Playing With Holy FireSýnishorn

DAY 1: Why Are We So Gullible?

We Charismatics are so gullible. 

Part of our gullibility goes back to something that is precious in God’s sight, namely, a childlike faith where we simply take Him at His Word. After all, who would have believed the gospel story if it weren’t written in Scripture? Some people think we’re crazy for believing that almighty God decided to save humanity through a crucified, resurrected Jewish carpenter. Why shouldn’t we believe some preacher today who makes a seemingly outlandish claim?

The Word of God tells us not to believe every spirit but to test the spirits. Paul was concerned about the gullibility of the Corinthians, since they were so easily duped by the false apostles. The Bible frequently warns us against deception and tells us to beware of false prophets and false teachers. This means that being childlike in our faith does not mean being naïve. Gullibility is no more a fruit of the Spirit than skepticism.

If we would just exercise the smallest amount of discernment, we would stop falling for gimmicks. Enough with our foolish gullibility. May a spirit of true, mature faith arise, and may we stop acting like little children.