WHY I AM NO LONGER A PENTECOSTAL William Davis There were no miracles, no to attend. While attending the Arlington Church of at the age of twenty,I power, no gifts, no healings, believed I was being “called” into the nothing but the theatrical ministry and so I started preaching. The following year I was married. In time, my antics and delusions of men. wife and I eventually ended up in the What was claimed for the Assemblies of God where I was a licensed preacher for 27 years. great power of God was There are those who might speculate as nothing more than musical to what caused me to change my mind about being a Pentecostal. Did someone talk me hype and psychologically out of it? Did I read someone’s book? What induced emotionalism. happened? I would say it has been a journey. Even though I was exposed to and had would like to begin by giving some learned many incorrect methods and views of background information concerning my Bible interpretation (hermeneutics), I did Iroots in . I believe it is know, believe and understand that the Bible important for anyone reading this to was/is the word of God and we needed to understand that I am not someone new to read it and follow it. For some time, I had the Pentecostal or Charismatic movement. recognized certain problems and incon- My roots go down deep into Pentecostalism. sistencies within the Pentecostal church. I was a third generation Pentecostal. My These were difficult to overcome at first. But maternal grandparents were “old time” as time went by, I would discover bits and Pentecostals and my grandfather was a pieces of truth. The problem was, I still Pentecostal preacher of the old style. As a couldn’t put it all together. I couldn’t get the matter of fact, I was a Pentecostal before full picture. there was anyone known as a “charismatic.” During my 50 plus years as a Pente- Actually, in the old days most people costal, I had been involved in countless did not call themselves Pentecostals, they Pentecostal and charismatic influences. It called themselves Holiness or Full Gospel. I would be safe to say that I have been in never remember my Dad calling himself a hundreds of various meetings or gatherings Pentecostal. He always said he was Holiness. in one form or another. I attended several This is one reason Pentecostals in the old meetings involving the “Prophetic Move- days were branded as “holy rollers.” The ment.” In one conference we were taught point I am trying to make is that I am no how to prophesy to people. They call it being stranger to Pentecostalism, its doctrines, its “activated.” My wife and I made two trips to worship and its experiences. Neither am I a Toronto for “Catch The Fire” conferences. stranger to charismatic doctrines, worship This is where the famed “” and experiences. took place. I was in Pentecostalism over 50 years of We spent five months attending the my life. As a boy I can remember the old “Brownsville Revival.” When I say five camp-meeting days when we worshiped months, I mean we didn’t miss a service under a tin roof and sawdust on a dirt floor. unless we were having a service at our My family’s roots were originally in the church. We were there night after night, Congregational Holiness denomination — a often times not leaving until midnight or group that splintered off from the Pente- later. During that period I also served on the costal Holiness. I grew up in Jacksonville, Brownsville prayer team. A short time after Florida, a fairly large city, where you could this five month period at Brownsville, we too always find a variety of Pentecostal churches started holding similar services at our

“Why I Am No Longer A Pentecostal” by William Davis Page 1 This appeared in the June, July & August 2013 issues of “Seek The Old Paths.” www.seektheoldpaths.com church. These meetings lasted for a whole Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man year. Various charismatic speakers came be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot and held meetings, praying and prophesying enter into the kingdom of God.” The phrase, over people night after night, week in and “born of water” stood out to me. In the past week out. We initially started these meetings I had always read over these words, with a woman who claimed to have a gift of mentally dismissing them on the basis of healing as well as being a preacher, teacher what I had heard or been taught. The and prophetess. I found out later that she teaching usually went something like, “the actually believed herself to be an apostle. word ‘water’ here doesn’t actually mean Our services with her lasted around three water.” For some reason ‘water’ always months. A variety of speakers came in, each meant something other than the obvious. claiming to have their own unique “gift” or That evening I finally decided to accept what “calling.” When we did not have any special I read in the Bible like it was written. I speakers, my wife and I conducted the accepted the simple fact that Jesus said meetings ourselves. During this time a lot of what He meant and meant what He said. I people were prayed for, prophesied over, realized there was nothing in the context claimed to see visions and angels, laid in the that suggested the word water was anything floor, spoke in “tongues”, shook, vibrated, but water. There was no reason to believe laughed, cried, wailed, made animal sounds Jesus meant anything other than what He and of course claimed to be healed. However, said. It was also obvious that to be born of after a year of this our church was no better water referred to water baptism. I found this off than before. After all the claims of could be confirmed by other New Testament healings, and miracles, no one references such as Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, was any different. After the scores of people Acts 22:16, Galatians 3:27, Romans 6:3-6,17- who attended and our building being packed 18 and 1 Peter 3:21. From that point on I night after night, our attendance was less knew I had to find a people who taught the and our finances depleted. By this time, my Bible just like it is written without any wife and I felt depleted ourselves. We had manmade religious additions. put our hearts and souls into these efforts A person has to be a realist when it because we believed it to be God-approved; comes to the Bible. As long as people and who doesn’t want to experience the same continue to make excuses for the flaws and power and miracles we read about in the inaccuracies of their respective denomin- New Testament? I can’t tell you how many ation, they will never come to the knowledge hours we spent in prayer or the number of of the truth. We have to be honest as meals we fasted, all because we wanted students of Scripture. If not, the religious nothing more than God. But after all of this, discrepancies we see will vanish in the haze it wasn’t God that we saw, it was man. From of feeble excuses and unsound explanations Toronto, to Brownsville, to Cottage Hill, and by false teachers. many more places I could name, there were Sometime later, after coming to the no miracles, no power, no gifts, no healings, Lord’s church, I discovered a saying that had nothing but the theatrical antics and been coined generations ago: “The Bible only, delusions of men. What was claimed for the makes Christians only.” There’s one thing for great power of God was nothing more than certain, if you follow exactly what the New musical hype and psychologically induced Testament says without the input of any emotionalism. outside religious source, you will end up In time, as I reflected over the past two being simply a Christian — nothing more years and then over all of the years I had and nothing less. You cannot strictly follow been in Pentecostalism, I slowly began to the teaching of the New Testament and end realize I was in error. I began to see how up being in a denomination because they all deceived I was. Then one night something are creations of men. You can only end up a happened that caused me to completely Christian. change course. I kept a Bible by my bedside Please understand that what I have to and would usually read a few verses before say is not meant as an attack on people. going to sleep. As I was reading, I came to There are many sincere, misguided souls in John 3:5 where it says, “Jesus answered, the Pentecostal and charismatic ranks. I

“Why I Am No Longer A Pentecostal” by William Davis Page 2 This appeared in the June, July & August 2013 issues of “Seek The Old Paths.” www.seektheoldpaths.com know because I was one of them. However, I The word “language” in verse 6 and the will attack the lies and heresies of men. word “tongue” in verse 8 is the Greek word False doctrine(s) should always be exposed. dialektos which means a discourse, that is, a We must be willing to earnestly contend for dialect; a language or tongue. We can see the faith that was once for all delivered to from the Greek as well as the context that the saints (Jude 3). these were known, human, languages. I must say in all fairness that now-a- PENTECOSTALISM TEACHES days due to education, many Pentecostals FALSE DOCTRINE have accepted the fact that “tongues” in Acts chapter two means a known or under- Through the years I saw how Scripture standable language. However, every other was often misunderstood, taken out of place in the New Testament where tongues context and misapplied. As a Pentecostal, I is mentioned they still hold to the idea that noticed how we would greatly emphasize it is a non-understandable language, some- some passages and completely ignore other thing mysterious. How Pentecostals or passages. Some verses seemed to hold great charismatics arrive at this conclusion is authority while others were insignificant. based on a misunderstanding of 1 Corinth- ians 14. They misunderstand Paul’s meaning PENTECOSTALISM TEACHES of “unknown tongue.” They believe the FALSE DOCTRINE CONCERNING meaning of “unknown tongue” is something THE GIFT OF TONGUES different from the tongues spoken in Acts chapter two. They believe it to be something Pentecostals fail to accept that New mysterious and non-understandable. They Testament tongue speaking was an under- fail to recognize that the word “unknown” is standable language. Acts 2 describes what not in the Greek text and the word “tongue” happened on the day of Pentecost. “And they is the same Greek word as in Acts chapter were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and two. began to speak with other tongues, as the It must be remembered that the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). miraculous gift of speaking in tongues was There is nothing in Acts 2 that would that a man could speak in a language he had indicate they spoke an unintelligible never studied or learned. Nonetheless, it was language or gibberish. The word “tongues” in still an intelligible language because those in this passage is glossa ... the tongue; by the audience who spoke that language could implication a language. The word “utterance” readily understand what he said. What is means to enunciate plainly, that is, declare: amazing to me is the fact that Pentecostal say, speak forth. and charismatic missionaries, without The continuing context reveals that exception, all either attend language school understandable languages were being or work through an interpreter when going spoken. Acts 2:6-11, “Now when this was to a foreign country while all the time noised abroad, the multitude came together, claiming to have the New Testament gift of and were confounded, because that every tongues! man heard them speak in his own language. When we sum it up, it is easily 7And they were all amazed and marvelled, concluded that Pentecostalism makes three saying one to another, Behold, are not all mistakes concerning speaking in tongues: these which speak Galilaeans? 8And how 1) Pentecostalism ignores the law of hear we every man in our own tongue, “first mention.” This simply means that once wherein we were born? 9Parthians, and something is initially established to be a Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in certain thing or way, there is no reason to Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappa- believe it changes and becomes something docia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10Phrygia, and different unless the context reveals it to be Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of different. Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, 2) Pentecostalism fails to understand Jews and proselytes, 11Cretes and Arabians, the meaning of “unknown tongue” in 1 Cor- we do hear them speak in our tongues the inthians 14. It forces an interpretation on wonderful works of God.” the text that is inconsistent with Acts

“Why I Am No Longer A Pentecostal” by William Davis Page 3 This appeared in the June, July & August 2013 issues of “Seek The Old Paths.” www.seektheoldpaths.com chapter two and the entire New Testament. that the more people there were speaking in The word “tongue” in 1 Corinthians 14 is the tongues at the same time, the more spiritual same Greek word (glossa) as in Acts 2:4. your church was — the greater the moving of 3) Pentecostalism fails to understand the Spirit. But this concept is never taught the context of 1 Corinthians 14. Paul is not in the New Testament. Notice what Paul praising the Corinthians for their use of says; “For God is not the author of confusion, tongues, he is correcting their use of tongues. but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” He is basically saying, “You’ve got it all (1 Cor. 14:33). And then in 1 Cor. 14:40, “Let wrong. Tongues are not for personal use or all things be done decently and in order.” personal satisfaction.” When no one was present to interpret for others to understand, The Holy Spirit did not come they were to remain silent (1 Cor. 14:27-28). to give an emotional PENTECOSTALISM IGNORES THE experience. He did not come to PRINCIPLE OF “ORDER” IN A WORSHIP SERVICE excite, stimulate or cause anyone to flail, thrash or Growing up in the Pentecostal Church, I saw that chaos and confusion were eagerly whirl about uncontrollably. encouraged in worship. This disorder was not only encouraged, but was the gauge by PENTECOSTALISM PLACES A PRIMARY which a worship service was judged. Every- IMPORTANCE ON EXPERIENCE one was encouraged to speak in tongues — all at the same time! This was and is The Bible has a secondary place with considered to be a spiritual apex in a Pentecostals as compared to experience. This worship service; a sign of spirituality. does not mean they do not claim to love and However, 1 Corinthians 12 clarifies the honor the Word of God. They do. However, fact that not everyone would have the gift of they constantly show by their actions that tongues. When Paul begins to enumerate the experience is far more important than what gifts, he starts by saying, “to one is given...” Scripture says. (v.8) in order to indicate that not everyone Pentecostalism is all about feeling good. would have that respective gift. Nor would Charismatics speak about celebrating where everyone in the church have a spiritual gift worship is concerned. They all want an at all. Paul went on to make this clear in the emotional high when they come together for closing verses of chapter 12 where he asked worship. They believe these positive rhetorical questions. “Have all the gifts of emotions are an indicator of the presence of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all God and that presence takes priority over interpret” (1 Cor. 12:30)? The obvious answer what is written. to these questions is in the negative. Listen to one of the leaders in the Every Christian during New Testament Assemblies of God. George O. Wood writes: times did not have the gift of tongues. “As Pentecostals, we intuitively approach the However, when tongues/languages were biblical text in a manner different from most spoken, there was to be a proper order to of our evangelical brothers and yes, sisters. their functioning. “If any man speak in an We factor in the element of experience as a unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the lens through which we look at Scripture.” most by three, and that by course; and let one (enrichmentjournal.ag.org/200102/008_expl interpret. 28But if there be no interpreter, let oring.cfm) him keep silence in the church; and let him The problem with this is that it leads to speak to himself, and to God” (1 Cor. 14:27- subjectivism. When experience is your 28). They were to take turns when they highest priority, truth becomes subjective, spoke, with no more than two or three taking Scripture is ignored. their turn. There must also be someone to Steve Hill of the Brownsville Revival interpret so everyone in the audience could said: “In these latter days preaching and understand what was spoken. simply teaching the word is no longer The idea in Pentecostal worship was sufficient, the Spirit has to get involved,

“Why I Am No Longer A Pentecostal” by William Davis Page 4 This appeared in the June, July & August 2013 issues of “Seek The Old Paths.” www.seektheoldpaths.com through signs and wonders due to much sin speaking in languages they obviously had that abounds.” (Brownsville, 12/14/96) never learned. Acts 2:13 says, “others John Wimber of the Vineyard move- mocking said, These men are full of new ment stated: “There’s nothing in Scripture wine.” From this simple statement an entire that supports these kinds of phenomena that theological philosophy has been constructed. I can see, and I can’t think of anything They use this statement in order to throughout the church age that would. ... So encourage all types of strange and bizarre I feel no obligation to try to explain it. It’s behavior during worship, even to the point of just phenomena. It’s just people responding people making animal sounds while they go to God.” (Holy Laughter, Albert James into a trance-like state. Statements are often Dager, 1996). It’s interesting that Wimber made like, “we’re drunk in the Spirit.” Or, openly admits that the charismatic phe- “this is the new wine.” Rodney Howard- nomena that was taking place (such as in Browne often encourages flippant, foolish Toronto) had no Biblical authority or and silly behavior by saying “this is Joel’s historical precedent. Bar...belly up to the bar!” During the Toronto and Brownsville Notice what the apostle Peter says as revivals, it was not uncommon to hear many he sets the record straight. “For these are of the leaders and teachers make the not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but declaration, “God will offend your mind in the third hour of the day” (Acts 2:15). Peter order to reveal your heart.” Since they could emphatically denies their mockery. But not justify what was taking place in those Pentecostals have been led to believe the meetings by the Scripture, they felt this opposite. They believe the apostles were statement gave the phenomena approval. So drunk, inebriated, intoxicated — falling even though they deny it, Pentecostals down drunk. Sadly, they teach this is what openly disregard the scriptures and appeal the Holy Spirit does to people. Had the to feelings or experience as their ultimate apostles been drunk, Peter would have source of truth. It becomes evident that admitted it. He would have pointed out that going by emotionalism leads people into the apostles were made drunk by the Spirit fanaticism. and not by wine. Pentecostals wrongly believe that their We can no more take what outsiders precedent for emotionalism was established (enemies of the church) said on the Day on the day of Pentecost. They believe the Pentecost as fact than we can take what the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost enemies of Christ said about Him (cf. Luke was more about an emotional experience 7:33-34). If we did so, we would have to than anything else. They stumble over the believe that Jesus was a glutton and a simplistic truth that the apostles spoke drunk. Proper hermeneutics is key to foreign languages by the operation of the understanding the Bible. Holy Spirit in order to communicate the wonderful truth of God (Acts 2:11). The PENTECOSTALISM TEACHES context of Acts chapter two never reveals FALSE DOCTRINE CONCERNING THE that the Holy Spirit came as an emotional ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH experience as we see Pentecostals encourag- ing today. Emotionalism was not the purpose Pentecostal and charismatic churches of the Spirit’s coming. There is nothing believe in women pastors and teachers over bizarre taking place in Acts two or any other whole congregations. They believe Joel’s place in the New Testament. The Holy Spirit prophecy quoted by Peter in Acts two gives did not come to excite anyone. He did not them the license they need. Acts 2:16-18, come to stimulate anyone. He did not come “But this is that which was spoken by the to cause anyone to flail, thrash or whirl prophet Joel; 17And it shall come to pass in about uncontrollably. The Spirit came the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my sovereignly, filled the apostles and they Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your spoke in languages they had not learned. daughters shall prophesy, and your young You may ask, then where do Pente- men shall see visions, and your old men shall costals get this idea from? They go by what dream dreams: 18And on my servants and on was said by some who observed the apostles my handmaidens I will pour out in those

“Why I Am No Longer A Pentecostal” by William Davis Page 5 This appeared in the June, July & August 2013 issues of “Seek The Old Paths.” www.seektheoldpaths.com days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.” PENTECOSTALISM TEACHES FALSE They believe that when the text says DOCTRINE CONCERNING “daughters” and “handmaidens” would prophesy, that it justifies women as pastors, They teach an incomplete plan of as elders, etc. This, of course, is a gross Salvation. It is some combination of “just misunderstanding of the text. believe” or “repent and believe” or “pray the The significance of the pouring forth of sinner’s prayer and ask Jesus to come into God’s Spirit upon all flesh is that the Gospel your heart.” was to go to all mankind just as Jesus said in However, in the old days, Pentecostals the great commission (Mark 16:15-16). did not believe in the sinner’s prayer. The old Prophecy (inspired teaching) was one of the Pentecostals came out of the early holiness spiritual gifts during the first century (cf. 1 movement, so they believed in the mourners’ Cor. 12:8-10); but, once its purpose was bench. They believed you were to come down served (the inspired, complete, perfect, to the altar and “pray through” to salvation. written word delivered), it was/is no longer Basically, you “prayed through” for every- in operation — it ceased (cf. 1 Cor. 13:8-10). thing; salvation, sanctification, the baptism However, even during New Testament times in the Holy Spirit, etc. A person “prayed when spiritual gifts were exercised, women through” until they felt like God had saved never assumed the position of preacher or them. But due to the influx of various teacher over a congregation. There is nothing denominations through the Charismatic in Joel’s prophecy that indicates a woman movement, Pentecostals have now adopted can serve as an elder or be put in charge over the more common or popular style. a congregation. There is nothing any place in The Assemblies of God Web site states the New Testament that suggests women concerning salvation: “WE BELIEVE...Every can serve in the eldership or leadership of Person Can Have Restored Fellowship with the church. Actually, the opposite is true. God Through ‘Salvation’ (trusting Christ, Paul writing to Timothy said, “Let the through faith and repentance, to be our woman learn in silence with all subjection. personal Savior).” [1 of 4 cardinal doctrines But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to of the Assemblies of God] usurp authority over the man, but to be in The International Pentecostal Holiness silence” (1 Tim. 2:11-12). Church in their doctrinal statement says: When we were in Panama City, a “We believe, teach and firmly maintain the preacher friend of mine called one day and scriptural doctrine of justification by faith asked me about this verse in Timothy. He alone (Romans 5:1).” wanted to know what I thought it meant. I How is it that both of these denom- paused for a moment and said, “It probably inations claim the personal indwelling of the means what it says.” He wasn’t too pleased Holy Spirit and His guidance and yet they with that answer because his wife taught the don’t agree with each other? And, how is it adult Bible class at his church. As a matter that the Holy Spirit inspired James to say of fact, he completely rejected that meaning “Ye see then how that by works a man is of the passage because it wasn’t what he justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24)? wanted it to mean. But the Scripture is clear Yet, the Pentecostal Holiness claim a person on this subject. Notice what Paul said in 1 is justified by faith alone? Obviously, both Cor. 14:34, “Let your women keep silence in cannot be inspired by the Holy Spirit. They the churches: for it is not permitted unto can’t both be right. The Holy Spirit didn’t them to speak; but they are commanded to be inspire James to say one thing and the under obedience, as also saith the law.” Assemblies of God and the Pentecostal Holi- Some Pentecostals contend that Paul ness something else! They treat the Holy was dealing with a cultural issue that has no Spirit as though He has Alzheimer’s! bearing on today’s society when he gave this Denominational churches make a prohibition. Of course, to make such an mockery of God in their doctrinal state- assumption is to play fast and loose with the ments. integrity of the text. Actually, postmodern- ists use this ploy on any biblical text they desire to change.

“Why I Am No Longer A Pentecostal” by William Davis Page 6 This appeared in the June, July & August 2013 issues of “Seek The Old Paths.” www.seektheoldpaths.com If divine healing is such a days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great privilege and readily famine was throughout all the land; But unto available to Pentecostals, then none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that why isn’t it happening among was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel them? Why do they run to the in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the doctor at the first sign of a Syrian.” Jim Sheerer states of these sickness? Why are so many on passages; “Jesus uses two stories to show that God has always been selective with his prescription drugs? Why do miracles. The miracles were not to amuse they have surgery and other people, but were to confirm God’s prophets costly medical treatments just and further God’s plan of salvation.” (Sheerer Commentary on the New Testa- like everyone else? ment) A careful study of the Scriptures reveal PENTECOSTALISM TEACHES that miraculous gifts were given to serve the FALSE DOCTRINE CONCERNING purpose of confirming God’s Word. Even in DIVINE, MIRACLE HEALING the days of Moses, the miracles that were performed confirmed what the prophet said They are confused over the purpose of as well as God’s purpose for the Israelite miracles. The purpose of miracles was not to nation. In the days of Christ, miracles make our lives better or free from care. In confirmed His ministry and Messiahship. this world, a Christian lives a normal life Jesus challenged the unbelieving Jews to just like anyone else. When people are examine His miracles when He said, “But I taught they can have a miracle and it doesn’t have greater witness than that of John: for happen, they often become angry and bitter the works which the Father hath given me to against God. Flamboyant preachers con- finish, the same works that I do, bear witness stantly promise the people health and of me, that the Father hath sent me” (John wealth. Without fail, all of these preachers 5:36). Jesus does not beat around the bush. become wealthy by the donations of their He draws their attention to the works He followers and consequently receive quality had performed without hesitation. He clearly medical care from the best doctors! These states their purpose by saying “the...works teachers make outlandish claims and ...bear witness of me.” promises which is neither backed by In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells the Scripture nor substantiated by facts. Jews that if they did not believe his words In a foolish attempt to try to promote that he was the Son of God, they should modern day miracles, one famous individual believe in Him because of His miracles. “If I wrote a book called, “A Miracle a Day Keeps do not the works of my Father, believe me not. the Devil Away.” However, what many But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe people call a miracle is nothing more than the works: that ye may know, and believe, something good happening or things going that the Father is in me, and I in him” (John their way. It’s this kind of nonsense that 10:37-38). His miracles were the evidence causes an unsaved world to mock the Bible that He was speaking the truth. and scoff at the existence of God. Jesus pointed the disciples to His works The serious student of Scripture will as proof of His divinity when He said, find that miracles did not happen all the “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the time throughout the ages. They have always Father in me: or else believe me for the very had a limited operation. They were not being works’ sake” (John 14:11). The works of doled out like candy at a child’s birthday Christ were the confirmation that He was party every time someone had a cough or a the Messiah (John 20:30-31). migraine. Jesus illustrates this fact in Luke Miracles also served the purpose of 4:25-27 when He said, “But I tell you of a confirming the Gospel after Christ ascended. truth, many widows were in Israel in the The apostles were to continue in the

“Why I Am No Longer A Pentecostal” by William Davis Page 7 This appeared in the June, July & August 2013 issues of “Seek The Old Paths.” www.seektheoldpaths.com ministry of Christ for the purpose of Pentecostals on prescription drugs just like establishing the church. As Jesus said to everyone else? Why do Pentecostals have them, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that surgery and other costly medical treatments believeth on me, the works that I do shall he just like everyone else, if divine, miracle do also; and greater works than these shall healing is their privilege like they teach? he do; because I go unto my Father” (John Logic demands that if you teach divine 14:12). These works were for the purpose of healing is for today, then it must of necessity confirming their apostleship and that the take place. Notice what the Bible shows words they spoke were from God. Notice when Peter and John stood before the what the Scripture says: “And they went council: “If we this day be examined of the forth, and preached every where, the Lord good deed done to the impotent man, by what working with them, and confirming the word means he is made whole; Be it known unto with signs following” (Mark 16:20). “How you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by shall we escape, if we neglect so great the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom salvation; which at the first began to be ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto even by him doth this man stand here before us by them that heard him; God also bearing you whole. ... And beholding the man which them witness, both with signs and wonders, was healed standing with them, they could and with divers miracles, and gifts of the say nothing against it” (Acts 4:9-10,14). The Holy Ghost, according to his own will” (Heb. Apostles had proof of the miracle working 2:3-4)? power of God. They were not just claiming Paul makes reference to the apostle’s something that never happened or could not special ability in miracles by saying, “Truly be proven. The man was genuinely healed the signs of an apostle were wrought among and standing there for all to see. This was a you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, fulfillment of Mark 16:20. and mighty deeds” (2 Cor. 12:12). Pentecostals teach that divine healing is Once the Scriptures were complete (i.e., just as much a part of the atonement as there was no more divine revelation to be forgiveness of sins. But none of it can be given), miracles ceased (1 Cor. 13:8-10; Jude backed up. No one anywhere sees it taking 3). Pentecostals don’t understand the place. There are many claims of miraculous, purpose of miracles and this lack of under- divine healing taking place, but they cannot standing leads to confusion and frustration. be either seen or substantiated. There are a But notice the official doctrinal state- lot of people who claim to be healed of some- ment of the Assemblies of God: “Divine thing internal, something unseen. Even healing is an integral part of the gospel. then, most of these (if not all of them) receive Deliverance from sickness is provided for in some type of medical assistance or treat- the atonement, and is the privilege of all ment. believers.” http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/State At the churches where I have been, ment_of_Fundamental_Truths/sft_full. there were people who went to doctors all the cfm#12 time, but when they got better, everyone According to the dictionary, the word claimed divine healing. That’s not divine integral means, necessary: being an essential miracle healing. Three surgeries and eight part of something or any of the parts that prescriptions later is not divine healing! make up a whole. Synonyms are: essential, That’s nothing out of the ordinary. Friend, I vital, basic, fundamental, central. (Encarta: spent over 50 years in Pentecostalism and World English Dictionary & (P) 1998-2004 never saw one genuine miracle! Just before Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved) I left the Pentecostal church I went to visit According to their doctrinal statement, and pray for an elderly woman who was in receiving divine healing should be no harder her 80s. She said to me, “You know Bro. than becoming a Christian. But, if divine Davis, after all these years I’ve never seen a healing is such a privilege and readily miracle!” She had probably been in Pente- available, then why isn’t it happening among costalism longer than I had, but in a moment their members? Why do Pentecostals run to of honesty, as she struggled with her the doctor at the first sign of a sickness just physical weakness and sickness, she had to like everyone else? Why are so many admit the absence of ‘miracle healings’ in the

“Why I Am No Longer A Pentecostal” by William Davis Page 8 This appeared in the June, July & August 2013 issues of “Seek The Old Paths.” www.seektheoldpaths.com Pentecostal church. Pentecost, the Greek name for the Jewish Miraculous gifts have been “done away” Feast of Weeks. It commemorates the because the canon of Scripture has reached anniversary of the day God gave the Torah to “perfection” — completion (1 Cor. 13:8-10). the entire nation of Israel assembled at They are no longer needed. Mount Sinai. True Christians do not attempt to identify with Jewish feast days, they PENTECOSTALISM IS A identify with Christ. The book of Acts tells CREATION OF MAN us the disciples were called “Christians” (Acts 11:26). Pentecostals themselves admit its While I was still a Pentecostal I beginnings were in America around the turn remember listening to a preacher friend get of the 20th century. Oral Roberts University all emotional about being a Pentecostal and makes this claim: “The Pentecostal move- how we should act like Pentecostals. As I sat ment is by far the largest and most there, my mind began to reflect on the book important religious movement to originate in of Acts and how that no one in the early the United States. Beginning in 1901 with church ever referred to themselves as a only a handful of students in a Bible School Pentecostal and how that no one was ever in Topeka, Kansas, the number of Pente- called a Pentecostal. I thought, “Why are we costals increased steadily throughout the calling ourselves by something different than world during the Twentieth Century until by the first century Christians?” And then I 1993 they had become the largest family of realized, if we are calling ourselves by Protestants in the world.” (http://webapps. something different, it must be because we oru.edu/new_php/library/holyspirit/ are something different than what they pentorg1.html) were. My friends, I don’t want to be some- The Assemblies of God official state- thing different than what the early ment says that “the beginning of the modern Christians were. I don’t want to be a part of Pentecostal revival is generally traced to a some modern concoction of man. I just want prayer meeting at Bethel Bible College in to be a Christian! Topeka, Kansas, on January 1, 1901.” http:// 612 Edith Lane www.cai.org/bible-studies/history- Pensacola, FL 32534 pentecostal-movement [email protected] It is only fair to mention the fact that the Church of God claims tongues speaking ------around 1896 even though the group did not call themselves Church of God until 1907. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_ We want to thank brother Bill Davis for God_(Cleveland,_Tennessee) taking the time to tell us about his involv- The point is this: these groups were ment in Pentecostalism. We appreciate his clearly started by men in America during the honest heart in pursing the truth and his early part of the twentieth century. That courage to stand in the old paths in obeying makes them nearly nineteen hundred years God’s word. This three part series has been too late to be the Lord’s church (Matt. 16:18). put together in one document and can be And, even though they may try to claim printed and passed out freely. www.seek relationship with the Christians in Acts theoldpaths.com/pentecostalism.pdf chapter two, it doesn’t work. No Christian in Garland M. Robinson the book of Acts or during the first century Editor, Seek The Old Paths ever called themselves Pentecostal(s). As a matter of fact, no one throughout church history ever called themselves a Pentecostal. The actual term Pentecostal is derived from

“Why I Am No Longer A Pentecostal” by William Davis Page 9 This appeared in the June, July & August 2013 issues of “Seek The Old Paths.” www.seektheoldpaths.com