Book Review: Strange Fire

 

The Charismatic movement has become widely defined by its unbiblical practices that there is no semblance of what true biblical orthodoxy should be. But even trying to define this malignant mass of corruption can be difficult because it is not a monolithic movement due to it being so wide in what is accepted and yet nothing has ever rejected as being an error by it's proponents. And that is such a sad reality.  But when its critics do critique this movement; they do not accept the correction but instead move the goal posts in order to say "well, that not the circles I have known holds too." And therefore, it is written off as an unfair assessment even if it is truthful in what it states. 

Now in his work Strange Fire, John MacArthur sets out to give a balanced and biblical assessment of this movement from its inception to its current day manifestation (Or at least till 2013 when this was written); he goes through what they teach to what they claim as being real legitimate signs (that is to say  "miracles"), in order to show the bankrupt nature of this movement. Like any good teacher and faithful Christian leader, MacArthur recognise that even within a blatantly error ridden movement there can and will be true Christians; and even people who God has chosen and will call out of it as and when He has determined .  And a work like this has helped them to take those all important step to abandon this movement but not the faith For proof of this one only has to take note of the 9 people who provide such testimony to the fact on the first pages of the book. 

It is important to under why this book is so necessary: the new-age pantheist system of charismania has been put forth in the world today as picture what is it to be a Christian; and therefore, true evangelicalism has been subverted in the minds of the common people by their cancerous and deadly parasite. And this truly shows no understanding in the public of a true Christin is; not what the gospel is at all. In the introduction of this work, MacArthur puts it quite succinctly, in these words: "It is a sad twist of irony that those who claim to be most focused on the Holy Spirit are in actuality the one doing most abuse, grieve, insult, misrepresent, quench and dishonour Him. How do they do it? By attributing to Him words He did not say, deeds he did not do, phenomena He did not produce, and experience that have nothing to do with Him. They boldly plaster His name on that which is not His work." (pg. xiii) And to be honest with this: I agree with his assessment. 

I have to say that this work is a must read as a whole; but there are couple of chapter which one should pay careful attention too. The first 4 chapters are vital to our understanding of this movement; but the chapters titles Testing the Spirits (Part.1 and 2) which are based around Jonathan Edwards classical work on the revival in 1740's called "the distinguishing marks of a work of the Spirit" and MacArthur puts in the form of 5 questions: (1)  Does the work exalt the true Christ? (2) Does it oppose worldliness? (3) Does it point people to the scriptures? (4) Does it elevate the truth? (5) Does it produce love for God and others?  These question are spread over two chapters. And the answer would be a negative: the Charismatic movement does not do any of these things, a careful study will reveal that it is anti-Christ in nature.    There are a few stand out sections in this work as well; for example, in the 8th chapter, we are given a rather in depth review of one of the Leaders in this movement: the T.V evangelist and false healer Benny Hinn. 

There are other things that could be mention; but it would more beneficial to read it and form your own opinion.