More and more as the years go by, conventional Christianity keeps taking a departure from Biblical Christianity as written to us by the early Apostles in Scripture.
Let's examine four unbiblical practices that have invaded the church.
"You have to speak in tongues."
During a recent prophetic meeting in Lagos, Nigeria, the prophetess mounted the podium and said, "The psalmists have done their part, now it is your turn to work." What did she mean by this? She meant that it was time for the congregation to speak in their "heavenly language" (tongues) and to "shift the atmosphere."
In a situation like that, what happens to a member of the congregation who does not speak in tongues?
Let’s note two things:
Such situations put pressure on the Christian to speak in an incomprehensible language that they do not understand
Most importantly, nowhere in Scripture are Christians told that they must speak in tongues. Speaking in tongues is not a fruit of the Spirit and is not a necessity today. It was for the era of the early church as a sign to accompany the preaching of the gospel so that Jews would believe that they were indeed sent from God when they heard the Christians speaking their native languages (tongues).
Even if you are not a Cessationist and you do not agree with point 2, do you agree with point 1?
Christians are under constant pressure in churches and Christian gatherings to “speak in tongues”. Walking with Christ and pursuing a pure life is more than this.
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:1
"You should be wealthy."
Nowhere in Scripture are Christians instructed to be wealthy, yet social media is replete with Christian personalities who are preaching this dangerous prosperity gospel that tries to convince Christians that they can "have it all”.
Notice in the screenshot above how warped this person's theology has gotten that they call God a sugar daddy. When the mind is focused on materialism, theology suffers greatly. Furthermore, Christians are not called to “have it all”; they are called to carry their cross and follow Christ.
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Matthew 16:24-26
As a side note: the fact that the author of the Instagram post above believes the Holy Spirit wrote a book through them (which, in essence, would be Scripture) is very concerning.
"You can speak the reality you want into existence."
To put this succinctly, this is a New Age practice and it is unbiblical.
We’ve dealt with how New Age practices have seeped into the church here:
"You should hear God speak to you audibly."
Everything that God wanted to tell you, he has told you through the written word, which he has preserved for millennia - the Bible. You do not need to hear God audibly today. He has carefully written to you in the Bible and he covered all the bases through the prophets and apostles when he spoke.
Many People who push the idea that God speaks to them directly (like the individual above who alludes that the Holy Spirit told them what to write in a book they are marketing) usually do so to use their closeness or intimacy with God to brag, what Chris Rosebrough calls "the glow in the dark Christian"; the "look at me, I am so close to God and I can teach you how to be too" badge that is often used to sell Christian courses and books on social media. Proponents of this doctrine say things like "having coffee with Jesus", "taking a drive or a walk with Jesus". This is a form of Gnosticism.
Conclusion
To put this all together, the idea that you have to:
do certain things to "activate" heaven
take certain steps to be intimate with God
speak what you want into existence (manifest)
speak in tongues
hear the voice of God audibly
be materially wealthy as sign that God is with you...
...is not biblical. They instead put unnecessary pressure on the Christian and do not lead to salvation.
Salvation is this - that Christ died in your stead to save you from the wrath of God. While this concept is simple, it is the narrow way and very few find it.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Matthew 7:13-14