Strange Fire, Day three

Strange Fire, Day three - Friday, 18 OCT 2013

"A pastor is someone who faithfully studies the Bible, preaches it in its context and applies it in its context." - Conrad Mbewe, General Session 8: “Are We Preachers or Are We Witch Doctors?” (18 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire.

See also:

Tim Challies, “Strange Fire Conference: Preachers or Witch Doctors?” (18 OCT 2013), at http://www.challies.com/liveblogging/strange-fire-conference-preachers-or-witch-doctors [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

Mike Riccardi, “Strange Fire – Are We Preachers or Witchdoctors?  – Conrad Mbewe,” (18 OCT 2013), on The Cripplegate at http://thecripplegate.com/strange-fire-are-we-preachers-or-witchdoctors-conrad-mbewe/ [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

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Breakout Session 2:

"The working of signs and wonders was never meant to be part of the ongoing missionary strategy of the church." - Phil Johnson

"True miracles are undeniable. They can’t be dismissed as parlor tricks or sleight-of-hand." - Phil Johnson

Source:  Phil Johnson, Breakout Session 2: “Providence Is Remarkable” (18 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire.

See also:  Mike Riccardi, “Strange Fire – Providence is  Remarkable – Phil Johnson,” (18 OCT 2013), on The Cripplegate at http://thecripplegate.com/strange-fire-providence-is-remarkable-phil-johnson/ [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

"If you want to hear from God, read your Bible. If you want to hear Him audibly, read it out loud." - Justin Peters, Breakout Session 2: “Spiritual Shipwreck of the Word-Faith Movement” (18 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire.

Nathan Busenitz, Breakout Session 2: “Charismatic Counterfeits: Do the Modern Gifts Meet the Biblical Standard?” (18 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire.

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"It should be an absolute in the church that you have a highly defined doctrinal statement." - John MacArthur

"The burden lies with them, to prove their point from Scripture." - John MacArthur

"The real test of good fruit is the underlying core of teaching. If the truth isn’t built into it, it isn’t good fruit." – Phil Johnson

"We are living in the theological parallel to the book of Judges, where everyone does what is right in his own eyes." - Phil Johnson

"When you decide where you’re going to take your family to church you’d better go where there is sound teaching." - Phil Johnson

"Instead of attacking the teacher, attack the teaching." - Todd Friel 

"The majority of these folks are caught up in a very wrong system. Share the gospel with them." - Todd Friel

Source:  Panel Q&A 2: Todd Friel, John MacArthur, Nathan Busenitz, Phil Johnson, and Conrad Mbewe (18 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire.

See also:  Mike Riccardi, “Strange Fire – Panel Q&A 2 – MacArthur, Mbewe, Johnson, & Busenitz” (18 OCT 2013), on The Cripplegate at http://thecripplegate.com/strange-fire-panel-qa-2-macarthur-mbewe-johnson-busenitz/ [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

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"The most loving thing anyone can do is tell the truth." - John MacArthur 

"Truth is by nature divisive. It's far more important to be divided by the truth than united by error." - John MacArthur

"If this issue is unclear, it has only become unclear under the influence of false teachers." - John MacArthur

"The charismatic movement has significantly diminished worship." - John MacArthur

"If reformed leaders who know the Word of God don't police this movement, the spiritual terrorists will dominate." - John MacArthur 

"I do care about offending people, but not nearly as much as I care about offending God." - John MacArthur

"I'm convinced the charismatic movement has opened the door to more theological error than any other modern movement." - John MacArthur

“Charismatic theology has become the strange fire of our generation, and evangelicals have no business flirting with it on any level.” - John MacArthur

"This isn't a pet peeve of mine; it isn't personal. This is a discharge of my pastoral duty." - John MacArthur

“This is a foundational responsibility of the man of God, to be a guardian of this treasure (Scripture).” - John MacArthur

Source:  John MacArthur, General Session 9: “An Appeal to My Continuationist Friends” (18 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire.

See also:

Tim Challies, “Strange Fire Conference: MacArthur's Appeal to His Continuationist Friends” (19 OCT 2013) at http://www.challies.com/liveblogging/strange-fire-conference-macarthurs-appeal-to-his-continuationist-friends [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

Mike Riccardi, “Strange Fire – A Call to Respond – John MacArthur” (18 OCT 2013), on The Cripplegate at http://thecripplegate.com/strange-fire-a-call-to-respond-john-macarthur/ [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

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See also:

Grace to You staff, “Strange Fire Recap: Day One” (17 OCT 2013), on Grace to You at  http://www.gty.org/blog/B131017 [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

Grace to You staff, “Strange Fire Recap: Day Two” (18 OCT 2013), on Grace to You at  http://www.gty.org/blog/B131018 [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

Grace to You staff, “Strange Fire Recap: Day Three” (19 OCT 2013), on Grace to You at   http://www.gty.org/blog/B131019 [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

Tim Challies, “John MacArthur and Strange Fire” (26 SEP 2013) at http://www.challies.com/articles/john-macarthur-and-strange-fire [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

Tim Challies, “Lessons Learned at Strange Fire” (21 OCT 2013) at http://www.challies.com/articles/lessons-learned-at-strange-fire [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

Eric Davis, “As the Smoke Clears: A Few Afterthoughts on the Strange Fire Conference” (22 OCT 2013), on The Cripplegate at http://thecripplegate.com/as-the-smoke-clears-a-few-afterthoughts-on-the-strange-fire-conference/ [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

Strange Fire, Day One

1.  Are you discerning, and have you exercised discernment, especially when it comes to the worship of God?

"The biggest problem in the church today is absence of discernment. . . Exercising discerment is the heart of Christian living because Christian living flows out of Christian thinking." - John MacArthur

"The most serious crimes against God occur in corrupt worship." - John MacArthur

"The charismatic movement offers nothing to true worship because it has made no contribution to biblical clarity, interpretation, or sound doctrine." - John MacArthur

"Sound doctrine is not a haven for false teachers; it's not where greedy deceivers end up." - John MacArthur

"The charismatic movement is successful because it promises what the unregenerate world already wants." - John MacArthur

2.  What does the third of the ten commandments mean?  “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”

"Taking the Lord's name in vain is more than just swearing. It's speaking of Him in an irreverent manner, or assigning to Him things He would never do and things He would never say." - John MacArthur[1]

3.  Did the Spirit of God ever work in Jesus Christ during His humiliation to do anything even remotely similar to what goes on in the modern charismatic movement?

"If you want to see the true work of the Holy Spirit, look at what He did in and through Christ" - John MacArthur

“I will start believing that the truth prevails in the charismatic movement when I see the leaders looking more like Jesus Christ and I see that they really are partakers of the divine nature.” - John MacArthur

Source for quotes:  John MacArthur, General Session 1 (16 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire live streaming at http://www.tmstrangefire.org/ [accessed 16 OCT 2013].

See also:

Tim Challies, “Strange Fire Conference: John MacArthur's Opening Address” (16 OCT 2013) at http://www.challies.com/liveblogging/strange-fire-conference-john-macarthurs-opening-address [accessed 16 OCT 2013].

Mike Riccardi, “Strange Fire – Session One – John MacArthur” (16 OCT 2013), on The Cripplegate at http://thecripplegate.com/strange-fire-session-one-john-macarthur/ [accessed 16 OCT 2013].

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On General Session 2 see Tim Challies, Strange Fire Conference: Joni Eareckson Tada” (16 OCT 2013), at

http://www.challies.com/liveblogging/strange-fire-conference-joni-eareckson-tada [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

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“My concern for charismatic friends is that they have too low a view of Pentecost and its place in redemptive history.” - R. C. Sproul, at Strange Fire via video feed at http://www.tmstrangefire.org/ [accessed 16 OCT 2013].

See also:

Tim Challies, “Strange Fire Conference: R.C. Sproul” (16 OCT 2013) at http://www.challies.com/liveblogging/strange-fire-conference-rc-sproul [accessed 16 OCT 2013].

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“Calvin's critique of these Anabaptist mystics applies to the charismatic movement today.” - Steve Lawson

“You will never have the Holy Spirit doing a work independent of the Word of God!” - Steve Lawson

“Even a dog barks if he sees someone assault his master!” - Steve Lawson quoting John Calvin

“a Calvinist charismatic is an oxymoron like freezer burns, jumbo shrimp…” - Steve Lawson

“There are not two streams of revelation, there is only one.” - Steve Lawson

“One stream of revelation mandates Biblical preaching.  Two streams diminishes Biblical preaching.” - Steve Lawson

“Two streams of revelation severs and separates the Spirit from the Word.  It drives a wedge between them.” - Steve Lawson

“…we must be exclusively committed to the written Word of God.” - Steve Lawson

"The gospel does not need to be revalidated." - Steve Lawson

Source:  Steve Lawson, General Session 3 (16 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire live streaming at http://www.tmstrangefire.org/ [accessed 16 OCT 2013].

See also:

Tim Challies, “Strange Fire Conference: Steve Lawson” (16 OCT 2013) at http://www.challies.com/liveblogging/strange-fire-conference-steve-lawson [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

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“If the Church obeyed John 17:17 we would not have this chaos.” - Conrad Mbewe

“This is not good news.  It is bad news, first of all because of the absence of the exposition of God’s Word.” - Conrad Mbewe

“You cannot have spiritual life when this Book is closed.” - Conrad Mbewe

Where the charismatic movement has gone in sub-Saharan Africa:

1.  The Word of God is closed.

2.  The Gospel is lost.

3.  There is the loss of real worship.

“It doesn’t matter how many times people may repeat glory, glory, glory in the midst of that confusion, it is not the glory of God!” - Conrad Mbewe

“The issue is what ought to be the governing principle.  Let’s go back to basics.  What is Christianity?” - Conrad Mbewe

Source:  Conrad Mbewe, “The African Import of Charismatic Chaos”, General Session 4 (16 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire live streaming at http://www.tmstrangefire.org/ [accessed 16 OCT 2013].

See also:

Tim Challies, “Strange Fire Conference: Conrad Mbewe” (17 OCT 2013) at http://www.challies.com/liveblogging/strange-fire-conference-conrad-mbewe [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

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[1] Question 112: What is required in the third commandment?

Answer: The third commandment requires, That the name of God, his titles, attributes, ordinances, the Word, sacraments, prayer, oaths, vows, lots, his works, and: Whatsoever else there is whereby he makes himself known, be holily and reverently used in thought, meditation, word, and writing; by an holy profession, and answerable conversation, to the glory of God, and the good of ourselves, and others.

Question 113: What are the sins forbidden in the third commandment?

Answer: The sins forbidden in the third commandment are, the not using of God's name as is required; and the abuse of it in an ignorant, vain, irreverent, profane, superstitious, or wicked mentioning, or otherwise using his titles, attributes, ordinances, or works, by blasphemy, perjury; all sinful cursings, oaths, vows, and lots; violating of our oaths and vows, if lawful; and fulfilling them, if of things unlawful; murmuring and quarreling at, curious prying into, and misapplying of God's decrees and providences; misinterpreting, misapplying, or any way perverting the Word, or any part of it, to profane jests, curious or unprofitable questions, vain janglings, or the maintaining of false doctrines; abusing it, the creatures, or anything contained under the name of God, to charms, or sinful lusts and practices; the maligning, scorning, reviling, or anywise opposing of God's truth, grace, and ways; making profession of religion in hypocrisy, or for sinister ends; being ashamed of it, or a shame to it, by unconformable, unwise, unfruitful, and offensive walking, or backsliding from it.

Source: Westminster Larger Catechism, on Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/anonymous/westminster2.i.v.html [accessed 17 OCT 2013].