Comments on: John MacArthur’s Strange Fire, reviewed by Craig S. Keener

By: John Lujan

John Lujan — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 20:23:27 +0000

Another thing the Conference pointed out at the beginning is that they realized that there were more than 20,000 distinct charismatic/Pent. denominations with differing nuances, and addressing all the nuances would be impossible, so they looked at the commonalities.

By: John Lujan

John Lujan — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 20:23:23 +0000

I greatly appreciate the Strange Fire conference because it gave me a much clearer understanding of what Cessationism says with regards to the “sign gifts” and what it doesn’t say. Based on my understanding of Pentecostal theology about the sign gifts (gleaned from my reading of The Foundations of Pentecostal Theology many moons ago) as well as how I’ve seen it being practiced in my former Pentecostal churches, I find myself very sympathetic to what JMac says in Strange Fire. Apparently, I sympathize so much that he calls someone like me a “closet cessationist”. As long as cessationism doesn’t preclude God’s restoring the sign gifts, albeit for a different purpose, anytime He wants, then I don’t mind the label so much. Regarding JMac’s painting with the broad brush, he deliberately does this, he writes, because though classic Pentecostalism is not WoF and is in fact orthodox in most other respects, still it was the former’s alleged tendency of using individual experience to interpret Scripture in the area of tongues that opened the door (and kept it open) for progressively worse and blatant heresies in the future. JMac also says that what one might call the fringe like the Benny Hinns, Creflo $$ bills, Rodney Howard Brownes, and Kenneth/Gloria Copelands, are actually the majority of the movement and the face of Christianity in Africa and Asia. IOW the decent charismatic and Pentecostal churches (AoG, Victory Chapel, Calvary Chapel, James MacDonald’s church) are the minority whose influence is very small within the movement. If all the foregoing is true, then I can see why any believer ought to be very concerned. This was the justification JMac gave for “sounding the alarm”.

By: Lorenzo Jiménez

Lorenzo Jiménez — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 00:08:25 +0000

So MacArthur plays “safe” to avoid lawsuits?

By: Pneuma Review

Pneuma Review — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 20:29:20 +0000

Please let us interact with each other respectfully, trying to win over those that disagree with kindness and reason.

By: Vicky Park Giles

Vicky Park Giles — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 10:44:32 +0000

Philip Giles from New Zealand. Flooring retail

It never cesses to amaze me how the simple and undiscerning believe every word!! I read this article and wondered how a man can honestly accept the gross abuses and travesties perpetrated in the name of Jesus, {which is what the false fire seminar and book seeks to expose},
only to accuse the man warning against such atrocities as being alarmist
and uncharitable.

By all means have a different theological position, but can we not agree that such a prophetic voice confronting these leaders of prosperity, who fleece and flog and feed hypocrisy and heresy need to be censored and stopped. Its well overdue for such a blast don’t you think?

Where ignorance is bliss it is folly to be wise, unless such ignorance is
not bliss but blasphemous concerning the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Well is he being blasphemed or not?? Forget labelling certain factions of theological groups, and face the reality that while we may not like parts of MacArthur’s theology, its really not about him or us who truly love Christ and hate to see his precious Spirit dishonoured in this fashion, but it is the realisation that we are living in that period of time that Paul the Apostle prophesied when he said,

1 TIMOTHY 4:1-2 “The Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to doctrines of devils and seducing spirits, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron….”
I close by saying with a plea of love in my heart, that we embrace all those in the blessed body of Christ who encourage and inspire us in the gift of spiritual discernment, lest we are led astray by the error of the wicked. We must identify the real problem and its not charismatics or protestant reformed, but anyone who will elevate experience or tradition or immoral behaviour above the authority of scripture, calling evil good and putting darkness for light.

By: Pneuma Review

Pneuma Review — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 10:44:31 +0000

Invitation to readers: develop a TL;DR summary of this review.

By: Brian Leffert

Brian Leffert — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 10:44:31 +0000

I believe that if we do not accurately understand all of particular functions that the offices of apostle and New Testament prophet fulfill in their part of building up the body of Christ, we will then be vulnerable to misjudging whether or not there is a continuing need for someone to fulfill these functions today.

In other words if I misunderstand all that an officer is responsible for I will also be prone to misunderstand when these responsibilities have been fulfilled.

By: Joseph F. Gambino

Joseph F. Gambino — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 10:44:31 +0000

Thank you Brother Craig.

By: Pneuma Review

Pneuma Review — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 10:44:31 +0000

To read a review of Craig S. Keener’s *Gift and Giver* by Wolfgang Vondey, go to http://pneumareview.com/gift-giver-the-holy-spirit-for-today

By: Pneuma Review

Pneuma Review — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 10:44:30 +0000

On Dr. Michael L. Brown’s timeline, AJ wrote: “I appreciated Keener’s balanced and biblical approach. He is not dogmatic either, yet gracious in his differences. Good stuff!”