people for
the ministry or exercise discipline. As I have stated, I am not advocating the
formation of a new fellowship or that this should ever be done. I am simply
pointing out one of the main differences which could influence the effectiveness
of the neo-Pentecostals.
He went on to say,
"Then,
further, we notice that there is a marked difference also in
This
is seen in several ways, but one of the most important, which could have far
reaching repercussions, and to which I have already referred, is holding united
public meetings with baptized Catholics who are still convinced that the
doctrine of Rome is right, and, going even much further than that, seeking
dialogue with the Catholic hierarchy. A statement in the magazine Renewal of
January, 1972, reads:
'After
preliminary discussions an agreement has been reached between the Secretariat
for Promoting Christian Unity of the Roman Catholic Church, some Pentecostal
churches and participants in the charismatic movement within the Protestant and
Anglican churches to enter into dialogue. This international dialogue, extending
over a period of five years, will consist of yearly meetings during which the
theological discussions will focus on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of
the Christian and the Churches. The conversations will direct their attention to
both the experiential and theological dimensions of fullness of life in the Holy
Spirit.'
The
statement that "some Pentecostal churches" will be taking part in this
discussion in June of this year is misleading, for no recognized Pentecostal
body will be represented, certainly not Assemblies of God of this country.
The
General Secretary made this clear in a statement in Redemption Tidings recently.
One wonders then whom they are representing? On whose behalf are they speaking?
Is
not this being rather presumptuous? Is not this dialogue giving the Catholic
hierarchy false hopes?
One
would have thought that the reticence of the Pentecostal bodies to join in such
dialogue would have caused these brethren to hesitate here. Warnings to be
cautious in this matter have been given a number of times by godly, mature
brethren. Donald Gee, for instance, gave some wise guidance in a statement in
the magazine Pentecost, when he warned against giving recognition to a
denomination whose claims we reject and added, 'The only possible form of
unity on a realistic basis must take the line of personal contacts with
individual fellow Christians in other communions where there is a happy
discovery of mutual conviction regarding faith and order.' "
The above quotes are taken from Mr Richards' booklet, which was a result of an address that was delivered by Mr Richards at a session for ministers and their wives at the 1972 conference at Minehead of the Assemblies of God in Great Britain and Ireland.
The Pentecostal Church has had its outstanding ministers in the past and so has the Charismatic ministry with such people as Roger Price of Colchester, Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones a charismatic Presbyterian and not forgetting that other well known charismatic Presbyterian A. W. Tozer (these three have now gone to be with the Lord). The situation with the Pentecostals and Charismatics these days is that many of the safeguards have been abandoned in their desire for spiritual manifestations and unity. However there are still some of the old guard among the Pentecostals who recognize the dangers sweeping through the modern church and will not compromise on doctrine for the sake of unity.