The call to return to biblical standards has echoed through the centuries, ever since the days of the Protestant Reformation. Reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others stood boldly against the false teachings of their time, especially the errors perpetuated by the Roman Catholic Church. Their contention was not merely a theological disagreement, but a grave concern for the integrity of the gospel and the salvation of souls. Driven by a passion for the purity of God’s Word, they sought to restore the Church to its biblical foundations, with the conviction that the Church had wandered far from the truth of Scripture.
Similarly, today we find ourselves confronting a new threat to the gospel—the Charismatic movement among Calvinist & Arminianism. This movement has diverged significantly from the rich doctrinal foundation that was established by the Reformers.
It is important to understand the distinctions within these movements, particularly between Charismatic Arminianism and Classical Arminianism, for they reflect different approaches to salvation, the nature of God’s sovereignty, and the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Charismatic movement, often characterized by an emphasis on miraculous signs, personal revelation, and an active, ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, has created much confusion within the broader Christian church. While there are undoubtedly many sincere believers in the Charismatic movement, its emphasis on subjective experience rather than objective, biblical truth often leads to doctrines that deviate from God’s Word. The movement’s focus on supernatural manifestations like speaking in tongues, prophecy, and healing has caused many to elevate personal experience over sound doctrine. This results in a theology that emphasizes signs and wonders instead of the sufficiency of Scripture.
This Charismatic movement’s practices misrepresent the work of the Holy Spirit, substituting genuine spiritual power with emotional experiences that can lead people astray. This a counterfeit work of the Holy Spirit—one that operates outside of the biblical guidelines and encourages believers to seek manifestations rather than the truth found in Scripture.
The movement, while seemingly enthusiastic and spiritually vibrant, often leads believers to mistake emotional experiences for genuine spiritual growth. This is dangerous, as it can cause individuals to believe that their salvation or sanctification is evidenced by these supernatural phenomena, instead of the transformative power of the gospel working in their lives. This can easily slide into a form of works-based salvation, where the belief in the need to experience these signs for salvation or spiritual maturity detracts from the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning work.
While both Charismatic and Classical Arminianism share a belief in the free will of humanity and conditional salvation, they differ drastically in their view of spiritual gifts. Classical Arminianism, based on the teachings of Jacobus Arminius, adheres to a cessationist view regarding the miraculous gifts of the Spirit. Arminius and his followers believed that the apostolic gifts, such as speaking in tongues and prophecy, were not meant to continue after the apostolic age. In contrast, the Charismatic Arminian movement insists that these gifts are still in operation today, which can lead to doctrinal confusion and division.
Even though Classical Arminians hold to a conditional election and free will in salvation, they remain grounded in a more traditional understanding of the spiritual gifts, rejecting the ongoing operation of miracles beyond the apostolic era. However, the Charismatic movement has blurred these distinctions, often embracing both a works-based view of salvation and an emphasis on supernatural experiences as evidence of spiritual maturity.
In time like these, the Reformer has a direct response to Charismatics movement [and Roman Catholic Church’s] teachings on salvation by works. The Catholic Church’s doctrines of salvation through merit and the veneration of saints undermined the biblical doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:28). Martin Luther, in his 95 Theses, famously declared that the church must return to the biblical truth of salvation as a free gift, given by God’s grace and received by faith, not earned through works. In this light, the Charismatic movement’s insistence on works—whether through spiritual gifts or manifestations—undermines the foundational truths of the Reformation. The focus on signs and wonders, as opposed to the gospel of grace alone, leads the Church away from the purity of the gospel. The Reformation fought against a works-based salvation that was prevalent in the Catholic Church; today, we must continue that fight against the subtle introduction of works-based salvation in the Charismatic movement.
The danger of this movement is not simply in the peripheral issues it raises, but in how it distorts the gospel itself. Instead of relying on the finished work of Christ on the cross, the Charismatic movement often places the focus on experiences—whether it be prophecy, tongues, or healing—as the proof of one’s salvation or spiritual growth or even the prove of seal of eternal life by Holy Spirit. This creates a dangerous environment where salvation can be wrongly perceived as dependent upon the works of the believer rather than the grace of God alone.
In simpler terms, the Charismatic movement can be seen as a modern-day form of sorcery, relying on supernatural experiences and signs rather than the foundational truths of Scripture. This movement often involves practices all of which resemble mystical or witchcraft-like elements. These practices, though often claimed to be divinely inspired, focus on personal, emotional experiences that are seen as manifestations of the Holy Spirit. However, many of these practices distort the biblical understanding of the Spirit's work, leading believers away from the clear teachings of Scripture and towards an emphasis on spiritual phenomena. Like witchcraft, which seeks to control or manipulate the unseen spiritual world, Charismatic practices often promote a sense of power and control through supernatural means, rather than humbling believers under God's sovereignty and Word.
The Church today must confront the internal threats to the gospel, just as the Reformers did when they stood against the Catholic Church. The Reformation was about returning to the biblical truth of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. This truth is now under attack, not just from the world, but from movements within the Church itself.
Now in other world, there is the rise of New Calvinism has been a significant development in recent years, particularly in the Reformed community. While it retains the core doctrinal foundation of classical Calvinism, there are certain elements within the movement that mirror aspects of the Charismatic movement, leading to confusion and concern among those committed to the historic principles of the Reformation.
New Calvinism emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the doctrines of grace, and a deep commitment to Scripture. Yet, it often embraces contemporary worship practices, including emotional expressions of faith and an openness to some aspects of the Charismatic movement, such as the continued presence of spiritual gifts like prophecy, tongues, and healing. In many cases, proponents of New Calvinism argue that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still active today and should be embraced by the church, similar to the Charismatic emphasis on the miraculous and supernatural.
This merging of Reformed theology with Charismatic practices raises questions about the integrity of biblical doctrine and whether this synthesis is a faithful continuation of the Reformation or a departure from it. While New Calvinism retains a high view of Scripture, some of its more charismatic-leaning elements appear to prioritize personal experience, emotion, and supernatural encounters over the sufficiency of Scripture alone. The emphasis on revivalism, miraculous healing, and prophetic utterances, while attractive to many, can lead to an unbalanced view of God's work, where subjective experiences can overshadow the clear and unchanging truths of the Word of God. The danger here is that the central tenet of the Reformation—the sufficiency of Scripture—can be compromised when experience is allowed to carry the same weight as God's Word. The Reformers, especially John Calvin and Martin Luther, were adamant that the Word of God must remain the final authority in all matters of doctrine and practice. To elevate personal experiences, even supernatural ones, above Scripture is to undermine the very foundation of the Reformation itself.
As Scripture says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). The apostle Paul emphasizes that our faith should be grounded in the truth of God’s Word, not in the experiences or manifestations we may encounter. The message of salvation remains unchanged: it is not dependent on signs and wonders, but on the finished work of Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9). The gospel does not promise us miracles or spiritual experiences, but it does promise us a Savior who is sufficient to save us from our sins, and that is what the Reformers fought for—the sufficiency of Christ and the sufficiency of Scripture.
In light of this, believers of New Calvinism and Charismatics Arminianism must be careful not to blur the lines between faithful adherence to sound doctrine and the temptation to embrace practices that compromise the integrity of biblical truth. If the church drifts toward an overemphasis on experience, it risks becoming distracted from the gospel itself. The Reformation was a return to the Scriptures as the final authority, and we must be vigilant to maintain that principle in the face of movements that seek to reintroduce practices that distort the gospel.
The Reformation was not merely a call to return to a particular set of theological ideas, but a call to uphold the sufficiency and authority of Scripture in all matters of faith and practice. As we contend for the faith today, we must continue the work of the Reformers by rejecting any teaching or movement that seeks to undermine the clarity and sufficiency of God’s Word. Whether it is the Charismatic movement or certain elements within New Calvinism, we must always hold fast to the Word of God, ensuring that it remains the ultimate authority in our lives and in the life of the Church.
The words of Martin Luther echo through the ages: "Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason— for I do not trust either in the Pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves—I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted, and my conscience is captive to the Word of God." Just as Luther stood firm against the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church in his time, we must stand firm today against any movement, whether charismatic or New Calvinist, woke progressive or woke liberalism that seeks to elevate experience or personal revelation above the clear, unchanging truth of Scripture. Let us hold fast to the Word of God as the final authority, always remembering that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
The Reformation is not over; it continues in the Church today. The Charismatic movement, despite its many sincere followers, has introduced chaos and confusion into the Church. It distorts the gospel by promoting a works-based salvation, undermining the sufficiency of Scripture, and misrepresenting the work of the Holy Spirit.
As believers, we are called to stand firm in the gospel of grace and to reject any teaching that diminishes the authority of Scripture. We must not condone or tolerate false teachings that lead believers away from the true gospel of Christ. As the apostle Paul warned in Galatians 1:8-9, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!”
We must continue to hold fast to the Reformation’s foundational truths: salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The Charismatic movement may seem like a movement of revival and spiritual renewal, but it has strayed from the true gospel. Let us stand firm, guarding against this internal threat and continuing the fight for the truth of God’s Word. As the Reformers did, we must challenge doctrines that distort the gospel, calling all believers back to the sufficiency of Christ and the authority of Scripture.
As believers, we must maintain a biblical standard, recognizing that the truth of the gospel is non-negotiable. The church is called to be a witness to the truth, not a place of compromise or toleration of falsehood. This is not to say that we should hate those who are deceived or lead lives of error—on the contrary, we are called to love them, pray for their salvation, and speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Pray for the salvation of those who are caught in these movements, including members of own extended family, that they would come to understand the true gospel and repent of their false beliefs.
Remember, It may sound harsh to say that those who adhere to these false doctrines are not part of the kingdom of God, but it would be more hypocritical to remain silent. However, we must recognize that without repentance and faith in the true Christ—the Christ of Scripture, who alone is able to save—there is no salvation (Acts 4:12). Our duty as the elect is to present the gospel faithfully and to trust that the Holy Spirit will regenerate their hearts, opening their eyes to the truth. We cannot change their hearts, but we can present the truth with clarity and conviction, trusting in God's sovereign work.
May we, like the Reformers, be faithful to the gospel, never compromising on the truth of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. And may we pray for those caught in these movements, that they may come to a true understanding of the gospel and the grace of God.
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엘리야The Wretched