"A DISCERNING MIND"

17 “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.”

Romans 16:17

If you have been a believer for quite some time, you would understand that it’s not easy to live a victorious Christian life, given the temptations and Satan’s influence in our world—not to mention the myriad of false teachings circulating in different religious circles. But the Bible tells us we can overcome, the only question is how?

Even during the infancy of the church, Satan had been deploying his demons to control men and preach wrong, deceitful doctrines. In today’s verse, Paul’s exhortation is for believers to first identify false teaching and then, avoid it. Paul urges us to grow not just in love, but also in knowledge and discernment.

“Discern” comes from a Greek word that means “to distinguish, to separate by diligent search, to examine.” It is the ability to properly discriminate or make determinations. It is directly related to wisdom. God’s word itself is to be used to discern the thoughts and intentions of a person’s heart. A discerning mind demonstrates wisdom and insight that goes beyond what is seen or heard. A discerning person acknowledges God’s word from falsehood.

With that in mind, we should read the Bible diligently and equip ourselves with the truth. I can’t think of a better way to protect ourselves against falsehood. As the saying goes, “It takes knowledge of the truth to identify the counterfeit.”

In this age of social media, we are exposed to different spiritual influences. Both legitimate and false ministries are found everywhere. So, we must choose whose voices we listen to and whose message we believe.

May God bless you with discernment as you seek His will.

Pursue the Savior today!