Comments on: The Vital Importance of Biblical Discernment http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/ A Ministry of Shepherds' Fellowship Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:43:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: The Emergent Church Movement and Your Mom’s Church » Strangers and Exiles http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-4877 Wed, 27 Dec 2006 20:57:23 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-4877 [...] By popular demand - Pulpit Magazine on Biblical Discernment [...] […] By popular demand - Pulpit Magazine on Biblical Discernment […]

]]> by: sixsteps | 2 Samuel 6:13 » False Faith http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-4033 Tue, 12 Dec 2006 04:41:14 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-4033 [...] We live in a postmodern age and culture of apostasy where we must be continually exercise discernment in all aspects of our lives, especially in our relationships with seekers, Christians and churches.  As it Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thess. 5:21-22)  With this mindset of discernment in hand, let us use the mind of Christ we have been given to make careful distinctions in our understanding of truth and error, right and wrong, true Christians and apostates–so that we can measure everything and everyone against the very Word of God. [...] […] We live in a postmodern age and culture of apostasy where we must be continually exercise discernment in all aspects of our lives, especially in our relationships with seekers, Christians and churches.  As it Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thess. 5:21-22)  With this mindset of discernment in hand, let us use the mind of Christ we have been given to make careful distinctions in our understanding of truth and error, right and wrong, true Christians and apostates–so that we can measure everything and everyone against the very Word of God. […]

]]> by: sixsteps | 2 Samuel 6:13 » Dizzernment = discernment! http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3432 Sat, 25 Nov 2006 07:43:44 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3432 [...] -John MacArthur on Pulpit Magazine. Tags [...] […] -John MacArthur on Pulpit Magazine. Tags […]

]]> by: Morris Brooks http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3374 Thu, 23 Nov 2006 05:42:14 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3374 The two parts to discernment are foundation and examination. There must be a foundation, a foundation of truth to bring everything to. Then there must be examination of everything in light of that truth. Most people are not naturally discerning ie P. T. Barnum's comment that there is a sucker born every minute. So combine that with our postmodern culture where truth is subjective and relative, and discernment gets thrown out the window. With the acceptance and promotion by the church at large of books like "The Purpose Driven Life", "Wild at Heart", and "The Barbarian Way" it is obvious that multitudes of pastors and staffs are not well enough grounded in the Scriptures to be able to smell the wolf under the sheep's skin. In I Timothy 4:6 Paul tells Timothy to point out false teaching to the brethren as he is being constantly nourished on the words of the faith and sound doctrine he had been following. Hmm, maybe this is an exhortation for us all, but especially to those who shepard the flock. The two parts to discernment are foundation and examination. There must be a foundation, a foundation of truth to bring everything to. Then there must be examination of everything in light of that truth. Most people are not naturally discerning ie P. T. Barnum’s comment that there is a sucker born every minute. So combine that with our postmodern culture where truth is subjective and relative, and discernment gets thrown out the window.

With the acceptance and promotion by the church at large of books like “The Purpose Driven Life”, “Wild at Heart”, and “The Barbarian Way” it is obvious that multitudes of pastors and staffs are not well enough grounded in the Scriptures to be able to smell the wolf under the sheep’s skin. In I Timothy 4:6 Paul tells Timothy to point out false teaching to the brethren as he is being constantly nourished on the words of the faith and sound doctrine he had been following. Hmm, maybe this is an exhortation for us all, but especially to those who shepard the flock.

]]> by: Seth McBee http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3321 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 17:32:00 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3321 The very key to understanding on why to know doctrine is so you know how to live a godly life. Colossians is filled with speaking of Christ being our wisdom and Christ being our full sufficiency in all knowledge. And then in Colossians 3:17 Paul tells us why it is so vital to lean only on Christ for our wisdom: Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father Discernment is vital to Christian growth and sanctification for the mere matter of knowing how to "walk in the same manner that He walked" (1 John 2:6) The very key to understanding on why to know doctrine is so you know how to live a godly life. Colossians is filled with speaking of Christ being our wisdom and Christ being our full sufficiency in all knowledge. And then in Colossians 3:17 Paul tells us why it is so vital to lean only on Christ for our wisdom:

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father

Discernment is vital to Christian growth and sanctification for the mere matter of knowing how to “walk in the same manner that He walked” (1 John 2:6)

]]> by: Lane Keister http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3316 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 16:34:15 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3316 Thanks for this, Dr. MacArthur. We cannot hear too often how much doctrine and practice intersect. Right doctrine-right practice; wrong doctrine-wrong practice. Thanks for this, Dr. MacArthur. We cannot hear too often how much doctrine and practice intersect. Right doctrine-right practice; wrong doctrine-wrong practice.

]]> by: Shane http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3314 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 16:28:16 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3314 Nathan Excellent points! I would agree. I read the Bible on a regular (daily) basis, though I don't always have time for a detailed study of specific passages. Yet it's amazing what the mind does retain. Sometimes "out of the blue" a situation will arise and a Bible passage will enter your mind at the right time. I have also noticed how the Scriptures do keep our mind clean. Reading the Bible daily is a great help in fighting sin. It aids in changing one's desires. I liked your point about the running water, that was a very good analogy. God bless. Nathan
Excellent points! I would agree. I read the Bible on a regular (daily) basis, though I don’t always have time for a detailed study of specific passages. Yet it’s amazing what the mind does retain. Sometimes “out of the blue” a situation will arise and a Bible passage will enter your mind at the right time. I have also noticed how the Scriptures do keep our mind clean. Reading the Bible daily is a great help in fighting sin. It aids in changing one’s desires. I liked your point about the running water, that was a very good analogy. God bless.

]]> by: Jacob http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3312 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 16:05:06 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3312 The sad but true part of all of this is that it's not by any means only the average Christian who doesn't practice discernment it's the pastor and teachers who are supposed to be shepherds keeping out the wolves. When we as pastors fail to be discerning then our congregations are all the more in trouble. It's true that discernment is for every believer, but we as the shepherds need to set the standards and inform our people about the wolve on the other side of the pasture. No argument from me however that it is familiarity with the word of God that will sharpen the minds eye to be watchful for false teaching and to discern right and God pleasing decisions from wrong ones. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." Also it is the word of God that discerns the "thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Heb. 4:12) With earnest study of God's word we can be equipped to avoid the pitfalls of life. And God's word will reveal area's of sin that we need to repent from so that we may walk in right standing with Christ. The sad but true part of all of this is that it’s not by any means only the average Christian who doesn’t practice discernment it’s the pastor and teachers who are supposed to be shepherds keeping out the wolves. When we as pastors fail to be discerning then our congregations are all the more in trouble.

It’s true that discernment is for every believer, but we as the shepherds need to set the standards and inform our people about the wolve on the other side of the pasture.

No argument from me however that it is familiarity with the word of God that will sharpen the minds eye to be watchful for false teaching and to discern right and God pleasing decisions from wrong ones. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”

Also it is the word of God that discerns the “thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12) With earnest study of God’s word we can be equipped to avoid the pitfalls of life. And God’s word will reveal area’s of sin that we need to repent from so that we may walk in right standing with Christ.

]]> by: Nathan http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3309 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:45:34 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3309 Part of discernment is to cultivate a mind conditioned to think God's thoughts after him. Too often, I think, we tend to approach discernment as application of specific verses to specific situations. In other words, discernment becomes an exercise in applied law; and if there is no specific law, we get confused and bothered. This is where regular reading of the whole Bible--above and beyond detailed study--is important. You don't always need to remember the details to get the proper conditioning. Reading large portions of Scripture, portions too large to remember, is like running water through a sieve. The sieve may not hold much water, but it sure stays clean. And a clean mind is the one of the best organs of discernment, particularly when a so-called "gray area" is under review. Part of discernment is to cultivate a mind conditioned to think God’s thoughts after him. Too often, I think, we tend to approach discernment as application of specific verses to specific situations. In other words, discernment becomes an exercise in applied law; and if there is no specific law, we get confused and bothered.

This is where regular reading of the whole Bible–above and beyond detailed study–is important. You don’t always need to remember the details to get the proper conditioning. Reading large portions of Scripture, portions too large to remember, is like running water through a sieve. The sieve may not hold much water, but it sure stays clean. And a clean mind is the one of the best organs of discernment, particularly when a so-called “gray area” is under review.

]]> by: Joyce http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3307 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 13:32:58 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2006/11/21/importance-of-biblical-discernment/#comment-3307 It never ceases to awe me how God works...very timely article postings. I thank God through Christ Jesus on your behalf. It never ceases to awe me how God works…very timely article postings. I thank God through Christ Jesus on your behalf.

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