In a recent interview with Destiny Image, Larry Sparks and Lydia Marrow discussed her newly published book, Death to Counterfeit Christianity. The title of the interview was interesting, as it posed the question, Are the ELECT Being Deceived: The Religion of the End Times. In response to Larry’s question as to what counterfeit Christianity is, Lydia stated that the church needed to focus once again on the Acts church and to return to its foundation. She stated that Paul did not come with enticing words of men’s wisdom but with power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit, and that transformation should be evident in people’s lives because of the gospel. She stated that Christianity had become watered down, producing many false converts.

There were things she stated of which I agree. A born-again believer who is indwelt at the moment of salvation will be transformed by the power of God. There are indeed false converts who believe salvation is theirs in simply walking an aisle or praying a prayer. She had also mentioned about celebrity Christianity in the western culture, and I would also agree that this is a concern in any culture. What was concerning was the focus on “returning to the Acts church again”. There are many times when this is proclaimed in the Charismatic movement and areas that are more hyper charismatic in practice. When this is stated, the focus seems to be on miracles, signs, and wonders being brought to the forefront of ministry. There is a belief that without signs and wonders, there is no power, and verses such as the one referencing Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:2-4 are used a prooftext for such teaching.

As their discussion continued, revival was discussed as the solution to counterfeit Christianity, and Larry posed a question regarding cessationism. He tied it to a chapter in her book about the reputation of God, stating that cessationism was bringing in counterfeit Christianity. Lydia responded by stating that those who believe cessationism are being called to a more Biblical orthodoxy. She also declared cessationism to be an abominable practice and something Paul would consider a doctrine of demons. This extended into the belief of there being no modern-day apostles and prophets today and that those who hold to such beliefs deny the five-fold ministry in its fullness. According to Lydia, this belief (cessationism) is an assault on the reputation of Jesus Christ.

This discussion ignited some thoughts and questions as a former Charismatic and former alleged “prophet”. For one, the argument could be made that the apostles and prophets are still ministering to us today through the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God. The church was established on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). Many of us have heard it said that you only lay a foundation for a building once. We should also recognize that a building cannot be built on an unfinished foundation. It is possible and even Biblical to believe there are no more modern-day apostles and prophets today while believing the five-fold is complete and functional within the church, having pastors, evangelists, and teachers today to further equip the saints for the work of ministry by the Word of God, established by Christ through apostles and prophets.

With regard to a focus on the book of Acts, it would be good to for all of us to consider the historical account of this letter written by Luke and to not simply focus on miracles, signs, and wonders as the standard for the modern-day church. The fact of the matter is that the early church suffered tremendously in the face of persecution for the sake of Christ. To be frank, the Biblical understanding of suffering is a foreign concept within the Charismatic movement. In the face of persecution and impending martyrdom, the early church grew in number.

Let us also not forget that there are accounts of Paul going to minister the gospel without signs and wonders. Rather, as was his custom, he reasoned with them from the Scriptures (Acts 17:2). Let us also not forget those such as Ananias and Sapphira who were struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit. Is this part of getting back to the Acts church today? Is there only a focus on the claims to the miraculous, or is the full counsel of God of utmost priority?

When talking about spiritual gifts espoused in the Charismatic and hyper charismatic movement, it seems fair to question if the gifts being claimed today are the same gifts listed and mentioned in Scripture. Speaking from personal experience, I can attest to being taught about the spiritual gifts in such a way that I now question what I had put into practice. There is a teaching that one can have all the gifts of the Spirit and that they can be activated. The teaching of fallible prophecy in the gift of prophecy and even in modern-day prophets does not align with Scripture. Scriptures having nothing to do with tongues were ascribed in support of a private prayer language, and verses describing Biblical tongues were used to support a private prayer language. There are valid questions surrounding the claims today, and when the teachings and the claims do not correlate with the gifts described in Scripture, then that is something to note and to test in accordance with Scripture.

To call into question what is being done today in the hyper charismatic movement is not unbiblical. Nor does it mean that we are disobeying Scripture by not subscribing to gifts being described and practiced which do not match the spiritual gifts found in Scripture. I would also make the case that if there is a hyper focus on the gifts as the main feature of the Holy Spirit’s function, then there is a severe deficit in understanding His active role in the life of a Christian.

The view on spiritual gifts and their continuation or cessation is a secondary issue among brothers and sisters in Christ. When engaging this topic with one another, humility, patience, love, and grace are to be demonstrated among fellow believers while always going back to Scripture as the final authority for our understanding and beliefs. Romans 1:16,17 assures us that true power lies in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is upon this truth that we stand as a firm foundation of our faith.

Listen to this episode regarding this very interview and the topic of counterfeit Christianity: The Lovesick Scribe Podcast: Is This Counterfeit Christianity? on Apple Podcasts