In today’s complex and often contentious Christian landscape, the gift of discernment is invaluable. Scripture calls for believers to be vigilant, discerning between truth and error (1 John 4:1). Yet, this gift, if not exercised under the Spirit’s control, can easily devolve into a critical spirit. Understanding this distinction is crucial for effective ministry and personal spiritual health.
The Gift of Discernment
Discernment is a spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:10), intended to help believers distinguish between truth and falsehood, right and wrong. It plays a vital role in safeguarding the church against doctrinal error and moral compromise. Genuine discernment is grounded in love, aimed at guiding others towards truth and righteousness (Ephesians 4:15).
The Pitfall of a Critical Spirit
When discernment is not spirit-controlled, it can lead to a critical spirit. This shift often results in focusing more on pointing out faults than on fostering growth and edification. A critical spirit can stem from pride, self-righteousness, or an overemphasis on others' shortcomings while neglecting personal spiritual growth.
The Proliferation of Discernment Ministries
The rise of discernment ministries can be attributed to several factors:
Error is Rampant: In an age of misinformation and widespread doctrinal deviation, many feel compelled to address the numerous false teachings and practices infiltrating the church.
Biblical Ignorance is Epidemic: A lack of deep biblical knowledge among many believers has created a vacuum where discernment ministries seek to provide guidance and clarity.
Pride is Exponential: The rise of prideful attitudes can lead to ministries that focus on exposing others’ faults rather than fostering unity and growth within the body of Christ.
Responses to the Current Culture
Navigating the challenges of today’s cultural landscape requires wisdom and grace. However, many are ill-equipped to handle the complexity of these issues:
Lack of Experience and Training: Many individuals addressing cultural and doctrinal issues lack the necessary experience or training, often exacerbating the problems rather than resolving them.
Right Knowledge, Wrong Spirit: Those with the background and experience to address these issues sometimes do so with the wrong spirit, leading to division and discouragement rather than healing and edification.
Fear of Controversy: Some avoid addressing error altogether, not because they believe it is wrong to call out falsehood, but because they fear being labeled as negative or divisive. They prefer to focus on promoting positive aspects of the faith, aiming to build up rather than confront.
A Biblical Perspective on Criticism
In this day of confusion and lack of Spirit-filled/Spirit-led leadership, there is great danger of turning discernment into a platform for incessant critique. Ministries that major in straightening out everyone else and their ministries often lack the humility and grace that should characterize Christian leadership. In discerning right from wrong, it's essential to examine the spirit that motivates our actions. Notice this example from the New Testament:
The disciples once discerned wrong and wished to call down fire from heaven on the offenders. However, Jesus rebuked them, highlighting the importance of the spirit behind their actions (Luke 9:54-56). Jesus' response emphasizes that the Spirit of God is one of compassion and restoration, not destruction. Luke 9:55–56 - "But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village."
When evaluating our discernment, we must ask ourselves: Are our actions motivated by the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Galatians 5:22-23)? These fruits should guide our discernment, ensuring it builds up rather than tears down.
Balancing Discernment and Grace
How then do we distinguish between a critical spirit and genuine discernment? Here are some guiding principles:
Spirit-Controlled Motivation: Discernment should be exercised with the intention of building up the body of Christ, not tearing it down. Ask: Is my critique motivated by love and a desire to see others grow in their faith?
Self-Examination: Before pointing out the speck in someone else’s eye, we must address the beam in our own eye (Matthew 7:3-5). Genuine discernment begins with personal humility and repentance.
Constructive Approach: Genuine discernment offers solutions and guidance, not just criticism. It seeks to restore and encourage, not merely expose faults (Galatians 6:1). Are the "discerners" giving actionable steps to recover from the perceived error they are exposing?
Accountability and Wisdom: Public influence comes with the responsibility of accountability. This accountability takes on two forms. First, each person will be called upon in the day of judgment to account for their lives and how they conducted themselves. Second, public rebuke comes with the potential that the rebuker will also be challenged. When we consider our own faults and weaknesses, it should inspire us to treat others' shortcomings with gentleness and understanding. I was always taught that when you point a finger at someone, always remember that there are at least three, and maybe four, fingers pointing back at you. This gives a proper perspective. Jesus said in Matthew 7:1–2, "Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." This accountability should be handled with wisdom, avoiding unnecessary public confrontation that can lead to division rather than edification. Consider these verses in this context. II Timothy 2: 24-26 - And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Biblical Examples of Balanced Discernment
The Bible provides numerous examples of prophets and leaders who delivered messages of judgment balanced with hope and restoration.
Jeremiah: Known as the “weeping prophet,” Jeremiah’s ministry was filled with messages of impending judgment due to Israel’s sin. Yet, his prophecies also contained hope for restoration. In Jeremiah 29:11, God promises, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Noah: Noah’s message to the people was primarily negative, warning of the coming flood. However, there was hope in the ark, a means of salvation for those who heeded God’s warning (Genesis 6:13-18).
Jonah: Jonah’s message to Nineveh was one of impending doom: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). Despite the harsh message, there was an opportunity for salvation through repentance, which the people of Nineveh embraced, leading to their deliverance (Jonah 3:10).
The Apostle John: The Great Tribulation and the Millennium: Scripture speaks of the great tribulation, a time of unprecedented suffering (Matthew 24:21). However, this is followed by the promise of the millennium, a period of peace and righteousness under Christ’s reign (Revelation 20:1-6).
Jesus and Paul: Jesus' ministry often involved confronting the religious leaders of His day, challenging the Pharisees and Sadducees for their legalism and false teachings. Similarly, Paul regularly corrected doctrinal errors and false practices, both in synagogues and within the early church. Yet, both Jesus and Paul balanced their messages of correction with profound teachings of grace, love, and restoration.
Preaching the Truth in Love
Amidst the proliferation of discernment ministries, the tendency for individuals to take potshots at each other based on their views as "discerners" or others views of "critical preachers" only deepens divides among ministers. This environment creates a mess that hinders unity and effectiveness in ministry. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a return to the biblical mandate of "preaching the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). Paul’s exhortation reminds us that truth must be conveyed with compassion and grace, aiming to build up rather than tear down.
In an age where “discernment ministries” proliferate, it is imperative to understand the difference between a Spirit-led gift of discernment and a critical spirit. Discernment is meant to protect and edify the church, while a critical spirit often causes division and discouragement. The biblical examples of Jeremiah, Noah, Jonah, Jesus, Paul, and the overarching narrative of Scripture teach us the importance of balancing messages of judgment with hope and restoration. Let us aim to exercise our gifts in love, humility, and truth, always seeking to glorify God and edify His people.
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