I cannot even begin to list all the reasons why I feel this article by Michael S. Horton is of vital importance, you will find the link at the bottom of this entry. Within 5 years of my conversion I have heard the following statements from professing evangelicals, particuraly my Assemblies of God brethren such as: “All I need is my Bible, I don’t want mans’ opinion/interpretation, Theology divides the church.” I’ve often responded, “Whether or not you realize it, you HAVE A THEOLOGY!” The fallacy behind a majority of these statements is that their own pastors have interpreted the Bible as they see it and offer their own opinion. Worse than that a majority of such sermons go far beyond pastoral opinion when they neglect Expository Preaching in exchange for thematic preaching, so called Bible studies that center around, “What does this verse mean to you?” Well frankly I don’t care what the Scripture means to you. Scripture has one and ONLY ONE interpretation. Having said that it has multiple APPLICATIONS, but only one INTERPRETATION. Where this is neglected pandora’s box is opened up to ignoring the rules of Hermeneutics, Solid Biblical exegesis, and a high and lofty view of interpreting Scripture with Scripture.
The church members/visitors and their pastors have focused on thematic preaching coupled with jokes, antecdotes, quips and platitudes. One not only drive by church signs and read the trash on them rather than a Bible Verse or a solid quote from those fine Biblical Expositors, and Reformers who have gone before us. As a former pentecostal for 17 years, that was half of my life I know that as a rule particulary in Assembly of God churches formal theological training, education, and academia is frowned upon under the guise of “being led by the spirit, or The Holy Spirit told me this.” Not to mention experience has became as a rule the basis for truth, rather than Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura) the basis for experience. Sadly they mistake the so called gifts of the Spirit in this area. This is not to deny that they exist; however, 95% of so called gifts of the Spirit are counterfiet. This was confirmed to me by 3 Assemblies of God pastors, two of them were Ohio presbyters. Nevertheless this warning hasn’t been heeded by many. It also assumes under false pretenses that theologians and the reformers were not spirit led or filled with the spirit. I find this to be not only severely disturbing personally, but rather a cause for willful ignorance. If there is one thing I learned in Assembly of God churches and I have attended (2 memberships, 1 of which I was a youth pastor, assistant to my pastor, deacon and a board member) is that in most cases formal theological training, education and academia is generally frowned upon. This isn’t true everywhere, but is the majority. I hope to see this trend reversed dramatically. When it has occured, again it has always been under the guise of “the Spirit showed me, or I was led directly by the Spirit.” Recently I asked a gentlemen who attended an Assemblies of God church how he arrived at his interpretation and on what was his basis, and as stated earlier he responded,”I don’t need a basis, I’m spirit led, The Holy Sprit told me.” This is stupidity personified. Unfortunately this trend haunts me deep in my heart and the banner being flown by Pentecostals is truth is based on experience. Conversely it OUGHT to be experience is based on Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura), not by feelings, hairs on the back of our neck raised, goosebumps or what the televangelists preach (which those trends and heresies change every 3-6 months) If it is not some ADVERTISED revival meeting (as if we can have a Sovereign God to meet with our schedule to start a revival). This is where Finney was dead wrong. We operate under the assumption that we can cause a revival by a multitude of choruses and lilting songs sang 3-6 times consequtively, and shouting (as if this is the only element in praise) and bringing in some cheap-jack evangelist from out of town running the circuit. Believe me, I witnessed this for 17 years. I would humbly ask that Pentecostals would consider that Paul requested the writings and the scrolls. He was spirit led, while at the same time was an expert in the Septuagint, sat at the feet of Gamaliel, was acutely aware of the philosophy of the day, and knew what the rabbinics were teaching. Do we think we can do it another way and acting like ostriches? Rather than fearing academia, and Formal Bible Training we ought to embrace it so long as it is wholeheartedly Scriptural. We need to know the philosophies of our day as well as the heresies that abound so we might fight it, and earnestly contend for the faith as Jude warned us in his Epistle.
I would humbly ask for you to read this article and take it to heart, I welcome your feedback.
Respectfully, Tom Michnay
Here is the link for you to read which is http://www.wscal.edu/faculty/wscwritings/08.05.php
You might provoke a more useful discussion if you toned down your rhetoric to eliminate things like “stupidity personified” and the like.
Really Dale? You think? LOL…..Tom, if someone tells you that the Spirit led them to this interpretation of scripture, remind them that the Mormons claim the same thing all the time on the Book of Mormon. So which group is correct, Pentecostals or Mormons? This is classic John W. Montgomery thinking. I Just listened to a sermon out of 2 Kings where a speaker said that digging trenches in a valley (which was far from the warriors’ homeland) is equal to emptying yourself so God can fill you. My response, “Great message, bum text.”
Great Response Bryan. Thanks for reading. I'll have to adopt the "Great Message, Burn Text," mentality. Once again the Presbyterian Form of Church government has seemed to be favorable vis a vis church displine and excommunication when needed. And then of course heresy trials whenever needed.