A call to Discernment

Why are we called to discernment?

1. The Bible commands us to be sound in doctrine.
2. Titus 1:9 (NKJV) 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
1. This begs the question: How do we exhort and convict if we don’t have sound doctrine? How do we even know what contradicts the Word of God without sound doctrine?
2. Romans 6:17 (NKJV) 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
3. How can you obey that which you do not understand?
3. We can conclude that doctrine is essential in our walk with God

So what is the most important doctrine?

The Gospel

The clearest articulation of the Gospel is in 1 Cor 15: 1-8

1 Corinthians 15:1-8 (NKJV)
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

Key Components:

1. Verse 1. Declares that this is the Gospel
2. Verse 2. Declares that the Gospel saves you. This means that a false Gospel will NOT save you, thus emphasizing the importance of a true Gospel
1. Paul understood this well, outlining the importance of the true Gospel in Galatians
2. Galatians 1:8-9 (NKJV)
   8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
3. Accursed here is anathema in the Greek. It means “devoted to destruction in some instances and “set apart as Holy” in others. You can probably figure out which one this is based on the context.
4. In the Septuagint, it is used of the animals that are part of the Levitical sacrifice for our sin.
5. This is not a good place to be in.
3. Verse 3 is where so many cults fail to rise to the occasion and fall into a false Gospel
1. Christ

                                                              i.      Understanding His death means understanding Him. Since Christ is not a name, it’s a title, the understanding goes beyond a simple acknowledgement that someone somewhere died for you.

1.      Deity must be acknowledged, because to misunderstand this means a false Christ is being trusted.

2.      2 Corinthians 11:3-4 (NKJV) 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted--you may well put up with it!

                                                            ii.      For example, if I say that Paula loves Sausage Pizza, I don’t really know her. I can say I know her, but I don’t know her because I don’t understand her attributes.

1. Sin-Once you understand who Christ is, you must understand why you need Him
2. Romans 3:19-26 (NKJV)
   19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

                                                              i.      These verses are very important to understanding the Gospel.

1.      No one is just under the law. (No flesh, every mouth stopped)

1. The total necessity and sufficiency of Christ.                                                               i.      The righteousness of God comes THROUGH faith in Jesus Christ, and NOTHING else… v25 and 26

                                                            ii.      To trust anything else is to place your trust in the wrong place. There are two judgments…one before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10), and the other before the White Throne.

                                                          iii.      The second is the White Throne Judgment, a judgment of works

1.      Revelation 20:12-13 (NKJV)
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

                                                          iv.      God hates iniquity. All the righteousness that we can muster is nothing more than a filthy Rag in God’s sight. Christ can be our only righteousness

                                                            v.      We must NOT trust in our own righteousness, for we will end up at the wrong judgment

1. The resurrection. Resurrection in the Greek is anastasis.
1. Stasis in the Greek is the “act or condition of standing” #. Ana is the Greek word root meaning again
2. Many cults deny a bodily resurrection. The problem is, the very meaning of the word implies the body rising up again. If the spirit rises, it’s not again….
3. His appearance includes many fleshly things…eating on the shore, the holes in his hands (Wrists) and side, etc
2. Gospel Summary
1. Who: Messiah (Jesus) and His characteristics
2. Why: For our sins
3. How: Resurrected…His sacrifice was accepted!
4. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone by Christ alone

How does this tie into discernment.

1. The first and most important thing to discern is the importance of various doctrines. Why?
1. We are required to divide over certain things.

                                                              i.      2 John 1:10-11 (NKJV)
10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

1. At the same time, we are not to dispute over petty things

                                                              i.      Titus 3:9 (NKJV)
9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.

#. So where does that leave us?

1. The first step is understanding the importance of various doctrines. The Gospel is of primary importance. We must divide over those who preach a false Gospel.  

An example: Credo v Pedo Baptism… aka sprinkle v dunk

1. Whether to Baptize a person when they’re a baby or not seems on the surface to be a secondary issue…and many times it is. One theologically strong mainstream denomination, the Presbyterian Church of the USA (PCUSA) believes in sprinkling. So does the Catholic Church. The important thing is, the Catholic Church’s belief in sprinkling shows us the Catholic Church preaches a false Gospel. The PCUSA’s belief shows the opposite
1. PCUSA: Westminster Confession Chapter 28.5

                                                              i.      Although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated, or saved, without it; or, that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated.

1. Para 1263 of the 1994 Catholic Catechism

                                                              i.      By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin.66 In those who have been reborn nothing remains that would impede their entry into the Kingdom of God, neither Adam's sin, nor personal sin, nor the consequences of sin, the gravest of which is separation from God.

                                                            ii.      An important note is that their definition of reborn requires baptism…they treat John 3:5 as implying a requirement for baptism

1. The conclusion, for someone who attempts to discern is that the first matter, while perhaps being an incorrect interpretation of scripture, does not impinge upon the Gospel, which requires Christ’s sacrifice to be our ONLY payment for sins. In the latter, our sins are forgiven by something WE do, not what Christ DID. #. This is why RC Sproul and John MacArthur can speak at the same conference (T4G), but no Catholics were invited. This is why the current trend towards an ecumenism with the Catholic Church when she remains unchanged, is an indicator of lack of discernment, not only among the broader “Christian” population, but among evangelical leaders. #. While the Word is a litmus test we must apply to everyday life, the Gospel is what we must apply even to our associations. We can obviously associate with the unsaved, but to associate with those that preach a false Gospel is dangerous and not condoned in Scripture

1. We must also remember that we live in two separate ways, to two separate groups of people
1. Fellowship: Those who believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ
2. Evangelism: Those who do not believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ
2. We MUST judge.
1. We can never judge the heart.

                                                              i.      We must, however judge what people say they believe. If not to comdemn, at least to help them understand what they believe.

1. If we do not judge, how do we know which group to place people into?

1. In the end, we must apply the Word of God as our rule for everyday life.
1. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 (NKJV)
   15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. #. And it’s a constant battle. Why do we do it? Why all this trouble?
2. Become God’s instrument to save souls (God does the saving)
3. Glorify God…the reason for which we were created (1 Pet 4.11 and 1 Cor 10:31, 2 Pet 3:18)
4. Rachel and Leroy…
5. Raising up my children to be strong in doctrine.