Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: March 23, 2008
“From Heaven or Of Men?”
THE PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCH, ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH,
AND NAZARENE CHURCH (Part 1)
Marvin L. Weir
During His earthly ministry Jesus asked the chief priests and elders a question that every
person sincerely concerned about his soul's eternal welfare should take to heart: "The
baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men…? (Matt. 21:25). This question
must be asked of churches and doctrines today! So without any animosity for any person
but nonetheless seeking truth we ask, "From whence came the Pentecostal Holiness
Church, Assembly of God Church, and Nazarene Church -- from heaven or from men?
The Pentecostal Holiness Church was organized in 1898 at Anderson, South Carolina. It
was, however, the Wesleyan Holiness Movement of the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries that set in motion what would eventually become the Pentecostal movement of
today. This group believes in miraculous healing, Holy Spirit baptism, and ecstatic
utterances (speaking in an unknown tongue) and utilizes extreme emotionalism to achieve
desired results.
The General Council of the Assemblies of God was formed in Hot Springs, Arkansas in
1914. Members of different religious groups decided to unite together in one body and thus
be more effective in their ministry. An organization was agreed upon and the Assemblies of
God movement began. In 1916 this church chose Springfield, Missouri as the place for
their headquarters. This group also believes that as a result of the baptismal measure of
the Holy Spirit that people will be able to heal the sick and speak in unknown tongues.
It was from a Pentecostal background that the Nazarene Church was formed under the
leadership of Rev. Phineas F. Bressee in Los Angeles, California in 1895. In 1907 the
Nazarene church and the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America (founded in
1894) merged to form the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. In 1919 the General
Assembly dropped "Pentecostal" from the name and it became officially known as Church of
the Nazarene. This group believes in divine healing and the baptismal measure of the Holy
Spirit.
A study of the Bible reveals that the Lord's church was prophesied by Isaiah (2:2-3) and
Micah (4:1-2) some 750 years before it has its beginning. Jerusalem was the designated
place for the Lord's church to begin.
Christ said to some during His earthly ministry, "There are some here of them that stand
by, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God come with power"
(Mark 9:1). The words "church" and "kingdom" are used interchangeably (Matt. 16:18-19)
and the Colossian brethren were delivered out "of the power of darkness, and translated
us into the kingdom of the Son of his love" (Col. 1:13). Christ promised to build His church
(Matt. 16:18) and it was purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28).
Friends, any religious group that began somewhere other than Jerusalem on Pentecost of
A.D. 33 and was founded by some man or group of men is not the church of my Lord!
Regarding these religious groups we are now discussing we ask, "Did they come from
Heaven or from men?" The answer is obvious – none of these groups were established by
the right person (Christ) at the right time (A.D. 33) in the right place (Jerusalem).
Space will not permit us to study all of the doctrinal errors of these three religious groups.
People are encouraged, however, to search the Scriptures as did the noble Bereans to see
whether or not the things they have been taught are true (Acts 17:11). God's Word (the
Holy Bible) is true (John 17:17) and if man teaches differently from the Holy Scriptures
then "let God be found true, but every man a liar…" (Rom. 3:4). As God has said, "Come
now, and let us reason together…" (Isa. 1:18).
HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM WAS A PROMISE TO THE APOSTLES
The baptismal measure of the Holy Spirit is not available for people today. First, note that
Holy Spirit baptism was a promise given to the apostles and not a command for believers
to obey today! To the apostles Christ promised, "But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your
remembrance all that I said unto you" (John 14:26), [ emphasis MLW ]. Again, Jesus
declared to the apostles, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you
into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall
hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come"
(John 16:13), [emphasis MLW ]. Shortly before His death the Lord again instructs His
apostles, "And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the
city, until ye be clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49), [emphasis MLW ]. In the
book of Acts the apostles were told to wait in Jerusalem "for the promise of the Father"
(Acts 1:4). This "promise" was Holy Spirit baptism that would empower the apostles as
Christ's witnesses throughout the world (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit appeared as promised
on Pentecost while "they" (the apostles) were all in one place (Acts 2:1) and "they [the
apostles] were all filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4), [emphasis MLW ].
The one baptism valid today is water baptism (Eph. 4:5), and it is authorized by Christ in
giving the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16). Man cannot impart Holy
Spirit baptism and Christ has not promised to give it to any who believe and obey His will
today. In a futile attempt to prove that believers should expect Holy Spirit baptism today
those who advocate such say it is evidenced by the same sign described in Acts 2:4 –– the
speaking in an unknown tongue.
SPEAKING IN UNKNOWN TONGUES
The word "unknown" (1 Cor. 2, 4, 13, 14, 19) is not in the original Greek language and has
been supplied by the King James translators. It was an attempt to simply stress that the
apostles spoke in languages they had not previously studied. It was an unknown tongue
(language) to the apostles but those to whom they were speaking understood the language.
According to the Bible, speaking in tongues was a sign for the unbeliever and not the
believer (1 Cor. 14:22). When this writer, however, challenged one who claimed to speak in
tongues to demonstrate his claim, he quickly said he could not do so because I was an
unbeliever!
The Scriptures read that the apostles on the day of Pentecost "began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). The crowd was amazed and marveled
that these men were Galileans and yet they were hearing "every man in [his] own tongue,
wherein [he was] born" (Acts 2:7-8). The legitimate tongue speaking on Pentecost and
during the early age of the New Testament church was not some unintelligible gibberish
but rather intelligent communication in a language known to the listener. In the early days
of the church one was not to speak in a tongue unless there was one available who could
interpret (1 Cor. 14:27-28). Folks today who claim to "speak in tongues" do not have a clue
as to what they are saying and neither do the people who are listening to them. Such a
situation hardly qualifies as edification and is of no benefit to anyone.
[WILL CONTINUE NEXT WEEK]