Dan Phillips Dismantles Charismatic Arguments

Posted by Christine Pack and Cathy Mathews

A brilliant post by Pastor Dan Phillips (author of The World Tilting Gospel and blogger at Pyromaniacs and Biblical Christianity) very neatly dismantles many of the Charismatic arguments I've heard. From the article, entitled Charismatic Lexicon - Part One:

Biblically-oriented Christian (BibC): Culmination of millennia of revelation in a completed, wholly sufficient and closed Canon.
Leaky Canon Charismatic equivalent (LC²): Whatever.

BibC: Feeling.
LC²: The Holy Spirit.

BibC: Hunch.
LC²: The Holy Spirit.

BibC: Silly passing thought.
LC²: The Holy Spirit.

BibC: Impulse, best to be rejected after a bit of wise and critical reflection.
LC²: The Holy Spirit.

BibC: Testing by Scripture and rational examination.
LC²: Unbelief.

BibC: Walking in gracious, faith-driven obedience, which definitionally and consciously rests on the written Word alone.
LC²: Deism.

BibC: Living impulsively and irresponsibly, eschewing Biblical analysis and responsible decision-making, and blaming the whole mess on God.
LC²: Moving in the Spirit.

BibC: Undocumented anecdote allegedly done in a corner thousands of miles away and transmitted through the world's longest game of "telephone."
LC²: Proof that "the gifts" continue.

LC²: A divine healing that undeniably proves all charismatic claims.
BibC: Answered prayer, God healing — which all Christians have always confirmed and distinguished from the gift of healing.

And getting into the spirit of the thing, we came up with our own additions to this list:

BibC: Opens Bible, reads it. Knows God is speaking to him through His Word.
LC²: Putting God in a box. 

LC²: Closes Bibles, waits to hear still, small voice of God.
BibC: Vain imaginations.

You can read Dan Phillips' post in full here.


 Additional Resources 

The World Tilting Gospel

God's Wisdom in Proverbs

Charismatic Chaos (book by John MacArthur)

Charismatic Chaos (sermon series)

Copperfield Bible Church (pastored by Dan Phillips)

Just Do Something: How to Make a Decision Without Dreams, Visions, Fleeces, Open Doors, Random Bible Verses, Casting Lots, Liver Shivers, Writing in the Sky, etc.  - by Kevin DeYoung

Biblical Silence vs. Mystical Silence

Secular Interview About What Mysticism Is - BBC Radio Program

What Is Mysticism? (Sola Sisters Article)

What Is Mysticism? (3-Part Series by Dr. Gary Gilley) - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5

Testimony of a Former Mystic