This book is an outgrowth of the
Strange Fire conference that MacArthur hosted in 2013. As has been
the case with the cessationist/continuationist debate, no doubt the
book will be met with divided opinions, sometimes bitterly divided.
MacArthur’s thesis is that the
modern-day Charismatic and Pentecostal modes of worship, which focus
on the employment of the charismatic gifts common to the apostolic
church of the first century, constitutes worship foreign to what
Scripture provides for the post-apostolic church—hence the title,
“Strange Fire.”
While he treats the leading theological
lights of the movement (genuine, credible scholars such as Grudem and
Piper) with respect, nonetheless MacArthur makes a strong case that
the movement in the main is theologically aberrant, having been
swallowed up by the false gospel of prosperity and health. Using a
deluge of well-documented statistics, he shows that the vast majority
of the charismatic and Pentecostal movement have adopted the
prosperity gospel—and that the number of responsible scholars in
the movement who remain faithful to the true gospel is vanishingly
small. These two charges (improper worship, and the majority pursuing
the prosperity gospel) form the core of the author’s contention.
Part One documents the beginnings and
history of Pentecostalism and its spin-off, the charismatic movement.
Of particular note was the original Pentecostal view of modern
manifestation of tongues (they were considered known languages by the
founders of the movement), contrasted with the doctrinal change made
necessary when it became clear the modern manifestation was not known
languages. Uncomfortable to some readers will be the exposure of the
doctrinal and behavioral deviations of the founders of the movement.
Part Two takes the charismatic gifts
one by one (the gifts of apostleship, prophecy, tongues, and healing)
and explores the movement’s doctrinal claims for their
continuation. Using solid exegesis, MacArthur makes his case for why
he believes these gifts have ceased and that the modern
demonstrations of them are wholly illegitimate. Some readers will
again be very uncomfortable with the heavily documented exposure of
many of the movement’s leaders and adherents.
In Part Three, MacArthur lays out what
he believes to be an accurate exposition of the doctrine of the Holy
Spirit. He concludes with “An Open Letter to my Continuationist
Friends,” in which he pleads with them to consider the harm their
positions are doing to the Church.
While John MacArthur can at times
really turn me off with his harsh polemics, I find it very difficult
to dispute with his contentions in this book. He has made a strong
case for his position. One of the things I gain from the book is the
understanding that the moment you allow subjective experience to
govern your hermeneutics, you have just thrown away the guardrails of
doctrine. Grudem and Piper, though I love them and read their books,
are hard pressed to contend with the abuses of the movement they have
aligned with. When subjective experience has been allowed to inform
their theology, they cannot very well question someone else’s
experience—they would have to saw off the limb on which they
themselves are perching.
Four stars. Highly recommended.
