Discernment Ministries

There are multiple sources for what is termed "discernment ministries". These ministries have made it their aim to sound the alarm, so to speak. They set out to point out to the flock the false teachers and dangerous ideas that are swirling about in and among the true believers and true doctrines of the church.

In Paul's letter to the church in Philippi he includes a request that they would "join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us." (Phil 3:17) That might sound self-serving, but he explains why he said it.

For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. (Phil 3:18)

That might seem a little odd in our world where we're repeatedly urged to "judge not" and to leave off suggesting such nasty things like "They're enemies of the cross of Christ." I mean, who are we to say? Well, Paul appears to believe that "discernment" is a true ministry and it ought to be practiced. There are genuine "enemies of the cross of Christ" who would certainly be among us and could easily lead people astray.

What does Paul say are the tell-tale signs of this group of people?

Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. (Phil 3:19)

We know their end; how do we recognize them? First, note that they are not "believers" -- they are idolaters whose god is their own appetites (Rom 16:18). They sacrifice only to themselves. They operate in the senses -- lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (2 Tim 3:4). They worship self-indulgence and sensual gratification. Second, observe that their values are inverted; the things that should bring shame are the things in which they glory. What God calls error they call valuable. What God calls abominable they call delightful. What God calls sin they call good and right. Underlying all this, of course, is the third item listed. That point is what causes the first two. Their minds are set on earthly things. Their god is not the heavenly one, but the one shaped by worldly values. Their morality is not God's morality, but the moral codes shaped by worldly values. The origination of their perspectives and perceptions are earthly things, not heavenly ones. You can spot this pretty easily, usually. Their positions will begin with self and the world rather than God's Word. Their doctrines will be premised on cultural and societal and self-made origins rather than God's Word. The starting point for their lives is "earthly things", not "things above" (Col 3:2).

So, Paul here argues for so-called discernment ministries, the recognition of false believers who appear to be with us but who are "enemies of the cross of Christ." He gives us some insight into their characteristics so we know what to look for. There is one key point in which Paul differs from most of the "discernment ministries" I've seen. In almost every case I've encountered, the approach of these ministries is one of moral outrage, of righteous indignation. Not Paul. He warned the Philippians "with tears." That's not outrage; that's sadness. You see this back in Romans when Paul wrote about his own people who were not saved (Rom 9:1-3). His outlook was "great sorrow and unceasing anguish." He even says, "I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers." (Rom 9:3) That, dear reader, is not righteous indignation; that is compassion.

It is important that we recognize the false. We are repeatedly told to defend the faith, to watch for the false teachers, to realize that there will be those coming out from among us who will lead us astray if we're not vigilant. Much of the New Testament was written for this very reason. But underlying all of this we have the constant command that was given back in the Old Testament and reinforced repeatedly throughout the Word -- "Love one another." (e.g., Lev 19:18; Matt 22:39; John 13:34; John 15:12, 17; Rom 12:10; 2 Cor 13:11; Eph 4:2; 1 Thess 4:9; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 John 3:11; 1 John 4:7; 2 John 1:5) All the fine discernment of false teachers and false teaching is, in Paul's words, "a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal" (1 Cor 13:1) without love. If the prime motivation is "correction" or even "defense" and not love, we're wasting our time. The mark of a true believer, according to Christ, is not "doctrinal purity" or "freedom from error", but "if you have love for one another." (John 13:35) We do need to watch for error, but we need to start with a motivation of love for our neighbors in general and our brethren in particular. Without love, our defense is error.