Discernment

Ecclesiology – Spiritual Gifts – Discernment

Overview

Discernment is a gift from God concerning the ability to distinguish good from evil, or things that are from God apart from the things that are not from God.

Definitions & Etymology

Greek word G1252 – Diakrisis – properly, a thorough judgement or discernment. Which distinguishes a ‘look – a – like’ or things that appear the same, counterfeits from the truth. Discern, distinguish, pass judgement.

Discernment is from God

The Bible teaches us that discernment, or the judgement of what is right, comes from God. God teaches us what is right. Man is born with a conscience and an innate sense of the existence of good (Jer 31.33) however this sense is corrupt (Rom 3.10-12, 8.21, 1 Corin 15.33) and can become seared over time (1 Tim 4.2), allowing people to become less sensitive to the things that are wrong.

The Holy Spirit is able to convict His people of the things He desires them to understand, so they may be removed from what is wrong.

When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9. about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10. about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11. and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. – John 16.8-11

The Bible teaches us not to depend on anything in the world, not even our own hearts for proper judgement for discernment can only come from God and what He teaches us.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight – Proverbs 3.5-6

Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people? – 1 Kings 3.9 (God granted in v.12)

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. – James 1.5

I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes. – Psalms 119.125

Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment. – John 7.24

(Jesus said) Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves – Matt 10.16

Discernment Comes from Wisdom & Knowledge

The Bible teaches us that discernment come from a proper understanding of concepts, experience and wisdom. God gives people discernment of various subjects as they have lived through them and how to avoid various fallacies.

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet – Proverbs 3.21-24

… the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere – James 3.17

… this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ – Phil 1.9-10

The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly. – Proverbs 15.14

Folly brings joy to one who has no sense, but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course. – Proverbs 15.21

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out. – Proverbs 18.15

The rich are wise in their own eyes; one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are. – Proverbs 28.11

Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them – Hosea 14.9

Discernment is from the Word of God

The Bible teaches us that discernment comes from the word of God. Those who are trained truths of God’s word (v.12) and in the teachings of God’s word are able to distinguish between good and evil.

… though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13. Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. – Hebrews 5.12-14

… the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. – Hebrews 4.12

the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. – Acts 17.11

Our Lord Jesus taught us that His words are truth, they are Spirit and they are life (John 6.63).

• See more – Sola Scriptura

Recognizing the Spirit of Truth from Error

The Bible teaches us how we can recognize the spirit of truth from error; as anything or anyone that listens and is therefore consistent and obedient with the word of God is of the truth. All doctrine or teachings that opposes or goes outside of the Bible is of the spirit of error.

We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. – 1 John 4.6

Discernment is from the Holy Spirit – Spiritual Gift

Discernment is a spiritual gift, and as we have learned before, spiritual gifts are a manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

… to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues – 1 Corinthians 12.10

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments – 1 Corin 2.14-15

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. – 1 John 2.27

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12.2

Testing of Spirits and Deception

The Bible teaches us that we are to test every Spirit and never assume anything is from God without examining it and judging it for ourselves. We are test all things by the Words of God as we can always be assured that God will never contradict Himself, for He is not the author of confusion (1 Corin 14.33). There are many spirits attempting to deceive humanity every moment and under every guise.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. – 1 John 4.1

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. – 1 Tim 4.1

Any teaching that does not line up with the sound (clear) teaching of Christ is from a deceiver. These are clear signs that what you are witnessing is not from God but either a deceiving spirit or someone that is speaking presumptuously on behalf of God, a false teacher.

If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain – 1 Tim 6.3-5

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. – Col 2.8

For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.14. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. – 2 Corin 11.13-14

The Bible teaches we are to review every prophecy and teaching with strict discernment and judgement in the Church. Everything should be carefully weighed but other believers and hold the speaks accountable for everything said.

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. – 1 Corin 14.29

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. – 1 Corin 14.33

… (about prophecies and teachings) but test them all; hold on to what is good, – 1 Thessalonians 5.2

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. – Rom 12.9

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good – Romans 12.21

References

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/thats-good-recovering-lost-art-discernment