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Philippians 2,25-27

 

25  But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But GOD had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

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2nd Timothy 4,20

 

20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.

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James 5,14 f.

 

14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.

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The practice, widespread in charismatic circles, of believers laying hands on one another is unbiblical. First, the laying on of hands refers to unbelievers, and second, such healings serve primarily as signs. According to the Bible, when believers fall ill, they should summon the elders of their congregation, who anoint them with oil and pray over them. The congregation can also be included in this prayer. This is an intercessory prayer (i.e., asking GOD for healing) that has nothing to do with the usual charismatic "proclamation of healing in the name of Jesus."

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GOD is our Heavenly Father, and He only wants the best for His children. Yet, in some cases, GOD allows illness. The reasons for this can be very different. For example, illness can help a person remain humble. It can also serve to strengthen a person's faith, purify their heart, and turn them away from a wrong path that would lead them to ruin. Furthermore, illness directs our attention to our fellow human beings and gives us the opportunity to show love and compassion for them. Paul and James connect illness with sin. In this respect, physical suffering can also be a means of disciplining a believer. However, GOD does not primarily use illness to afflict us humans, but for our benefit. At the same time, faith in GOD gives us the strength to endure illness and pain. Furthermore, a person's personal lifestyle (diet, exercise, medication, pollutants, etc.) can also influence their health. Fundamentally, however, neither a person's faith nor their spiritual salvation depend on their state of health. What matters is what we believe and how we live. This should be the focus of every Christian. The New Testament does not promise that believers will always remain healthy. Only in the new earth will there be no more illnesses at all.

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10 False Tongues

 

 

Genesis 11,1-9

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1 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” (...) 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” 8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

 

The Bible tells us that in the beginning, GOD gave all people a single (human) language. The world's current diversity of languages ​​is due to the miraculous phenomenon of the Babylonian confusion of tongues, when GOD intervened through a supernatural miracle to put a stop to people's arrogant plans to make a name for themselves. On the other hand, the New Testament tells us that the different types of languages ​​will be abolished in the future age. Instead, Scripture makes it clear that there will be only one people who will worship GOD in one language forever. The existence of different languages ​​is therefore merely a temporary condition.

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Almost all charismatic churches teach that speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift given to every believer at conversion. It is said to be the visible sign that a person has received the Holy Spirit and primarily serves for their own edification. For this reason, it is recommended to practice it regularly, both privately and in meetings, where everyone may speak in tongues at the same time. It is claimed to be a "heavenly language" or "language of angels" with "secret messages" that humans cannot understand, but only GOD. Since "speaking in tongues" is primarily addressed to GOD and not to humans, interpretation or translation is not absolutely necessary. A distinction is usually made between "speaking in tongues" and "praying in tongues," which is often equated with "praying in the Spirit." Furthermore, it is taught that every believer is capable of learning to "speak or pray in tongues." Some ultra-charismatics even claim that speaking in tongues is the key to special revelations from GOD. None of this is biblical.

Modern speaking in tongues first appeared in 1906 in a Los Angeles congregation. Since then, it has spread rapidly, initially in all nondenominational churches. The Catholic Church followed in the 1970s, and the Protestant Church followed in the 1980s.

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Charismatic "speaking in tongues" does not constitute a true language. It has less structure than the most primitive native dialect. In the vast majority of cases, it consists of a random string of different sounds or syllables (the most common are schi-la-ba-da / ku-ra-ma-na / ko-ra-ba-da / scha-ta-re / a-ba-sa-la / de-re-se-ke / ke-le-ma-sa-ta / ha-ma-su-tu, among others), occasionally mixed with words from real human languages. In many cases, it is a monotonous repetition of the same sounds over and over again. Real languages ​​consist of words assigned a specific meaning. The interpretations of charismatic "speaking in tongues," on the other hand, are stereotypical, vague, spontaneous, and meaningless. The phonetic structures often correspond to the structures of the respective tongue speaker's native language. The sound pattern of the "speaking in tongues" is usually oriented towards the group or the respective leader of the group.

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Various studies have found that the adrenaline release during so-called "praying in tongues" is up to four times higher than in the normal state. This essentially puts the practitioners into a frenzy of emotions. Research has shown that brain activity in the frontal lobe virtually ceases during "speaking in tongues," indicating reduced self-control. Identical forms of "speaking in tongues" can also be found in non-Christian religions in Africa, Asia, and North and South America, as well as in shamanism and Hinduism. These are clearly spiritualistic. "Speaking in tongues" was also widespread among Gnostics of the first and second centuries. Even atheists and agnostics practice modern "speaking in tongues." There are even godless celebrities such as Katy Perry and Megan Fox who claim to speak in "tongues."

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Mark 16,15-18

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15  He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

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The Bible teaches that the gift of tongues is one of many spiritual gifts not every Christian receives. It enables a believer to speak, through the power of the Spirit, in real, existing foreign languages ​​that they have not learned. In contrast to the false "speaking in tongues" of the charismatics, true tongues consist of existing words of human languages. Like any other spiritual gift, it primarily serves the edification of the church. For the listeners to be edified, the content of the tongues must be translated into a language understandable to all.

 

The Greek word for "language" and "tongue" is the same: "glossa." In Greek, however, there are two different words for "new." While "neos" means something that is absolutely new, "kainos" means something that is relatively new compared to something else. When someone wants to speak French, it represents a new language for the person learning it, even though the language has existed for a long time. The use of the word "kainos" in the Gospel of Mark indicates that it is not a completely new language, but rather a language already known.

The Bible teaches that speaking in tongues is one of the signs that follow a believer. However, this does not mean that every believer receives this spiritual gift or that all believers possess all the spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible. This would directly contradict Paul's statements. The same applies to the gift of healing. Although Jesus was more filled with the Spirit than any other human being, he himself did not speak in tongues. Jesus worked exclusively in Israel, where the vast majority of people at that time spoke Aramaic.

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John 4,24

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24 GOD is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.

 

Ephesians 6,18

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18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

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Jude 20

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20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.

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Jesus taught people to worship GOD the Father "in spirit and in truth." Here, Jesus refers to the content of what one prays, not the manner of prayer. Praying "in the Spirit" means not babbling meaninglessly or reciting ready-made prayers, but allowing oneself to be led by the Holy Spirit. In this respect, "praying in the Spirit" is not synonymous with "praying in tongues." Praying "in truth" means that believers should pray in accordance with GOD's will. This means they should neither claim anything about God that is not true nor ask GOD for anything that is not in GOD's will. Paul calls believers to persevere in prayer for all the saints. The Bible distinguishes between different types of prayer: These include, above all, praise, intercession, thanksgiving, and benediction. Praying in foreign languages ​​is not a separate form of prayer that differs (except for the language) from normal prayer.

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Romans 8,26 f.

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26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for GOD’s people in accordance with the will of GOD.

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In the context of the book of Romans, it's not about speaking in tongues. Paul explains that the Holy Spirit wants to guide believers in prayer by revealing what is important to GOD. GOD wants His children to pray spiritually (= according to GOD's will) and not carnally (= self-centered). The phrase "groanings that cannot be uttered" has nothing to do with praying in unintelligible sounds. Groaning means breathing heavily and audibly. This means that Christians should not pray superficially and sporadically, but consistently and with passionate devotion.

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Acts 2,2-11

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2  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem GOD-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 both Jews and converts to Judaism; Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of GOD in our own tongues!”

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Here, Luke mentions not only speaking in tongues (= glossa) but also dialects (= dialektos). Only genuine human languages ​​can be divided into dialects. The fact that the two words "glossa" and "dialektos" are used interchangeably shows that these are genuine foreign languages. The goal of the preaching was to convince the unconverted Jews and proselytes (= Gentiles who had converted to Judaism) who, according to the Mosaic Law, had made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at Pentecost, of the gospel. As a result, a total of 3,000 people were converted in one day. These people are not said to have spoken in tongues. The divided tongues symbolize that GOD will now also be worshipped by other nations in their own languages, and no longer just in Hebrew. The gift of tongues was intended to enable the Gospel to be preached in the native language of the several thousand people gathered in Jerusalem. On the other hand, there were relatively few disciples present. By suddenly beginning to speak loudly in the local dialects, the disciples were able to attract the crowd's attention. Verse 4 refutes the claim that this was a "miracle of hearing." Spiritual gifts generally refer to the speaker, not the listener.

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All the people mentioned in the book of Acts were suddenly able to speak in new languages ​​without any prior knowledge, preparation, or instruction. None of them sought or expected this gift. This contrasts with the common practice of charismatic churches, where speaking in so-called tongues is practiced with the believers. In all biblical examples, it was the Holy Spirit who gave the people the language they were speaking, not the believers themselves. Even today, GOD can supernaturally empower believers to speak in unlearned languages. Although Paul urges believers to strive for the "better" spiritual gifts, it is GOD alone who sovereignly distributes all gifts, completely independently of a person's own efforts. This also means that no Christian can possess the Holy Spirit or the gifts of the Holy Spirit at any time.

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Acts 10,44-46

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44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising GOD.

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This is clearly the same phenomenon as in chapter 2. This is supported by the fact that 1. both accounts are from Luke, 2. the same word ("glossa") is used for the gift of tongues, and 3. Peter testifies that the same thing happened in Caesarea as in Jerusalem at Pentecost. Jesus' disciples were to be the first to receive tongues. Later, the converted Gentiles were to follow. For the Jews, this was to be the sign that GOD had now also accepted the Gentiles, as verses 10-16 and 34 f. confirm.

Luke tells us that Cornelius and his family praised GOD in other languages, just as the apostles did at Pentecost. The fact that the word "other" (= heteros) isn't mentioned again here, unlike in chapter 2, makes it clear that these were foreign languages ​​that Peter and his companions could understand. If, however, the speaking in tongues had consisted only of unintelligible sounds, as is the case with charismatic "speaking in tongues," none of those present would have understood anything. Instead, they proclaimed what GOD had done in clear and understandable words.

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Acts 19,1-6

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1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

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In the Greek city of Ephesus, a well-known trading center in ancient times, many people from different nations and cultures lived at that time. Here, too, Luke uses the same word for "language" (glossa) as in chapters 2 and 10. It also mentions that the believers prophesied. Presumably, they passed on what GOD had revealed to them in different languages.

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1st Corinthians 13,1 + 8

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1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. (...) 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

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Nowhere in the Bible is there any indication or detailed explanation that "speaking in tongues" is a heavenly language. Therefore, it can be safely assumed that the gift of tongues is something already known to believers. Paul mentions angelic languages ​​purely hypothetically, without in any way connecting them to the gift of tongues. Furthermore, nowhere is it stated that angels communicate in a special language. Wherever angels appear in the Bible, they speak in a language understandable to humans. In the same chapter, Paul explains that both tongues and knowledge and prophecy will one day cease to exist. If the charismatic "speaking in tongues" were indeed a pre-existing heavenly language, Paul's statement would make no sense. If "speaking in tongues" were a language of angels, it would not be secret, as charismatics teach, since angels (and thus Satan) could understand it. Apart from that, it's hard to imagine that a heavenly language would consist of primitive sounds, as is the case with charismatic "speaking in tongues," and that angels communicate with each other in this way. Furthermore, Paul makes it clear that a person's spirituality is not measured by feelings or the way they pray, but by the love and fruits of the Spirit that are evident in a believer's life.

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1st Corinthians 14,1-5

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1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to GOD. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.

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The Greek word "glossa" (= language) appears 17 times in chapter 14. It is the same word used in chapters 2:10 and 19. This fact underscores that the passage is referring to one and the same speaking in tongues. There is no evidence for the claim of charismatics that there are supposedly different kinds of tongues (one that is understandable and one that is not). Wherever "mysteries" are mentioned in the New Testament, the Gospel is meant. All the mysteries connected with the coming of the Messiah and foreshadowed in the Old Testament were revealed by GOD to His apostles.

The church in Corinth was located in a well-known port city where many people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds came together. Because the church in Corinth was in chaos, Paul had to rebuke and correct the believers in various areas. In his first letter to the church, Paul addressed problems such as divisions and factions, immorality, legal disputes between brothers, confusion about marriage and celibacy and the eating of meat sacrificed to idols, doubts about the resurrection of Jesus, disorder at the Lord's Supper, and ignorance of the meaning and use of spiritual gifts. Paul's basic concern was that church meetings should be characterized by love and order. In this sense, the Corinthians were not a model church.

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Paul compares the gift of tongues with the gift of prophecy, giving priority to the latter. The believers in Corinth had received various spiritual gifts, some even the gift of tongues. This enabled them to speak in languages ​​they hadn't previously mastered. They became so proud of this that they began to speak and pray aloud in that language in meetings, without anyone there to understand or translate what was said. Chapter 14 illustrates the misuse of a useful gift. The result was chaos, so that none of the believers present, except the speaker, felt edified.

GOD wants to reveal Himself to people through language, to proclaim His plans to them. Therefore, babbling in sounds no one can understand makes no sense. The Psalms wonderfully demonstrate how beautifully and spiritually one can praise GOD in human language. A primitive stutter, on the other hand, cannot be described as nearly as poetic and dignified.

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1st Corinthians 14,6-13

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6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. 13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.

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Paul explains that every language enables people to communicate with one another. He also emphasizes that the gift of tongues only fulfills its purpose if it edifies the congregation. This, in turn, is only the case if the listeners can understand the meaning of what is being said. Otherwise, the message remains hidden and the speaking in tongues is useless. For this reason, Paul commands that the speaking in tongues must be translated into a language familiar to all present, and its content must be explained in such a way that everyone in the congregation can understand it.

 

 

 

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1st Corinthians 14,14-19

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14  For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising GOD in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. 18 I thank GOD that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

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Paul does not claim that reason is switched off when praying in tongues, but explains that believers should allow themselves to be guided by GOD's Spirit when praying. At the same time, however, they should ensure that everyone understands what is being said in prayer, because otherwise no one can be edified by it. For this purpose, speaking in tongues should be interpreted. Only in this way can the content of the prayer bear fruit in others. Unlike most charismatics, Paul does not differentiate between speaking in tongues and praying in tongues. Rather, Paul makes it clear that the gift of speaking in tongues serves primarily to praise and thank GOD.

Furthermore, Paul makes it clear that spiritual edification in the context of speaking in tongues occurs through understanding what is being said, not through the mere application of the gift of the Spirit as a kind of ritual. Consequently, both the speaker and the listeners can only be edified if they know the content of the tongues. If this is not the case, the gift fails in its original purpose. Paul emphasizes that it is more beneficial to instruct others with a few understandable words than to speak a thousand words in a language that no one understands (except oneself). The easiest way to expose charismatic "speaking in tongues" as a forgery is to have at least two people interpret it independently. If the interpretations do not agree, it is definitely not from GOD.

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1st Corinthians 14,20-25

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20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21 In the Law it is written: "21 “With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship GOD, exclaiming, “GOD is really among you!”

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Paul addresses the Corinthians' arrogance, which led them to misuse the gift of tongues for their evil and unspiritual boasting instead of building up the church. Furthermore, Paul makes it clear that speaking in tongues was a sign of judgment. It was intended to serve as a warning to the unbelieving Jews that GOD would turn away from them because they had rejected Jesus as their Messiah and turned to the Gentiles. While GOD once allowed His name to be praised (only) in Hebrew, from now on, this would be done in the languages ​​of all nations.

Furthermore, Paul explains the negative effects of everyone in the congregation speaking in tongues that no one understands at the same time. This has a confusing and discouraging effect on unbelievers, similar to the situation at Pentecost. Paul does not mean to imply that all believers possess the gift of speaking in tongues. His example is purely hypothetical. At the same time, Paul makes it clear that prophecy is the distinguishing mark of a believer, not speaking in tongues, as charismatics claim.

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1st Corinthians 14,26-33

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26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to GOD. (...) 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For GOD is not a GOD of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.

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In several places, Paul points out the need for an interpreter, without whom prayer remains fruitless for those present. Furthermore, speaking in unintelligible sounds creates nothing but confusion, both among believers and non-believers. If the gift of tongues served primarily to communicate with GOD and for personal edification, there would be no need for an interpreter, since each person could pray in tongues individually, thus edifying the entire congregation. In this case, Paul's command to refrain from speaking in tongues when no interpreter is present would be superfluous. Rather, Paul would encourage all believers to speak and pray in tongues as much and as often as possible.​

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11 False Prophecy

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Psalm 33,4

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4 For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does.

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Isaiah 46,11

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11 What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.

 

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The Bible teaches that true prophecy is a gift not every believer possesses. Just like the gift of tongues, it cannot be learned or transferred to others. Paul explains that there are different ministries in the church. These include apostles, prophets, evangelists, elders, and teachers. Accordingly, not everyone is called to the ministry of prophets. Prophecy primarily means being able, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, to predict events that are to take place in the near or distant future. All the words a prophet uttered were given to him precisely and unambiguously by GOD. Nothing could be added to them. Nor could anything be omitted. True prophets of GOD always and exclusively spoke in the name of the Lord. Since GOD dwells and works in believers through His Spirit, Christians prophesy using the phrase: "Thus says the Holy Spirit..."

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Deuteronomy 18,20-22

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20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.” 21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.

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Matthew 7,15 f.

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15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

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Every prophecy that comes from GOD is true and absolutely reliable. This means that any error is impossible. Whatever a prophet of GOD predicted would definitely come true. In some cases, prophecies were tied to certain conditions; for example, when it concerned an announcement of judgment. This could be averted if a people or the person concerned repented. The Bible warns against false prophets who preach lies in the name of GOD. They usually do this either for their own benefit or to the detriment of others. Through their false prophecies, they often brought ruin upon people. According to the Law of Moses, a false prophet was threatened with death. False prophets often display a carnal lifestyle. Their goal is to cause divisions among believers and to gain followers for themselves in order to enrich themselves. But even regardless of this, anyone who predicts something in the name of GOD that does not come to pass is not a prophet of GOD according to the Holy Scriptures.

 

There are now numerous false prophets worldwide, including several women. Most of them are part of a movement called the "New Apostolic Reformation." This movement is active worldwide and includes many so-called "megachurches," which often have several thousand to hundreds of thousands of attendees and resemble a massive show event rather than a serious worship service.

 

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Acts 11,28

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28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. This happened during the reign of Claudius.

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Acts 21,10 f.

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10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’" 

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Prophecies from GOD are always clear and personal. They address specific people and events and are often linked to signs or symbolic actions. True prophecy does not contain vague formulations that can apply to any number of people, as is common in charismatic churches. Feelings and impressions have little to do with biblical prophecy either. Therefore, one should only trust them with reservations.

 

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1st Corinthians 14,29

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29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.

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It is not without reason that Paul commands that prophecies spoken in a spiritual assembly should always be evaluated by experienced prophets. In this way, false prophets can be identified early and the church protected.

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Many charismatic churches have so-called "prophet schools" where interested believers can supposedly learn to prophesy. Some are free, others are not. The supposed prophet schools in the Old Testament serve as a model. In fact, however, the term "prophet school" does not appear at all in the Holy Scriptures. It speaks only of "prophets" and "sons of the prophets." These were most likely not prophets themselves, but were closely associated with them or served them. The term "father" was considered an honorific at that time. The servants of Naaman the Syrian called their master "father." Likewise, the king of Israel addressed the prophet Elisha as "father," even though he himself was not a prophet. All prophets of the Old and New Testaments were fundamentally called and empowered by GOD. Paul makes it clear that not every Christian is destined for the ministry of prophets. Even if the sons of the prophets were disciples of prophets, their calling came from GOD. This has nothing to do with one's own efforts. Anyone not called by GOD to be a prophet cannot prophesy, no matter how many "prophet schools" they attend. When GOD instructs a person to deliver a message, He does so unequivocally. Prophets like Samuel, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel heard GOD's voice clearly and distinctly from the beginning, without any training or preparation.

 

 

 

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