I’ve mentioned before how the attribute of discernment is sorely lacking among many Christians, and that reading the Bible is the best way to develop discernment skills. As is my habit, I’ll start this Q&A with an A.
A. Discernment is the most important skill that a Christian can have. Having it is partially a gift, but mostly the result of diligent work. Every Christian can and should develop sound biblical discernment skills.
Q. So what is discernment?
A. You know what wisdom is, right? Well, discernment is the heart of wisdom. It is simply good judgment and critical understanding derived from knowledge of the Bible. The Oxford dictionary says it is to “perceive clearly.” Our great-grandfathers might have called it “horse sense.” It is the wisdom and understanding that comes with experience.
In our secular lives, we develop social discernment skills through experience. At a fancy dinner party, belching out loud is rude and anyone who is discerning wouldn’t do it. At a ball game with your buddies however, it may be expected. This is a crude example of discernment, but it makes the point well enough.
At school, work, or home we know not to treat our teacher, boss or spouse with contempt. This also is discernment. To act otherwise would be ill advised and would result in painful repercussions.
In our Christian lives, twisting or ignoring the clear teaching of the Bible to fit our own desires is analogous to belching at a dinner party, sassing our teacher, ignoring the boss or disrespecting our spouse. It’s liable to get us thrown out or fired. The Christian equivalent is eternity outside the presence of God, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Q. Why is discernment so important?
A. 1 Kings 3: 9-10 tells us that Solomon’s request for “an understanding heart” to “discern between good and evil” was “pleasing in the sight of Lord”; so much so that God gave him “a wise and discerning heart” (1 Kings 3:12) as well as the “riches and honor” that he didn’t ask for (1 Kings 3:13). Discernment helps us to know the will of God and to glorify Him by making His will our will. This may not sound like a big deal, but consider the alternative; without discernment, we will live our lives outside of God’s will and will not bring Him glory. The alternative to Solomon’s blessing is a curse: God will be displeased with us if we willfully keep ourselves in ignorance and don’t develop the skills to discern good from evil.
As for why biblical discernment is important in our day, John MacArthur answers this question better than I ever could. Here is his startling conclusion:
All those who truly love Christ and care about the truth have a solemn duty to defend the truth by exposing and opposing these lies that masquerade as truth. If we fail in that duty because of indifference, apathy, or a craving for the approval of men, we are no less guilty than those who actively spread the lies. – John MacArthur
Q. How do you develop discernment skills?
A. The easy answer is, “Read the Bible and pray,” and any other answer more complicated than that just confuses the issue. But what is the best way to do this? Start out by reading the book of Proverbs. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs and 31 days in January. You can do this in just five to ten minutes each day. This will give you a solid foundation for increasing your bible knowledge and understanding. Then pray for wisdom and understanding to be given to you so that you can glorify God by rightly discerning His Holy Word.
I would also recommend a book called, “Now That’s A Good Question” by R.C. Sproul. It answers many difficult questions that both long-time and short-time believers will face.
Q. Once you have discernment, what can you do with it?
A. Discernment is like a good pocket knife; you have to carry it with you all the time. You have to learn how to use it efficiently and safely. Most importantly, you have to keep it sharp. Having biblical discernment enables you to judge between lies and the truth, or between truth and half-truths as is most prevalent.
Discernment will also allow you correctly judge the claims of people who say they know the Gospel when in fact; they may be distorting it or denying it altogether. The importance of this should be apparent.
Keeping your skills sharpened is done by staying in the Word – continuing to read the bible and listening to faithful teachers preach the Gospel.
Up next: How and when to use discernment, and some sample tests.
