Last November I posted about Strange Fire and quoted Tom Chantry:
The main argument of the Strange Fire Conference appears to have been that any Charismatic belief engenders a lack of discernment, enabling the worst sort of Charismatic excess. That’s it. Pretty simple statement, right? Now I didn’t attend or listen to the messages, but I know that’s the argument. I read one article by Phil Johnson, saw some tweets, and I think it’s pretty clear that that was the argument.
But it’s worse than that. Charismaticism is a spiritual distraction from the gospel. Try telling a poor man that his real problem is sin, his real danger is hell, and the real solution is the cross. He’s caught up in trying to figure out the magic formula to get on the Holy Spirit Gravy Train to sudden wealth and comfort. Work with him though you may, when he goes out into his neighborhood a dozen “churches” tell him they have that formula, and the gospel is snatched away. Charismaticism plays the role of the birds in the Parable of the Sower.
~Tom Chantry
Phil Johnson, of Grace to You, agreed with Chantry's thoughts.
If Charismaticism and mysticism are a spiritual distraction from the Gospel, actually playing a role in the birds of the Parable of the Sower, then why is John MacArthur at Together For The Gospel with John Piper and Matt Chandler (both mystic Charismatics)?
Furthermore, why is Piper there when his own view is that a person (particularly a Roman Catholic) can reject the imputation of Christ's righteousness (that is, Justification by faith alone) and still be saved, be at a conference about "the gospel"?
Which gospel?
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