What is Discernment?

 

I've done many Bible studies and articles about discernment over the years, especially on our old board. The reason I kept doing them is because many people seem to think that discernment is a "feeling".  They constantly post things like, "I just knew something was wrong with it", or "I just had a feeling something wasn't right". It made me want to tear my hair out, because they would say that even after reading what the Bible says discernment is. And I can guarantee you that the Bible does not say discernment is a feeling or something you somehow just "know". That is intuition.  Here's how the dictionary defines intuition: "a thing that one knows or considers likely from instinctive feeling rather than conscious reasoning." So, what does the Bible say about feelings? God tells us NOT to rely on our feelings because they are corrupted. [See also: Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 28:26; Titus 1:15; Job 15:14–16; Psalm 64:6.] I'm not going to get into that any more here since there are a number of articles even in this forum that I've written on that subject. So we can know for sure that Biblical discernment has nothing to do with any feelings we may or may not have. 

Often, people who "just know something's wrong" will say, "the Lord told me" or "the Lord said". I always want to figuratively take a step away from them when they say or post something like that, waiting for the lightening bolt I guess. Why do I say that? Because they are actually saying that it's God's fault they feel or think the way they do, and by doing so they're attributing sin to God. Why is it sin? Because God tells us quite clearly in His Word what discernment is and what it isn't. Therefore, when we say that He says something different from His Word, it's a sin. I did that once, a very long time ago, and got so scared when I realized that I'd lied (since I didn't actually hear the voice of God and if I had, I'd have been flat on my face on the floor unable to speak anyway!) so I immediately confessed my sin to the person I had told, "the Lord told me" to.  I was just learning what the Lord says about thoughts, feelings, and our words, at that time.

Read Hebrews 5:12–6:3 so you can see Heb 5:14 in context: “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:14) Paul is telling them that it's through knowledge of the scriptures that we become discerning. Actually, it's a little more than that. It's through the love of Christ and His Word (the love of His Word, knowledge of His Word, and the constant use of His Word) that we gain discernment. Honestly, it all starts with love, the love of Christ. “And 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 until 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) 

When we're saved, God instantly pours His love into our hearts so we can love Him and His Word (Rom 5:5). That love grows as we read and study His Word, worship, pray, and walk out our faith.  God's Word often tells us to be on our guard not to get sucked into any false teaching. I used to worry about that, thinking that in order to keep away from it, that I had to know what the false teaching was. That's exactly what the world wants us to think though! (and who is behind the world's view?  Satan!) The Bible tells us the exact opposite! It says that the only way to be sure you won't fall for the false is to know and understand the Truth very well.

“Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” (2 Peter 3:17–18) In fact, we're told that everything we need for this life can be found as we grow in our knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 1:3)!

About that word, "knowledge". It's not speaking about book learning, like what we all had to do when we went to school and learned about Abraham Lincoln and everything else. For example, when Jesus says: ““I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—” (John 10:14) The commentaries say: This “knowing” refers to an intimate relationship, not just awareness. ^{The MacArthur Bible Commentary} The key to Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus. In Hebrew “know” implies intimate personal relationship, not facts about something or someone (cf. Gen. 4:1; Jer. 1:5). ^{Paul Bound, the Gospel Unbound}  There are many more but I think that's enough for now. 

Over the years, I've found that the more time I spend in God's Word, the more I love it and the closer my relationship to Jesus is. But I don't want to give the impression it's ONLY God's Word. Obviously, someone could spend 8 hours a day studying it, but if they aren't saved, they won't find the truth or have a relationship with Christ.  Now, if they're sincerely seeking truth, then yes, they'll find it, but the vast majority aren't. So the obvious 1st prerequisite is that you first must be saved. Those of us who are saved then have the Holy Spirit who will guide us and teach us all truth, (notice the words "know" in John 14:16–17). 

2nd, You can't have a personal relationship with someone if you don't talk to them. Right? So another part of knowing the Lord is talking to Him which we usually call "prayer".  But you certainly don't need to have some kind of formal prayers all the time. I talk to Him the same way I talk to you, my kids, or my husband. 

The 3rd thing is to be interested in the same things He's interested in. The things that excite our Lord should excite us. The things and the people He loves, we should love. The things He enjoys, we should enjoy. His priorities become ours. Actually, in the world, this sounds more like what happens when you're dating someone and want to please them. After marriage unfortunately, for many, this often gets tossed out the window because they were only faking their interests etc. But for us, with Jesus, that won't happen. The Lord will make sure of it! “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13) 

Last, we need to actually apply God's Word to our lives. Another way to look at it would be that we need to do the things that Jesus did, just like He did what the Father did. (John 5:19–20). Children who love their parents try very hard to copy them, and we should copy Jesus. He loved people, so we need to love them. He didn't just say He loved them, He showed it by His actions, and so should we. He forgave people who hurt Him, and continued His relationship with them. That's a hard one for us, but we need to remember that part of forgiveness is reconciliation when at all possible. 

This is how we get Biblical discernment.  I guess most people aren't interested because it certainly sounds like a lot of work, but when you love Jesus, it's really not. it will take time though and is something we will continually become become better and better at. Here are some scriptures that will help you understand discernment even better:

“My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.” (Colossians 2:2–4)

Please know that if you hover your mouse over the scripture reference, you'll be able to read the scripture itself. The following scriptures are from the Amplified Bible. I'm using it just to make the scripture very clear. But if you hover over the reference, you'll see it in the NIV translation too.

“For it is written, I will baffle and render useless and destroy the learning of the learned and the philosophy of the philosophers and the cleverness of the clever and the discernment of the discerning; I will frustrate and nullify [them] and bring [them] to nothing.” (1 Corinthians 1:19 AMP)

“Let no person deceive himself. If anyone among you supposes that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship], that he may become [really] wise.” (1 Corinthians 3:18 AMP)

“To the weak (wanting in discernment) I have become weak (wanting in discernment) that I might win the weak and over scrupulous. I have [in short] become all things to all men, that I might by all means (at all costs and in any and every way) save some [by winning them to faith in Jesus Christ].” (1 Corinthians 9:22 AMP)

“And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment],” (Philippians 1:9 AMP)

“PAUL, A bond servant of God and an apostle (a special messenger) of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) to stimulate and promote the faith of God’s chosen ones and to lead them on to accurate discernment and recognition of and acquaintance with the Truth which belongs to and harmonizes with and tends to godliness,” (Titus 1:1 AMP)

Paul's prayer outlines the way in which believers can experience true spiritual growth:

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:9–12)
Spiritual growth begins with a knowledge of objective truth revealed in Scripture: “what God has willed.” But we treat that truth with “wisdom and insight,” seeking to understand its practical implications for our daily life. We then apply God’s truth, making choices which please Him in every way and are “worthy of the Lord.” As we do live a worthy life, we “bear fruit in every good work” and we come to know God in a personal intimate way, not just intellectually but experientially as well. There is no end to this wonderful process that offers us so much. We can keep on studying His work, keep on letting God’s Word shape our choices and our character. As we do we will not only find our lives are fruitful, but also that we grow closer to the Lord. ^{The Bible reader’s companion}  

 

 

If you want more about this, here is a Bible Study on it by Mike Ratliff, who is an excellent teacher: First he recommends this short study

betterthansacrifice.org/2010/11/19/what-is-the-activity-we-call-discernment-really-all-about/

and then here is his study:

mikeratliff.wordpress.com/2024/10/20/christian-maturity-and-discernment/