About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:11-14
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11
Can we talk about discernment a bit? Obviously there are two types of discernment listed in the NT scriptures — general discernment of right and wrong and the gift of the Holy Spirit of discerning of spirits. Today let’s talk about general discernment. How do we learn what is right and wrong? First we learn from our parent’s point of view and morality as a very young child. Then we begin to learn from teachers and friends we play with. Eventually if we go through hard times and situations and we learn right and wrong the hard way by the consequences. Hopefully the parents have learning from God that they can distill into their children early. Hopefully the children have been taught to read the scriptures and ponder the contents and stories for themselves.
Actually my experience was one of a VERY early religious upbringing so I heard the scriptures talked about in a ‘church’ setting and by my family — and often it was just a ‘set’ of rules and you shouldn’t do this or that. But I had enough training to know there were consequences for wrong actions and words. But my real training in morality came from a deep relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit beginning around age 12, with the death of my grandfather who actually was my biggest example of a person who unabashedly loved Jesus. I would often catch him singing worship songs … when he was all alone. I missed him terribly. That event began my pursuit of the spiritual. From then on my education was taken on by the Holy Spirit — even I though I didn’t know it as the time. Throughout my teenage years – I went through REALLY big challenges which were very turbulent, physically, mentally, and emotionally. But I learned the scriptures which became ‘mine’, and the relationship with the Holy Spirit was cemented. His Voice saved me time and time again. I really can’t tell you how many times I was saved from an early death — but it was many. My life was now His and no longer belonged to me.
So I have a difficult time with those ‘ministers’ who don’t have very good discernment in the areas of right and wrong, OR say one thing and do another in their own privacy. I wonder how much of a relationship they have with the Holy Spirit. I wonder if they’ve compromised and seared their own conscience so much that they immediately dismiss His Voice within them — and if it was ever there in the first place. God places a conscience into every human — and from it there is an inherent understanding of right and wrong. But within this cursed environment — that conscience can quickly be diminished by our own wrong choices.
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. Romans 2:14-16
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 1 Timothy 4:1-2
This kind of situation is what we currently faced with in this season of time. So many people are choosing and making very bad choices. Cognitive dissonance is REAL, especially today. So many are led into very bad decisions because they can’t discern the lie. And or they’ve never trained themselves to hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit within them which would lead them to make the correct decisions.
How do you discern what is right or wrong? How do you make decisions? Do you think of scriptures you’ve learned? Or are you spiritually mature and you have learned how to ask the Holy Spirit what to do in every circumstance and decision? Can you hear His clear Voice within you? Is He actually the one who is showing you the path you are to take?
In this time of history it is becoming pretty clear who can hear Him and who cannot. Our actions are a very clear record of whom we are following. Often most people are following their lusts, and pride. Many are just manipulated by fear and greed. It seems all of our political leaders are just after power and position. Unfortunately I see this trend well established within many of the ‘career’ professional ‘ministers’. Real discernment is becoming rare. What are you doing to gain more discernment / wisdom?
Trust Jesus. Listen to His Voice. Ask the Holy Spirit lots of questions. Read the Word, and ask Him to show you and help you understand it. Let Him re-teach you the proper discernment of right and wrong, and how to spot the lie. Allow Jesus to teach you …everyday.