Learn to Discern

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)

A few years ago, I made a trip to Washington, D.C. and along the streets were all kinds of vendors. Snack shacks, t-shirt huts, and presidential memorabilia were lined up like a curbside bazaar. One man had a table set up that advertised, “Rolex watches—Great Deals!” He wasn’t kidding, for only $50 I could own a replica of the Omega that James Bond sports in the movies.

The well-dressed Indian man behind the counter assured me that these watches had a lifetime guarantee and that if I ever had trouble with one I could just send it back to the manufacturer. I was already suspicious, but I really knew I was dealing with a fake when I examined the watch face and noticed the spelling of this particular brand—R-O-L-E-X-X.

In the marketplace of spirituality there are numerous fakes, knockoffs, and counterfeits. It has been said that Satan is not a creator, but a great imitator. For every one of God’s truths, Satan has concocted ten counterfeits that look right, sound right, and feel right. This is why knowing true Biblical doctrine and developing the discipline of discernment is so vital.

Discernment is the skill of being able to tell the difference between good from evil, fact from fiction, black from grey. Charles Spurgeon said, “Discernment is not just knowing the difference between right and wrong. It’s being able to tell the difference between right and almost right.” Discernment looks beneath the surface and reads between the lines.

A Christian without discernment is like a submarine in a harbor plowing full speed ahead without radar or periscope. Or a loaded 747 trying to land in dense fog without instruments or radio. Lots of noise, a great deal of power, good intentions, until . . . bam! Disaster.

John tells us to “test” the spirits to see if they are from God. In the original language that word “test” comes from the world of pottery. In fact, the English word “sincere” comes from two Latin words: sine (without) and cera (wax). In the ancient world, dishonest merchants would use wax to hide defects, such as cracks, in their pottery so that they could sell their merchandise at a higher price. More reputable merchants would hang a sign over their pottery — sine cera (without wax) — to inform customers that their merchandise was genuine.

That’s what we must do every day, especially in the digital age when we are constantly bombarded with information and fake news. Does the conspiracy theory video we’re watching hold up to critical scrutiny? That catchy tweet from a celebrity preacher sounds good, but it is biblically based? The sensational headline we clicked on has lured us in, but what is the writer’s real agenda?  

Satan is so tricky and here’s the thing about deception: you don’t know you’re being deceived until its too late! Remember that 99% of rat poison is healthy food, it’s the 1% that kills. Just so, a Devilish lie can contain a kernel of truth, that has been corrupted and distorted slightly. How do we develop discernment? Read the Word every day. Memorize it even. Think critically. Break ideas down and compare them to the Bible. Be like the Bereans. “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11).