Characteristics of the Modern Gift Believer

Before I cover the characteristics of the Modern Gift Believer I’d like to give some background of how I arrived at these characteristics.

I was part of this movement when God first saved me over 20 years ago. My background was one of a musician who was lost in drugs and finally alcohol. God sent me a man who gave me the gospel (I Cor. 15:1-5) and God gloriously saved my wretched soul back in the spring of 1981. With no one to guide me except the one who gave me the gospel I started attending “full gospel” churches. I was excited because most of the people seemed happy and upbeat and this was contrary to the life I had been leading for the past 12 years.

I attended many services my first 6 months but never had a peace about it. Confusion reigned over my life during this time. But God, who is rich in mercy, led me to a Bible believer who sat me down, took an AV1611 and showed me real Bible truths for the first time and I was delivered! The two things that brought me out was the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and a King James Bible believer who cared for my soul and taught me right division (dispensational truth).

Now, after 20 years or so I’ve observed some things about the “gifters”. What I am going to show you are what I believe are the general characteristics of the modern “gifters”. Now I worded that carefully – I said GENERAL. I do not believe all “gifters” fall into the characteristics I will list below. I believe these characteristics are found in others also.

Characteristics:

  1. Generally there is a lack of Bible understanding of the foundational doctrines of the faith, especially justification for they generally believe you can lose your salvation.
  2. Generally there is an abundance of worldly music in their personal lives and church services.
  3. Generally there is a lack of awareness of the old writers (Jonathan Edwards, John Owen, Thomas Watson, Richard Baxter, etc.).
  4. Generally they are easily provoked, especially in regards to their gifts.
  5. Generally they are motivated by fleshly experiences.
  6. Generally their services are inundated with women teachers and preachers.
  7. Generally they focus their Bible reading and study on Jewish books instead of the Pauline epistles (except, of course, for I Cor 12-14).
  8. Generally they have little understanding of Paul’s prison epistles (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I and II Timothy, Titus and Philemon).
  9. Generally they follow the modern translations over the tried and tested AV1611.
  10. Generally the women run the homes and now some of their churches.
  11. Generally TV is full of these kinds of preachers so the world thinks this is fundamental Christianity.
  12. Generally they are not soul winners.
  13. Generally their leaders have produced little, if any, sound writings for future generations.

Now why do these characteristics follow this group? I believe it is because most of them could possibly be lost. They may be nice, sincere, and friendly people (unless provoked). They may be able to quote many Bible verses, search Google for numerable articles for debate, build big churches, and generally follow basic Christian teachings but they are still lost for the most part. Why are they lost? God has not called many of them to salvation so they’ve called themselves. Also, see point 1 above.

Again, there are some “gifters” that do not fall into all the above and there are others in other denominations that fall into some of the above. But, for the most part the above characteristics fit most of the “gifters”. You say, “That is your opinion.” Yes, you are right, that is my opinion and I am sure you have yours – that is one of the things that makes this nation so great.

This may sound hard and judgmental but we are living in the last days and perilous times are here. It is easy to say a Muslim, Hindu, or an atheist is not saved and spend much wasted time debating them but the truth of the matter is we, as Bible believing saints, must be able to discern who among “professing” Christians are really saved for two reasons:

  1. To protect ourselves, family, and churches from their errors.
  2. To be able to pray for them that God might open their eyes to the true gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ taught by the apostle Paul.

May God bless