(The Midnight Herald September/ October 1999) A revealing test of the soundness of religious experience is, "How does it affect my attitude toward the Holy Scriptures?" Did this experience, this new view of truth, spring out of the Word of God itself or was it the result of some stimulus that lay outside the Bible? Tenderhearted Christians often become victims of strong psychological pressure applied intentionally or innocently by someone's personal testimony, or by a colorful story told by a fervent preacher who may speak with prophetic finality, but who has not checked his story with the facts, nor tested the soundness of his conclusions by the Word of God.
What originates outside the Scriptures should for that very reason be suspect until it can be shown to be in accord with them. If it should be found to be contrary to the Word of revealed truth, no true Christian will accept it as being from God. However high the emotional content, no experience can be proved to be genuine unless we can find chapter and verse authority for it in the Scriptures. "To the word and to the testimony" must always be the last and final proof. Whatever is new or singular should also be viewed with a lot of caution until it can furnish scriptural proof of its validity. Over the last half-century, quite a number of unscriptural notions have gained acceptance among Christians by claiming that they were among the truth that were to be revealed in the last days. To be sure, say the advocates of this latter-day-light theory: "Augustine did not know, Luther did not, John Knox, Wesley, Finney and Spurgeon did not understand this; but greater light has now shined upon God's people and we of these last days have the advantage of fuller revelation.
"We should not question the new doctrine or draw back from this advanced experience. The Lord is getting His Bride ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb. We should all yield to this new movement of the Spirit." So they tell us. The truth is that the Bible does NOT teach that there will be new light and advanced spiritual experiences in the latter days. It teaches the exact opposite. Nothing in Daniel or the New Testament epistles can be tortured into advocating the idea that we of the end of the Christian era shall enjoy light that was not known at the beginning. Beware of any man who claims to be wiser than the apostles or holier than the martyrs of the Early Church. The best way to deal with him is to rise and leave his presence. You cannot help him and he surely cannot help you. (Mr. Sandy Simpson's "Deception in the Church" newsletter, Vol.3, Issue 4. http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com
He comments: This is an excerpt from a book called, Man, The Dwelling Place of God by A.W.Tozer. It is part of a chapter titled, How To Try The Spirits. Apparently, Tozer was dealing with the beginnings of the heretical doctrine of the Third Wave today called "Latter Rain." If you respect this man of God, you will note his dire warnings against "new Experiences" that cannot be squared with the Word of God. The issue today is one of authority. What is the source of our authority as Christians? If the Word of God ceases to be the highest authority in the Christian life, it is a foregone conclusion that false teacher, false prophets, occultic experiences, and doctrines of demons will be allowed a foothold. Thus, the enemy is allowed to build a wall between that wandering sheep and the Shepherd, and deception and ultimate loss of true faith becomes a distinct possibility.
Luke 8:13: "Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away."
1 Timothy 6:20b-21a: "Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith."
Matthew 24:10-11: "At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive people."
1 Timothy 4:1: "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."
2 Peter 3:17: "Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position."
My prayer is that many Christians will come back to the "faith once for all delivered to the saints" that is laid down for us in the Word of God. In Christ Mr. Sandy Simpson, missionary