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Title: Charisma Vs. Charismania by Chuck Smith ISBN: 0-936728-49-3 Publisher: Word for Today Pub. Date: September, 1993 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (2 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A third view
Comment: There are two very common beliefs among Christians in regards to the sign gifts. One view is that they have ceased. The other view is that the gifts have continued on to the present day, and that every believer can receive the gift of tongues simply by asking in faith. Pastor Chuck Smith grew up in a denomination that taught the latter view, went to a Pentecostal Bible College, and because so, speaks about the many abuses in the charismatic world. Not as an anti-charismatic, but as an insider. He tells of experiences like hearing long utterances in tongues (supposed) with short interpretations, of short utterances in tongues (supposed) with long interpretations, and of many other tell tail signs of over stimulated flesh parading as the supernatural. From this confusion Chuck Smith has emerged with a third view, a balanced view, and I believe a scriptural view. Chuck Smith has managed to keep the baby while throwing out the dirty bath water in regards to the use of sign gifts and several other charismatic tendencies. Chuck seeks to help the reader understand that sign gifts are still alive today while steering around the confusion. He sifts the mania out of the charisma. Chuck's balance is a breath of fresh air, and I believe this book has the potential to steer many away from extremes by demonstrating balance. I highly recommend it to all.
Rating: 5
Summary: A calm amidst the raging storm...
Comment: Anytime a person's innermost beliefs are challenged, almost immediately the walls of defense come flying up. Heeding a desire not to fuel the fires of division within the body of Christ, many of us may keep certain questions or concerns to oursleves - fearing that we may seem out of the 'anointing' of God, or somehow less spiritually mature than others. "Is this feeling a 'check' or warning in my spirit from the Holy Spirit Himself, or is it my flesh being uncomfortable in His very presence, as it should be?" Truly, a tormenting question.
The word 'balance' often comes to mind here - meaning a midpoint between two 'pure' extremes; the middle having 'not too much' of one and 'not too much' of the other. In this case, maybe we have subconciously set at these extremes 'too much' Spirit on one side, and 'too strict' adherence to Scripture on the other; all on a flat-line spectrum. I think this is a mistake. (First off, you can't ever have 'too much' of either.)
We cannot experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit without complete adherence to scripture, and we'll never understand the fullness of the richness of scripture without the fullness of the Holy Spirit. They each can only work properly when fully in conjunction, for they are of the same. The two are complimentary, only together spurring us closer to Christ, not - as some may think - as restrainers of each other.
What we've called 'too much' Spirit is, in reality, soulish emotionalism - not of the Spirit at all. 'Too strict' adherence to scripture is, in reality, exhibits an ignorance of scripture and quenches the Spirit. If the two extremes were actually the Holy Spirit and adherence to scripture (which in reality cannot be separated), the midpoint between them would be atop a triangle, not a flat line - where 100% is only in the middle, where we walk more closely with our Lord.
Pastor Chuck Smith has-with truth and warmth-brought me to a great measure of peace, and understanding about these modern phenomena. George Whitefield wrote well that "Though it is the quintessence of Enthusiasm to pretend to be guided by the Spirit without the written Word, yet it is every Christian's bounden duty to be guided by the Spirit in conjunction with the written Word of God. Watch...the motions of God's blessed Spirit in your souls, and always try [test] the suggestions or impressions that you may...feel by the unerring rule of God's most Holy Word. And if they are not found to be agreeable to that, reject them as diabolical and delusive! By observing this caution, you will steer a middle course between the two dangerous extremes many of this generation are in danger of running into; I mean Enthusiasm, on the one hand, and Deism, and downright infidelity, on the other."
This book has helped me to do just that. And if the Truth is what you're after, it'll help you, too. 1 Thess. 5:21
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Title: Living Water: The Power of the Holy Spirit in Your Life by Chuck Smith ISBN: 1565072995 Publisher: Harvest House Pub Pub. Date: 01 February, 1996 List Price(USD): $15.99 |
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Title: Harvest (Revised ed) by Chuck Smith, Merrie Destetano, Pastor Chuck Smith ISBN: 0936728809 Publisher: Word for Today Pub. Date: 01 June, 1993 List Price(USD): $8.99 |
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Title: Why Grace Changes Everything by Chuck Smith ISBN: 1565072278 Publisher: Harvest House Pub Pub. Date: 01 June, 1994 List Price(USD): $15.99 |
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