This is a not so clever excuse. It is again, lazy theology to say, well God did not expressly say no, so therefore I can say yes. Let's however examine what extra biblical truly is and what it truly does. It undermines actual scripture. God's word is authoritative, while extra biblical is not. It allows us to essentially "add" to God's word, which is expressly forbidden. Here is the true distinction. It allows us to infer, what is biblical when it really is not under the guise of it seeming to be harmless. When we decide to not eat meat on Fridays for forty days, that is extra biblical and technically not disallowed. Most will say they consider it sacrificing something to remember who God is. Fine. The problem however is when it becomes doctrine. A church having altar calls is in and of itself, not unbiblical. When the practice however leads to seven-word prayers and a declaration of salvation we have crossed into the unbiblical.
"3. Cessationists vs. Continuationists. The debate between cessationists and continuationists plays a significant role in how the phenomenon of being slain in the spirit is viewed. Cessationists believe that supernatural gifts, such as speaking in tongues, healing and manifestations like being slain in the spirit, ceased after the apostolic age. They argue that these gifts were only for the early church to establish the Gospel. On the other hand, continuationists believe that these gifts and manifestations continue to operate today. Many who support the practice of being slain in the spirit are in the continuationist camp, interpreting Scripture and church history as evidence that the power of the Holy Spirit is still active in the same ways. They point to the book of Acts and the Gospels, where such manifestations occur frequently, and argue that there is no Scriptural basis for claiming that the Holy Spirit's work has ceased." - Charisma News
What? Let's correct some inaccuracies. While I do not ascribe to either camp, I can say with surety that cessationists do not believe the Holy Spirit's work has ceased. They believe in the full power of God and that He can still choose to work through men, just that those gifts do not permanently reside in the man in question. It is why people who claim to be faith healers do not hang out in cancer wards. It is why people who claim to have the gift or prophecy are wrong all the time. What most cessationists disagree with is the ABUSE of the gifts. You can believe the gifts have continued and still believe they are being butchered today in the Charismaniacal church. You can rightly believe that tongues in the bible is not the baby babble we hear today. It is also slick to try, and lump slain in the spirit into the gifts of the Holy Spirit. That of course is wholly unbiblical, not merely extra-biblical. We are not called by the way to interpret church history. We hear this silliness often from the Charismaniacal camp. That the fact that heresy was previously established somehow makes it more acceptable to God. It does not.
"4. Emotionalism and Manipulation. One of the common criticisms of the practice of being slain in the spirit is that it can sometimes be fueled by emotionalism, peer pressure or even manipulation. Some argue that people may fall under the power of God not because of a true spiritual encounter, but due to psychological influence or the expectation created by the environment. There have been instances where individuals fall simply because they are caught up in the emotional atmosphere of a service, or even out of "courtesy" to the preacher, rather than experiencing a genuine move of the Holy Spirit. It's essential to acknowledge that emotional responses in a spiritual setting can be natural, but they do not always signify a deep spiritual encounter. While emotional excesses or manipulations can certainly discredit the authentic move of God, it's critical not to let the actions of a few individuals overshadow the true power of the Holy Spirit." - Charisma News
Yeah, no. it is amazing to watch Savchuk try to thread this needle. There is no question that the experience of being slain is indeed emotionalism, as is most experiential Christianity. It is the same dilemma I faced when I was confronted by the verity of scripture in relation to my personal experience being slain. As I outlined, it is also plausible that God still deals with us, even within the flawed paradigm. That does not legitimize the paradigm or make it biblical. God still would have dealt with me regarding the loss of my friend, even if I did not go down that night. I did not need to be "slain" in order to draw closer to God. The peer pressure is very real. It is the same pressure that pushes believers to speak the baby babble tongues because if you don't, you just are not super spiritual enough. While that is not expressly said often, it is the understood truism within Charismaniacal circles. Some take it further and claim you have not been indued with the power of the spirit unless you say, "ashondamodandalabondabingbangboom." So much so, that many Charismaniacal churches teach people how to speak in tongues. We are coached to do so. I saw a preacher once say that he first spoke in tongues by saying "pookie-poo" over and over again. Most Charismaniacal services are entirely driven by emotionalism and manipulation. Elevation is infamously known for planting ministry workers in the congregation so they can raise their hands for altar calls to manipulate others to do the same. I was at another church one weekend when an itinerant "evangelist" was visiting, and she was doing the mass laying on of hands schtick to slay everyone. I was at the sound board and the pastor's wife was calling me down to "get mine." I declined and never went back. I have mine already or more appropriately, He has me. The narrative Savchuk presents is simply false. The notion that only a handful of people are having emotional experiences is woefully underestimating what is happening.
"5. The Fruit Test. When considering whether a spiritual manifestation like being slain in the spirit is from God, the ultimate test is the fruit it produces. Jesus Himself said, "You shall know them by their fruit" (Matt. 7:16). The primary concern should not be the manifestation itself but the lasting impact it has on the individual. Does it lead to a deeper relationship with God? Does it bring lasting transformation in the person's life, drawing them closer to holiness, love and obedience? If an experience produces lasting spiritual fruit-- such as healing, deliverance, a hunger for the Word and a deeper devotion to Christ-- then it is worth considering as a genuine encounter with the Holy Spirit. We must be cautious not to dismiss or condemn a work of God just because it doesn't align with our own experiences or expectations. Additionally, the focus should remain on the fruit of the experience, not the physical manifestation itself." - Vlad Savchuk
The scripture reference is to discerning false prophets. You will know them by their fruit. Thus, it has no relevance to how he misuses it here. The primary concern is the experience, not what we convince ourselves is the result of it. If this collapsing on the ground is leading to such a deeper relationship, why do the same people go up to be slain every week? If it brings lasting transformation, why do they need to keep going up to be slain? If it truly draws you closer to obedience and devotion, why not stick to what is actually in the bible? We are actually the ones NOT using our experiences or expectations! They are irrelevant! Note what he is teaching here is to pay no mind to the how or why, just what our wickedly deceitful hearts feel. Who is going to go through such a public display and then think negatively upon it? I believed for a few years that what happened to me was a deep spiritual experience. It was only the truth of scripture that revealed it to be wanton emotionalism. I am reminded of a church in this country that incorporated the handling of poisonous snakes as part of their weekly church service. This was stupidly based upon the verse that says you will handle snakes and not be hurt. Well, until the pastor was bit and died but I guess he did not have the requisite faith, right? Now, prior to the pastor being killed, I am sure they all thought this was a solid spiritual experience that bore lasting fruit of faith in God. Heck, it wasn't even extra-biblical, technically. It was of course moronically unbiblical. Either way, if someone, including the deceased pastor, thought that this drew them closer to God and was "bearing fruit" of faith, would Vlad Savchuk claim that it was an actual move of the Holy Spirit? The experience is not what we should be focused on at all. The actual practice is.
"While being slain in the spirit may not be explicitly commanded in Scripture, it is not unbiblical or contrary to biblical teachings. There are biblical precedents that show God's presence can cause physical responses, and the phenomenon can be understood as an extra-biblical practice rather than anti-biblical. As Christians, it is essential to exercise discernment, remembering that not every manifestation is genuine, but the fruit of the encounter will reveal its authenticity. Let us seek the genuine power of the Holy Spirit, test the spirits and pursue a deeper relationship with God rather than focusing on external manifestations." - Charisma News
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