Pentecostalism
Dr. John K. Mathew
Pentecost means 'fiftieth' because this feast was held fifty days after the Feast of First fruits. It reads in Leviticus, " You shall count fifty days to the year after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord. You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of wheat flour, baked with leaven. They are the first fruits to the Lord". (23:16-17).
The calendar of the Jewish Feasts in Leviticus 23 is an outline of the work of Jesus Christ. Passover pictures His death as the Lamb of God. Apostle Paul underscores this in his first epistle to the Corinthians. "Therefore purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new batch since you are unleaved. For even Christ, our Passover has been slaughtered for us" (5:7). The feast of first fruits pictures His resurrection from the dead. Again, Apostle Paul vouches for it in the same book." But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came by man, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (15: 20-22). Fifty days after first fruits is the Feast of Pentecost, which pictures the formation of the church. At Pentecost, the Jews celebrated the giving of the law, but Christians celebrate it because of the giving of the Holy Spirit to the church.
But 'Pentecostalism' can be defined as an intense form of revivalism so that it is always been criticized for the lack of proper theology. The fact is it is not true!
Guy P. Duffield, the author of the book, 'Foundations of Pentecostal Theology', clearly states that, "the Pentecostal movement is not just based on an inspirational experience. It is grounded upon the entire Bible as the Word of God. We are Bible believing people. We subscribe to all the counsel of God. Our spiritual blessings are balanced by the doctrinal teachings of the Scriptures so that we might be rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith".
For Pentecostals, there is nothing greater than the Scriptures which is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim.3; 16,17). (Paraphrased).
That doesn't mean that we should worship the Bible as fetish: but we do worship the God and the Savior that the Bible tells us about. And because we love our God and our Savior, we love dearly and devotedly the Book that is from Him and about Him. Nobody can deny the fact that Pentecostalism is the fast-growing faith in the world. In spite of all the trials and persecutions, Pentecostalism is thriving. The simple reason is that they believe in the Bible and the God Bible presents.
