Charismatic Confusion and Benny Hinn

The unscriptural basis of the "God told me to do it" theology

Without doubt, the Charismatic Movement is the fastest growing religious movement of our day within the realm of those who profess Christianity. It is, in fact, growing faster than Roman Catholicism, Greek Orthodoxy, Protestantism, Pentecostalism, Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism. At the same time, it is also producing more theological confusion than any other movement in the world. A full-length book would be necessary to fully document these two facts, but the purpose of this article is to give a Scriptural warning concerning some of the erroneous teachings of the Charismatic Movement and, in particular, one of its key figures, Benny Hinn. He is the one person in the Charismatic Movement today who consistently appears to possess a "power" in his public "healing and miracle" meetings second to none of his peers and even greater than that of the late Kathryn Kuhlman, whose disciple Hinn frankly acknowledges himself to be.

Although the Charismatic Movement as such was unknown until the 1960s, its roots go back to Pentecostalism, which began in the early 20th century. The major difference between Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Movement is that most Christians rejected the doctrinal deviations and unscriptural practices of the Pentecostals in the early years, forcing them to establish new churches, denominations and institutions. In contrast, the Charismatic Movement has established itself within existing churches and denominations, including the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches that had previously been untouched by Pentecostalism.

Today, although some historic Pentecostals reject what they consider to be excesses in the Charismatic Movement (especially with regard to worldliness and fellowship with Catholics), Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Movement are essentially considered the same because both groups hold to and teach similar theological views regarding the person, ministry and gifts of the Holy Spirit. While both Pentecostals and Charismatics preach and teach many precious truths of the Bible, it is the mixing of these truths with serious doctrinal errors that makes their teachings so deceptive and dangerous. We trust the following listing of some of these errors will be helpful and lead believers to search the Scriptures to determine whether or not these movements are of God (Acts 17: 11; Jn. 5:39). First, we will set forth some of the wonderful truths of God's Word concerning the Holy Spirit.

The Bible makes it clear that the blessed Holy Spirit is the third person of the Triune God -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Before Jesus Christ died, rose again and ascended into heaven, He promised His own disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit -- the Spirit of Truth -- who would guide them (the apostles whom the Spirit used to pen the inspired, inerrant, written Word) "into all truth" -- the completed canon of Scripture (John 15:26; 16:13). The Bible tells us that the written Word of God was given through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1: 19-21). Sinners can only be saved through hearing the Gospel which is found in that written Word, the Bible, accompanied by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11; Romans 10:8-17; 1 Peter 1:18-25). The Bible also tells us that it was through the divine ministry of the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ, the Living Word, was conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary (Matt. 1:18).

Furthermore, contrary to what most Pentecostals and Charismatics teach, God's Word states that all true believers are baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit at the moment of conversion, not at some subsequent time (1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 8:9). There can be, and should be, continual fillings of the Holy Spirit throughout our Christian walk (Eph. 5:18) as we yield completely to the Lord (Rom. 12:1-2), but the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a one-time event that takes place at the new birth, resulting in the believer being "sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph. 1: 11-14; 4:30). Another ministry of the Holy Spirit is His role as the believer's Comforter (Jn. 15:26) and his divine Helper and Intercessor in times of infirmity and uncertainty (Rom. 8:26-27). A Biblical study of the Holy Spirit will always bring much blessing to every sincere believer.

Sadly, the Charismatic Movement, which claims to be a movement of the Holy Spirit, actually contradicts many of the infallible teachings of the Holy Spirit as found in the written Word, the Bible. Among Charismatics, there is repeated and increasing misinterpretation, misapplication and twisting of the Scriptures. Scripture texts written specifically to Israel in the Old Testament, especially concerning physical healing and material prosperity, are misapplied to the church. Yet these are favorite texts used by Charismatics to falsely teach that all believers may claim physical healing or financial prosperity at all times. Not only is such teaching unscriptural, but it is also contrary to actual experience. Charismatics try to pressure people into believing a lie concerning physical healing by asking a rhetorical question: "Would a loving God ever desire any physical affliction for His children?" Benny Hinn often says publicly that it is wrong to ask God to heal anyone "if it be God's will." His contention that it is always God's will to heal believers ignores the many Scriptures which explain that God often uses physical affliction to discipline and teach or to purify and refine (2 Cor. 12:7-10; 1 Pet. 4:12-13; 5: 10).

False, unscriptural teachings concerning prayer add to the doctrinal confusion resulting from Charismatic errors. If someone is ill, two or more Charismatics often join hands and voices in prayer, claiming immediate healing for that individual supposedly in accordance with Matthew 18:19 -- ("if two of you shall agree..."), while completely ignoring 1 John 5:14-15 -- ("if we ask any thing according to His will..." we are assured He will hear and answer). The power of God to heal anyone, anytime, any place, cannot be questioned. But, the false Charismatic teaching that every believer will be healed whenever two or more other believers agree in prayer for his healing is neither Scriptural nor in accordance with reality.

Furthermore, erroneous Charismatic instruction concerning prayer has increasingly led them to deduce that prayer should emphasize demanding rather than asking. Such a false understanding of the nature and purpose of prayer results in another serious error relative to the question of how believers should approach and deal with Satan or evil spirits. Satan is a powerful and deceptive enemy of every Christian. Sometimes he appears as a "roaring lion," and he is to be resisted (1 Pet. 5:8-10). At other times he and his ministers deceptively appear as "angels of light," and they need to be exposed (2 Cor. 11:14-15). There is no Scriptural basis for current Charismatic teachings that claim believers can and should stomp on Satan, bind Satan, command Satan or demand that he return double all he has stolen. Bible-taught believers will put on all the armor of God in order to stand against the wiles of the devil and quench all his fiery darts (Eph. 6:10-18), and their attitude toward Satan will be that which is set forth in Jude 9. The believer's victory over Satan rests on the basis of obedience to God's Word, not upon the pompous commands of Charismatic deceivers.

Another major cause of the theological confusion created by Charismatic teachings has to do with their misunderstanding of the nature, purpose and duration of the spiritual gifts bestowed by the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and some believers in the early church. The apostolic gifts were to authenticate their God-given authority and leadership in the first century church (2 Cor. 12:12). The spiritual gifts bestowed upon other believers were necessary since the written Word of God had not yet been completed. But, even at this early date, there was never any suggestion that one could "learn how" to obtain spiritual gifts, even from an apostle. No, these gifts were divinely bestowed by the Holy Spirit upon individuals of His choice who were to use these special gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:4-11).

Furthermore, contrary to the teaching of most Pentecostals and Charismatics, the gift of speaking in tongues was not given to every believer (1 Cor. 12:30); therefore, it cannot be the visible sign of baptism in the Holy Spirit as they claim. A careful study of the major texts dealing with spiritual gifts -- Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 11-13 and Ephesians 4 -- will reveal that much of the confusion caused by Charismatic teaching is a direct result of seven major errors:

the error of teaching that signs, miracles, wonders, healings, etc. authenticate the message and methods of those who claim to be God's anointed messengers even when they speak and act contrary to the Scriptures; Jesus Christ warned about such in Matthew 7:2 1-23;
the error of making a very selective application of what the Bible says concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit and a failure to recognize and earnestly desire the best gifts (1 Cor. 12:31; 13:13);
the error of misinterpreting the nature, purpose and restrictions concerning speaking in tongues (1 Cor. 14:22-23) and the interpretation of tongues (1 Cor. 14:27-28);
the error of disobeying God's command concerning the Scriptural place and responsibility of women in the local church (1 Cor. 14:34);
the error of failing to recognize that some of the spiritual gifts exercised in the early church were to cease upon the completion of the written Word of God (1 Cor. 13:8-10);
the error of accepting and teaching many unscriptural doctrines on the basis that these are supposedly "new winds of the Holy Spirit" rather than recognizing that they are examples of being "carried about with every wind of [false] doctrine" (Eph. 4:14);
the error of practicing and advocating an unscriptural unity with those who preach a false gospel (such as Roman Catholics and all others who teach baptismal regeneration) rather than separation from false teachers, disobedient brethren and the world (Rom. 16:17; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; Gal. 1:6-9; Eph. 5: 11; 2 Tim. 4:1-5; 1 Jn. 2:15-18).

Benny Hinn

Benny Hinn is only one of many top Charismatic leaders who teach and promote current Charismatic errors. All of these leaders claim to be ministering under the anointing of the Holy Spirit; claim to have several or all of the spiritual gifts given to the apostles and early church; appear to have the power to "slay people in the Spirit"; amaze people with their supposed revelations in the exercise of the gifts of prophecy, wisdom and knowledge; claim direct communications from and with God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and increasingly claim to have received power and authority identical to or even greater than that given to the apostles and prophets of the first century. However, among all these Charismatic leaders, one man stands out above all the rest -- Benny Hinn.

Hinn's rise to the top of the Charismatic ladder is due in large measure to the high esteem in which he is held by Paul and Jan Crouch and their promotion of his ministry and teachings on TBN. Hinn indeed appears to have more raw power than any of his peers, even more than the late Kathryn Kuhlman displayed in her ministry. In his meetings, most of those on whom Hinn lays hands immediately fall backward to the floor. Occasionally, some fail to go down, and he quickly turns away from them. But so strong is his "power" that most people fall to the floor even when he blows or waves his jacket at them. Often Hinn will cause whole sections of the audience or the choir to fall backward in their seats as he claims to be bringing the anointing of the Holy Spirit on them. Such occurrences are usually called "being slain in the Spirit" or "coming under the power." No Scriptural foundation can be found for this, but it has become an integral part of most Charismatic meetings.

Benny Hinn's ministry thus far provides all the evidence a discerning believer should need to shun his teachings and warn about his ministry. Hinn's first book, Come Holy Spirit, became number one on the best-seller list. However, when several serious doctrinal errors were called to his attention, he offered an apology, and the publisher made changes in subsequent editions. In an interview with Christianity Today in 1991, Hinn admitted that "the entire direction of his ministry is in the midst of a fundamental reform." Sadly, the intervening months have seen Hinn moving further and further in the direction of Charismatic heresies rather than in the direction of Biblical doctrine. He and other Charismatic leaders are deceiving and misleading God's children -- hence, the necessity of this warning.

The most dangerous and deceptive claims of false teachers today are based upon their insistence that all they say and do is mandated by God who supposedly communicates His will to them by direct revelation apart from and in addition to the Bible. They attempt to justify even some of their most bizarre words and deeds by false claims such as, "God told me to do it" or, "God revealed this new teaching to me." All such claims are spurious, unscriptural and obviously used in an effort to validate their supposed unique leadership. Saying "God told me..." also seeks to silence any who would expose the hypocrisy and duplicity that inevitably accompanies supposedly extra-biblical revelation. What many people do not realize is that so many of the supposed divine revelations and prophecies given to Charismatic leaders have subsequently proved to be absolutely false. Do not make the mistake of listening to and believing any person who claims a message from God apart from the Bible. We must test everything by the Bible. Men and their words bring disappointment. God's Word never fails.

Near the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ Himself warned about false prophets and false christs who would deceive many by claiming to perform great miracles, signs and wonders in His name. This raises the question about Benny Hinn and others who are able to show "great signs and wonders" and who claim to do many wonderful works in Christ's name. Does the exercise of supernatural power automatically authenticate the ministry of such a person? Of course not! Here again we have the testimony of Jesus Christ Himself who said: "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied IN THY NAME? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7:21-23).

Benny Hinn and other Charismatic leaders who claim to receive instructions directly from God in addition to, apart from and contrary to God's written Word, the Bible, are not doing God's will. They are not obeying God's Word. They are not dispensing light but darkness. They are false teachers! What saith the Scriptures? Isaiah 8:20: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." In Matthew 6:22-23 Jesus said, "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" All who add to God's completed, perfect written Word, the Bible, will have to answer to God for their disobedience, no matter how well their "added words" might be received and praised by men (Dent. 4:2; Rev. 22:18-19).

That is what the Bible says; that is what the Word of God teaches. It is upon these Scriptural principles that all teachings of all leaders must be examined. Of course, Benny Hinn and other Charismatic leaders preach some truth. They sometimes preach the Gospel and urge people to come to Christ; they often refer to the return of Jesus Christ and the need to be ready for His coming. However, intertwined with the truth they preach is an amazingly deceptive, though very attractive, presentation of serious doctrinal error. Hinn and other Charismatic leaders are masters at the art of mixing truth and error. They are powerful speakers with very forceful personalities, but they are misleading millions.

Once again, it is essential to heed the warnings given in the Word of God concerning such persons and their false teachings: "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not"; "for when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error" (2 Pet. 2:13; 2:18).

Benny Hinn's amazing rise to prominence was due primarily to two things: first, his appearances on the rapidly growing TBN network which gave him immediate access to millions of viewers; second, a book Hinn wrote titled Good Morning, Holy Spirit which soon became number one on the best seller book list. And, while this book contained many helpful, Scriptural teachings concerning the ministry of the Holy Spirit, it also contained such serious doctrinal errors that an immediate furor resulted. So extreme were some of Hinn's teachings in this book that the Christian Research Institute (CRI), itself favorable in general to Charismatic/ Pentecostal teachings, reviewed this book and Hinn's background in its Spring 1991 publication. The following are excerpts from that article:

Benny Hinn claims to have had two visions of Jesus before his conversion. The first was at age 11 when he was asleep. The second occurred when he was 19 during a Charismatic prayer meeting when, says Hinn, "suddenly I saw Jesus with my own eyes." This vision resulted in an immediate conversion. Later, Benny had a powerful experience at a Kathryn Kuhlman service ... after this event Hinn claims to have had numerous, ecstatic and supernatural experiences. Members of his family and others supposedly began crying and even falling down when Benny would enter the room or walk by them. This falling down is known as being "slain in the Spirit" -- an experience Hinn regularly effects during his services ... Hinn's practice of slaying people in the Spirit by blowing on them or touching their heads bears all the marks of manipulative staged performances. This should be evident whether or not one admits that there is a valid spiritual experience of being slain in the Spirit. Hinn announces to his congregation to get ready for the experience; he positions "catchers" on the stage to catch those who fall; those who are "slain" lose complete control of themselves, while Hinn remains always firmly in control of himself; at times whole sections of the congregation are "slain" at the same instant, and always at Hinn's cue.

Hinn has been known to "throw" the Holy Spirit to his audience as if the Spirit were a softball! It has even been reported that one woman died as a result of someone falling on top of her after being "slain" by Hinn (Charisma, Jan. 1988, p. 54). By presenting these phenomena as incidental, moderate occurrences, Good Morning, Holy Spirit makes it easier for people to accept the more extreme, problematical manifestations in Hinn's ministry, which now abounds with extremely deceptive teachings and dangerous practices.

CRI registered strong protests against Hinn's doctrinal errors with his publisher, Thomas Nelson, which subsequently made several changes in the book and reprinted it in amended form. Concerning this amended edition of Good Morning, Holy Spirit, the aforementioned CRI article concluded: "Both the original and revised edition, the book in both versions must be regarded as aberrational, although less clearly in the revised version." Then, in April 1991, Charisma carried an article that gave some critically important additional information concerning this matter:

Publisher Bruce Barber of Thomas Nelson said they made between twelve and fifteen clarifications because the book led some readers to think that Hinn teaches that there are three separate Gods ... Hinn said that before formal discussions started he announced that "he no longer agreed with what he formerly taught about the spiritual death of Christ." This teaching is not in the book but it was the key bone of contention with CRI. Forms of it are traced back to E. W. Kenyon and forward to some Charismatic teachers. Hinn explained: "I no longer agree that Jesus was born again in Hell. That I did teach. I no longer agree that He went down to the underworld under the control of Satan, which at one time I did teach." Now, when he teaches the spiritual death of Christ, he only means "Jesus was separated from the Father." He said he's dropping this teaching altogether for at least a year, to give himself time to study it further.

After this, Hinn wrote another book titled: The Anointing in which he records additional information concerning his own recent ministry. Hinn states:

As I've said, my ministry took quantum leaps forward in 1990 when the Lord told me to begin monthly miracle crusades around the country, in addition to the regular pastoral ministry at the Orlando Christian Center. There have been many extraordinary events. One that seems to happen in every crusade, usually in the teaching meetings on the morning of the second day is the directive from the Lord to have the people get quiet, with eyes closed and hands raised. The Lord will tell me, "Say' now' and I will touch them." That's all He tells me to do: "Say' now."' It's amazing! I do it, and right away there will be gasps and even screams as the power falls. I open my eyes and invariably two-thirds of the ten thousand or more present collapse onto the floor. Healings of all kinds occur and God makes Himself powerfully known (pp. 86-87).

No wonder Hinn's following is rapidly growing, but the question remains: "Is he empowered by the Holy Spirit or by a false spirit?"

The following excerpts taken from public statements made by Hinn in the early 1990s will leave no doubt as to the fact that many of his teachings are false and very dangerous. One of the supposed spiritual gifts Benny Hinn claims to exercise is the "word of knowledge" in which he reveals the nature of the illnesses of those being allegedly healed in his large meetings and in his television audience. Sometimes he even mentions the name of the person. This is very impressive and persuasive. What many people do not realize, however, is that taped segments of his miracle healing services are replayed over and over again. Many of Benny Hinn's miracle healing meetings and those of other Charismatic leaders are originally presented live on TBN. Later, however, these same telecasts are broadcast over and over again, most times without any indication that they are reruns. This is very deceitful but is defended on the basis that reruns of "anointed telecasts" are just as "anointed" as the originals. But those viewers who did not see the original telecast would naturally assume that when Hinn calls out the specific healings which he claims the Lord has shown him, they are taking place in the auditorium or in the television audience at that very moment, that this applies to them when they see it days, weeks or months later. When Hinn pleads with those in the television audience to put their hands opposite his stretched out hands on the television screen as a point of contact to "claim their healing, "they are unaware that this is a rerun which could not possibly apply to them or their needs. If Hinn named the name and described the physical need of some person being healed at the time of his original meeting, what application could a replay possibly have days, weeks or months later? TBN also reruns many of its fund raising programs in which unscriptural and fraudulent promises of financial or physical blessings are guaranteed to those who contribute. What a sham! Gross deception is involved here which must be exposed.

Furthermore, Hinn and other Charismatic leaders who capitalize on this supposed gift of knowledge admit that their "words of knowledge" and their "prophecies" are not 100 percent accurate. Here is Benny Hinn's own amazing admission given on TBN February 23, 1992: "Man, I remember when God would give me words of knowledge back when I began in this ministry, but I missed nine out of ten. Of course, nobody knew it except me." Then Hinn tried to explain this strange inconsistency by saying, "Saints, the Holy Ghost is using an imperfect vessel. Are you listening? We are not infallible. When you give a prophecy, sometimes you can be way off. You have to be open enough to say, 'I blew it."'

Knowing that some would question his false concept in light of the fact that God's faithful Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles had no such failure record, Hinn actually accused Paul, Moses and Elijah of such shortcomings. Hinn said, "Men of God blew it all the time. Paul blew it; Moses blew it; Elijah blew it; even Elisha blew it. They all blew it. Maybe not the prophecies, but they all blew it in all kinds of things." Hinn then went on to point out personal failures in the lives of these men, but, by his own admission, the words these men of God spoke were not their own-they were the words of the Living God; their prophecies and words of knowledge were always 100 percent accurate.

Hinn continued his twisted, confusing conclusions and unscriptural defense of his own prophetic "word of knowledge" inconsistencies:

We all blow it, and if you don't, you're not human ... The man who does not know how to say, "I blew it"-you can't trust him. Did you hear that? So, you see, when the gift begins, it begins rough; but then as you keep going with it, you get better and better and cleaner and purer with it. So today, with the word of knowledge (I'm just being open with you) I rarely miss anymore because I recognize how to operate in it.

With these words Hinn clearly identifies himself as a false teacher.

In September of 1991 at the Anaheim Convention Center, some of Benny Hinn's statements were even more dangerous and alarming. Hinn said,

All of us make mistakes. All of us are bound to err. But woe to the man and woe to the station and woe to the group that will expose the nakedness of the man of God to the world. You know, I'll tell you something. I'm not supposed to, but the Holy Ghost is upon me, and I think I need to. The day is coming when those that attack us will drop dead. You say, "What did you say?" I speak this under the anointing of the Spirit. Can I tell you something? Don't touch God's servants; it's deadly. God says, "Touch not My anointed." I'm not afraid to tell you what I think. I owe nothing to no man and don't you dare touch Morris Cerullo; don't touch Rex Humbard; don't touch Billy Graham; don't touch Larry Lea; don't touch Oral Roberts or Richard Roberts; don't touch them. Pray for them. Pray, pray, pray! I speak this under the anointing. Woe to you that touch God's servants. You are going to pay, and the day will come (the Lord said this to me) when I will punish instantly those who touch My chosen. They will fear us. Hear this! Today they mock us; tomorrow they will fear us. When you deal with the supernatural as I do, God allows your eyes to see things that most of you don't see and maybe that you should not see.

If statements such as these do not sound an alarm as to the direction in which Hinn is headed, perhaps nothing will. The way in which Hinn twisted and misapplied the Scriptures with regard to the attitude God expects His children to manifest toward God's leaders is shocking, yet this false view is widely held today. God's command to "touch not" His anointed refers to seeking vengeance or causing physical harm. Certainly it cannot be Scripturally applied to the exercise of spiritual reproof or rebuke. In fact, the latter is commanded by God Himself (2 Tim. 4:1-2). Note the reproof of King Saul by the prophet Samuel and the rebuke of Peter by Paul (1 Sam. 15; Gal. 2). Hinn's threatenings against faithful believers who "speak the truth in love" -- those who not only proclaim the Truth but also expose error wherever it may be found -- merely reveals how desperate he has become in his efforts to defend and justify his false claims and false teachings.

TBN, unlike other Christian broadcasting stations, does not depend upon income from their broadcasters to meet station expenses. The millions of dollars they raise each year by their semiannual financial appeals makes it possible for them to give free time or reduced rates to those who will help build their Charismatic empire. Furthermore, their financial appeals are both deceitful and unscriptural, promising contributors that God will bless them financially if they give sacrificially to TBN. In their most recent financial appeals, Hinn, John Avanzini and other TBN regulars have been promising contributors that not only is healing for their bodies included in the atonement but also financial prosperity and a debt-free existence. This amounts to raising funds by fraudulent means and would certainly subject TBN to legal prosecution if it were not accomplished under a religious umbrella.

What other false claims and false teachings can be expected in the future? God's Word warns that "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" (2 Tim. 3:13). To a Charismatic audience in Vancouver, British Columbia, Hinn said, "I want to make a shocking statement-you are gods ... Are you a child of God? What does that make you? Ye are gods." This was, indeed, a shocking assertion but not a true one. Hinn attempted to prove his claim by twisting and misapplying Psalm 82. This is the same heresy taught by Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin and others.

As we conclude this documentation of the false claims and false teachings of Benny Hinn, we quote some excerpts from the message he brought before 18,000 people in Houston, Texas, on April 9, 1993. This entire message was carried worldwide on TBN. Note once again Hinn's claims to be giving information concerning things that have never happened before. Hinn said,

In Cincinnati, the Lord spoke to me-and He just said the words again. He told me, "I am going to anoint the people tonight to receive power over demons" ... Before you leave this stadium tonight, every person here will receive a fresh flowing of God's power on your life, and you are going to see demons bow when you say, "in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth." It has never happened before, but in a few minutes from now, every person here or at home is going to receive that anointing power over demons. Many people will be slain by the power of the Spirit by watching this tonight, and literally thousands upon thousands are going to receive power over Satan. We are going to bury the devil.

What a dangerous, unscriptural teaching this is! This impertinence is not a part of how God instructs the saint to contend.

The moral degeneracy of Charismatic leaders like Jim and Tammy Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart brought worldwide shame upon the name and cause of Jesus Christ. It took the secular media to expose the false claims and extravagant lifestyles of Charismatic leaders like Larry Lea, W. V. Grant, Robert Tilton and, more recently, of Benny Hinn. Although we know that the secular media is no friend of genuine Christianity, it is sad that it took unsaved liberals to blow the whistle on these world-renowned leaders. Of course, their own fellow Charismatics would not dare to reveal these unsavory policies and practices since most of them are involved in the same kind of chicanery themselves. It is amazing that Oral Roberts, who is considered the "grand daddy" of them all, is still able to bleed money from gullible Christians even after his major projects, which he claimed were mandated by God, have gone into bankruptcy. His latest fund-raising effort, in which he is joined by his son, Richard Roberts, promises a "double portion anointing" to all who send a gift at this time. The Roberts' appeal letter promises that this anointing "breaks the yoke of sin, sickness, disease, fear, poverty, demons, doubt, discouragement, depression -- anything and everything that is unlike God." What a deceitful hoax! How any true believer can support and defend such Charismatic leaders can only be due to their loss of spiritual discernment that enables Satan and his angels of light to hide their true identity and goals.

Because believers have God's Word in its entirety, the claims of Benny Hinn and all others who want Christians to accept their supposed new revelations from God are to be flatly rejected, and these individuals are to be classified as false teachers no matter how often their false claims are given "in the name of Christ." We should pray for all who have been taken captive by the snares of the devil, and we must follow God's Word in our attitude toward all men (2 Tim. 3:15; 4:1-8). It could be that some who are mixed up in this delusion might really be saved, but if they are then they are also terribly deceived. The most loving thing that can be done is to warn them of the dangers and point them to the Scriptures that clearly refute Charismatic error. If we keep quiet instead of "speaking the truth in love" as we are commanded, then we are guilty of not caring for those for whom Christ died (see James 5:19-20; 2 Tim. 2:23-26). The Truth needs to be faithfully proclaimed, and error must be exposed!

by M.H. Reynolds, Jr.