A Very Brief Look at the Pentecostalism that I See

From the outside looking in, it seems to me that Pentecostalism is very "self" centered theology.

There is a lot that is about "self".

"I claim..."

Some teach that if you pray in the right formula, use the right words, then God is honor-bound to give you what it is that you ask for. The Holy Spirit becomes something like a magic genie in a lamp. Rub the lamp the right way and you get your wish.
Some real life examples...

I was at my mom and dad's church on Sunday morning (if Mom reads, please let me know if I get this wrong.) The man who said the public prayer - in the prayer he told the congregation of a situation of a man who is sick or injured (I wasn't very clear which, but God knows).

"Lord, WE claim healing...You promised that if WE have faith you will give us what we ask for."

~~~~~

At work a woman I work with had a cold - and so did I. I took ester-C, echinacea and zinc (my usual "cocktail".) She said, "I'm CLAIMING my healing!" My cold lasted for about 10 days...hers lasted for about a week and a half.

~~~~~

I hear on a pretty regular basis, "the power of life and death is in the tongue, you know!" My reply the first time was "my future is in the hand of a sovereign God who is in control of the universe." After that I let it slip by.

~~~~~

Before I went "reformed", even before my husband died, I remember being on the way to a quiz meet with the kids and one of the church leaders was telling us on the way (in a van) how important prayer is. The reason?

Because without our prayers God is helpless to give us what we need or want. The power of God is released by our prayers.

Now I am Reformed and I find myself seeing how this warped sense of "self" has infiltrated many, many churches. I belong to a sovereign God who is in control of the universe.

The whole of TULIP is wrapped up in the power of God, not the power of "me".

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2 thoughts on “A Very Brief Look at the Pentecostalism that I See

  1. Agreed, presumption cannot easily be countenanced.

    However, in a relationship, isn't there some quid pro quo, some give & take?

    Or are all the blessings of God only spiritual? (I tend to think so myself).

  2. Are we in a position to give God anything other than worship and obedience?

    We can boldly go before the throne and humbly ask for favor, but claim as if we are walking into a lottery office with the winning number? No.

    Or are all the blessings of God only spiritual?

    I don't think so. Healing is a blessing and it does happen. Answers to prayers. But they are blessings as God sees fit to bestow - with eternity in mind, not capitulations that God supplies on demand.

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