Where Is The Discernment?
Feb 2017
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The prophet Ezekiel said, “And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean” (44:23). How can we walk in the way that we have been called to walk without being able to discern the truth from error, the holy from the profane, and correct doctrine from the Devil’s lies? In the history of mankind, there has never been a time with more false religions, cults, and false doctrine in the church than there is today. Where is the discernment?
HOW CAN THEY BELIEVE THAT?
I have spent the last 28 years studying and teaching world religions and cults. There are times when students have struggled to see how people could actually believe what is being taught in the different false religions and cults. One thing we need to remember is that when a person is deceived, by definition, he doesn’t know that he’s been deceived.
DECEIVING THE ELECT—IF POSSIBLE
Jesus warned that in the last days there would be an increase of those claiming to be the Son of God. “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matt. 24:24). Saints of God, this is happening as I speak. This is not something down the road. This is happening in our country every day. Christians, who should know better, are being deceived alongside those who do not know Christ.
LET ME DECLARE IT CLEARLY
Let me declare it clearly that there was, is, and will forever be only one Son of God. There will never be another Jesus Christ born to mankind. There will never be another Messiah. The “spirit of the Christ”—kristos—will not be passed on to another man or woman. No human vessel will be sent by God to complete the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. When He said, “It is finished,” He meant it.
JESUS CHRIST WILL RETURN
Jesus Christ will return but not through any human vessel. There will be no second “virgin birth.” Jesus is not coming back as another man but as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is coming back for His church. “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thess. 4:16-17). He will descend from above and not arise through another human vessel. There will never be a second Jesus, a second Son of God, a second Messiah, or a second Christ. If someone claims to be, they are trying to deceive you!
TO DISCERN
The Greek word discern is diakrisin. It is a compound verb using the prepositional prefix dia meaning “through” and krino meaning “to judge.” For a Christian, it’s not enough to look at what is being presented in detail and then judging on the merits of what is presented. It is also going through—dia—God’s Word and judging—krino—whether or not what is said is indeed scriptural. If Christians would only do this, then they would properly discern between the holy and the profane, the clean and the unclean, and truth and error.
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