How They Measured a Soul 'Awakening' - Part 2

Quoting Walter Chantry . . .

	Unusual outward manifestations attended the revivals of [The Great Awakening of the 18th century]. At times there were audible sighs and sobs throughout assemblies under the preached Word. Sometimes convicted sinners cried out, 'What must I do to be saved?', as scripture was brought home to their consciences. In a few instances men fell prostrate on the floor, even becoming physically rigid for a time. What was the attitude of the pastors to these unusual happenings? - - - Continuing now from part 1 - - - All but a few 'fanatics' (as revival pastors called them) were completely unimpressed with these things. In speaking to the individuals who experienced them, they cared nothing for outward effects. They asked only what inward work had been done in their souls, and what truth of God's Word produced that inward experience. They were convinced that revival blessing was an inward and usual work of the Spirit by the Word of Scripture. Congregations were urged to refrain from any public outburst or demonstration whatsoever so that none would be distracted from the truth. But pastors did not absolutely forbid these outward manifestations, for they found that truth had so mightily gripped the minds of some that they were overwhelmed. Again, it was an intelligent grasp of the inscripturated Word as a cause that led them to allow this phenomena. Let Joseph Tracy again be quoted: "There have been not a very few among us within seven or eight months past, that have cried out with great agonies and distress, or with high joys on spiritual accounts, and that in time of religious exercises. But these two things we would observe relating to what we have seen of this nature, viz: First, that we are persuaded that very few, if any, among us, have cried out in such a manner while they could avoid it without doing too much violence to their nature, or turning their thoughts to divine things; though we have not thought it ordinarily proper to leave off speaking, or to have the persons so affected removed out of the house. And secondly, that we by no means account persons crying out in time of worship, falling down, or the degree of their joys or sorrows, that might occasion these effects on their bodies, to be any sign of their conversion, when separately considered; and have carefully warned our people against such a way of thinking; though at the same time we cannot but think that most who have manifested their sense of things, were under the operations of the Holy Ghost at the same time, which occasioned these outcries; and that their inward experiences were substantially the same as theirs who have been savingly converted to God, as we hope, and have given no such tokens of their distress or joys." Yet when their outward effects became too great they hindered the work of revival. Jonathan Edwards says to this point: "But when the people were raised to this height, Satan took the advantage, and his interposition in many instances soon became very apparent; and a great deal of caution and pains were found necessary to keep the people, many of them from running wild." Outward excitement was not to be identified as the Spirit's work, nor was it a friend to revival. Edwards notes among his people a trend of thinking about outward appearances which harmed them spiritually. He labored long and hard against the attitude, as did many of his fellow pastors. The regretted error was the conclusion that the height of outward extraordinary appearances was an index to the depth of inward spiritual experiences. When they began to think that crying out was a sign of the Spirit's gracious influence, great damage was done. Their eyes became dazzled with the outward show. It took Edwards years of difficult endeavor to show that no outward excitement is proof of an inward spiritual experience. That there are comparisons with modern Pentecostalism is obvious. Revelations other than God's are accepted and sought after. It's distinguishing doctrine is that an outward gift evidences inward grace. Pentecostalism fosters the very attitudes and opinion of Edwards and others felt compelled to oppose if true revival was to continue. Pentecostalism today is the greatest friend of the idea that a man may be guided by impulse, and edified without a communication of objective truth from God's Word. We are not now experiencing revival. Yet the great bulk of people in the church have been mislead on the basic issue of truth, revelation and the indispensable necessity of Bible truth for experience in the Spirit. Pentecostalism is a major contributor to this regrettable state of affairs. If revivals were hindered by reports of revelations; if revivals slackened when too much attention to the outward excitement drew attention from the objective truth of God's Word; then how can revivals begin when these conditions prevail in the church? Perhaps the destruction of the erroneous tenets of Pentecostalism is the most needed prelude to true revival. Any intensification of the Spirit's work would quickly run astray now, when few pastors can be found who will defend the absolute, unvarying necessity of the understanding of doctrine from God's Word if a soul is to receive a gracious work of his Spirit. Few will defend the unique authority and sufficiency of scripture. How could a revival be kept on the only course in which the Spirit will work, that of the words of Christ? [John 6:63] It's true that the saints of past days referred to the outbreak of revival as 'pentecost'. But the same men were horrified at the claims of others to revelations and miracles. ...
From:	Signs of The Apostles

That video was very sad to see and I feel their behavior blasphemous. Take away the "catchers" and see how many fall to the ground. I don't believe that there are men who have the gift of healing anymore, however, I do believe that God still heals people in subtle ways (people recover from a stroke etc) and in dramatic ways. Paul Washer was a missionary who saw miraculous healing performed by God. VOM has a story of a little Christian girl who lived in a village full of unsaved people. She developed a tumor on her spine that left her paralyzed and clinging to life. Her doctors gave her hours to live and many Christians who knew her hit their knees and prayed for God's will to be done for His glory. No man healed her through their touch, but God healed her just hours after her doctors told the family of her pending death. The doctors came into her room and found her from being almost lifeless to being up, talking and laughing for joy with her family. They took x-rays and the tumor that was previously on her spine was gone. When the village heard this story, God's power filled their hearts and changed them into His children. I don't believe God speaks to people anymore either. It makes me cringe when I hear people say, "God spoke to me last night and I feel I should do such and such." God doesn't speak to people outside of His Word. Every answer we need is in the Bible. The Holy Spirit impresses on our hearts Biblical teachings that we may react correctly in different situations in our lives. He doesn't tell us new info. The Bible is complete. My pastor gave an example of one of his college friends staying up all night praying about which college he should go to when all of the time the answer to his question was in the Bible. We are to pray for discernment, but that's when the Holy Spirit impresses upon us what is taught in the Bible. Just another reason to study the Bible thoroughly. I just recently heard someone say that they were praying about whether or not they should home school their child. They were praying in the car and when they looked up, they saw a license plate that said, "Go for it". All I could say was "God doesn't talk through license plates!" What happens when you are praying about doing something that really isn't right and you see a license plate that says, "Go for it"? Posted by: sarah-luvvom on Friday, February 23, 2007

I hear you Sarah. I'm probably most troubled by the video in lower right corner, as the person is claiming to be speaking the words of God. I was in a mainline pentecostal denomination for nearly two decades, and I heard things like that regularly. I even heard a guy stand up on stage at our church and say that God told him his wife was going to have a boy, but she ended up giving birth to a girl. So many stories like that. Posted by: Jim from OldTruth.com on Friday, February 23, 2007

Jim-- Ask your pastor about the pre-wedding meeting we experienced. Our little group was meeting on one side of a folding partition and a 'How to become a healer' seminar was hapening on the other side of the partition. It was an exercise in how not to unnecessarily offend the sweet Christian sister who was coordinating the wedding for that facility. If people think that these videos are the odd exceptions, they should have heard what was being taught and done at that seminar. I pray daily for true revival in my heart, in the church where I am a member, and in the church at large. Thanks again for this series. Posted by: pamskee on Friday, February 23, 2007

Jim, Thanks for the above post. Isn't this why Edwards wrote A Treatise on Religious Affections? I've got a copy of it here that I printed out but I've not read it yet. Sarah-luvvom, Thanks for your post too. This was exactly the sort of situation I was thinking about when I posted yesterday. People are born again and this is generally followed by intense persecution; that's why VOM reports these events. I worshipped in the charismatic movements for years and what I saw in myself and others was this selfish tendency to chase after a speaker or 'prophet' who could give a 'special touch' or 'word' from the Lord. This reflects an utter lack of faith in God, of discernment, or a lack of knowledge of the Word, and what is probably a nonexistant salvation. It did in me. Posted by: Les on Friday, February 23, 2007