"A DISCERNING MIND"

17 “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.”

Romans 16:17

If you are a believer who takes God seriously, you know that it’s not easy to live a victorious Christian life. Given the temptations and Satan’s influence in our world, not to mention the myriad of false teachings circulating in different religious circles, the battle is more real than ever. But the Bible tells us we can overcome; the only question is how?

Even during the infancy of the church, Satan had been deploying his demons to control men and preach false, deceitful doctrines. Paul’s exhortation is that believers should first identify false teaching and second, avoid it. Paul urges us to grow not just in love, but also in knowledge and discernment.

“Discern” comes from a Greek word that means “to distinguish, to separate by diligent search, to examine.” It is the ability to discriminate or make determinations correctly. It is directly related to wisdom. God’s word itself is to be used to discern the thoughts and intentions of a person’s heart. A discerning mind demonstrates wisdom and insight that goes beyond what is seen and heard. A discerning person acknowledges God’s word from falsehood.

With that in mind, we have to read the Bible all the more diligently and equip ourselves with the truth. I can’t think of a better way to protect ourselves against falsehood. As the saying goes, “It takes knowledge of the truth to identify the counterfeit.”

In this age of social media, we are exposed to different spiritual influences. Legitimate and false "ministries" are found everywhere. So, it is up to us to choose whose voices we listen to and whose message we believe. May God bless you with discernment as you seek His will.

Pursue the Savior today!

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash