Last week I ran across the following quote from a Charismatic: "One with an 'experience' is never at the mercy of one with an 'argument.'"

The idea behind this quote is that those who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit are right with God and those who have not received this baptism or refuse to acknowledge this baptism are in an inferior position. It feeds to one's sense of pride - "I have something you do not have. You can never be the kind of Christian I am until you have with I have." Such a frame of mind renders a person "unteachable" and hopelessly caught in Satan's snare.

According to the Bible, one's faith comes from the word of God (Romans 10:17), not from our feelings or experiences. If our faith is based upon the word of God, there is a ground upon which one can reason with another (Isaiah 1:18). However, as long as one's faith and conviction is based upon his feelings or experiences, there is no basis upon which he can reason with another. His feelings and experiences will always "trump" the arguments that are offered up against him.

While I do not doubt their sincerity, the religion of Charismatics creates a perfect trap. Charismatics encourage people to desire and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Once the individual gets excited and talks himself into believing he has received this baptism, he is told to never allow anyone to offer an "argument" against this "experience." Unless it reinforces his experience, he is to ignore any argument anyone may make - even if it comes from the Bible. Thus, Satan has caught him in a snare, and he is told to reject the one thing that can set him free. Jesus said, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32). The truth shall set us free from any snare of Satan, but this truth is only found if we will abide in the word of God. When one is taught to prefer emotion and experience over the word of God, he is purposely denying himself of the only avenue through which he can be set free.

Those who believe they are superior Christians because they have desired and experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit are actually no different than the multitude of people adrift in the religious world. Like many others, they are relying upon their feelings rather than upon the word of God. They have been quoted as saying, "I would rather have what I feel in my heart than what is written in a whole stack of Bibles," yet the Bible says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). Such a person is adrift in a sea of error with a deceptive compass, programmed to ignore and insult all efforts to guide them to safety.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit was not promised to every believer. It was promised to the apostles in order to equip them for their work (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:4-8). I benefit from the work the apostles were able to do through the Holy Spirit. I am "led by the Spirit" (Romans 8:14) by setting my mind on the things the Holy Spirit has revealed in His word (v. 5), not by following my feelings or an inner voice.

Contrary to the claims of Charismatics, I do not need the baptism of the Holy Spirit to become a better Christian. The word of God thoroughly equips me for every good work. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Think carefully, if all Scripture makes me "complete" and "thoroughly equipped" for "every" good work, what need do I have for the baptism of the Holy Spirit? How can it make me better than I am with the word of God?

Those who believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit is for Christians today have fallen into the snare of Satan. As long as they prefer "experience" over "argument" they will remain in this trap.