The Highway Forums General Discussion ExCharisma Subjective Salvation

I didn't know what I should call this thread so I picked 'Subjective Salvation'. Hopefully it does justice to what I have to say. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/coffee2.gif" alt="" />

Last night at work I was talking to a co-worker and what he said to me, I believe is an excellent example of one of the dangers of Charismania.
He said that there are many Catholics that are Christian, because they are Spirit filled. What he meant by "Spirit Filled" for those who don't know, is that they have been given the evidence of speaking in tongues that they are filled with the Holy Spirit.
This person believes that because of this, they must be Christians.
I don't need to tell you what I think of that reasoning. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/puke.gif" alt="" />

Tom

Many Mormons speak in tongues too. And there are voodoo practitioners who do too. Proof that they are Christians? Hardly.

I have no doubt that God has some of His own among Roman Catholics, but if they have indeed already been converted to Christ, then they no longer hold to Roman Catholic doctrine. Rome effectively anathematized the Protestant gospel with the decree from the Council of Trent, which remains Roman Catholic doctrine to this day.

Charismatics have no monopoly on judging people to be Christian who aren't - and vice versa - based entirely on "signs" or superstitions or some other unBiblical basis.

We are to judge both fruit regarding the body of Christ, and doctrine according to God's word properly interpreted. When we make judgements using any other yardstick, we tread dangerously and unlovingly upon other Christians and/or we welcome wolves into the sheepfold.

-Robin

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/BigThumbUp.gif" alt="" />

If it were true that Speaking in Tongues were a sign of salvation, then it would be a very Objective example of salvation. The problem of course is that Speaking in Tongues is not a sign of salvation. If it were, it would be a very objective sign.

I am sure there are Charismatics that believe that tongues are a sign of salvation, but most that I am acquainted don't believe it is. They would say that tongues are the second blessing associated with the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
In other words they believe that it is the power to live a Christian life in areas like witnessing.
While I was a Pentecostal years ago, my old pastor used an illustration. He said Billy Graham is probably the most well known Christian evangelist on earth. Can you imagine what it would be like if he was baptized in the Holy Spirit?

At the time, since I was Pentecostal, his illustration was very effective, but now I see just how flawed it really is.

Tom