A friend of mine recently stated, “if a Christian is unable or unwilling to exercise discernment, there is no way they can do apologetics.” I am finding that in an increasing number of cases leaders who were once able are becoming unwilling. The ways of the world and the desire to be liked have all but doused and drenched the fire in the bellies of those who once contended strongly for Biblical truth.
Here is a question and some great answers to ponder as the days grow darker for apologetics and discernment ministries:
Is the Discernment ‘Gene” Becoming Recessive in the Body of Christ?
I engage in many conversations with my fellow Christians about various issues, not the least of which is the current predicament in the church. I’m speaking about the proliferating doctrines, practices and beliefs that are rampant among Christians that follow popular pastors, televangelists, and authors and other leaders that are not biblically sound.
Too often I get a frown of disapproval, especially if I happen to be ‘picking on’ a favorite teacher of theirs, and invariably I get the somber warning: “Touch not God’s anointed”! This begs the question of, Who is God’s anointed?
1 Chronicles 16:16-22 indicates that God’s anointed are connotatively, the collective nation of Israel, and denotatively, the prophets of Israel.
Strictly speaking then, you can’t apply that to any New Testament pastor or teacher; this is not to say that such aren’t anointed of God, but that particular admonition is allocated to Israel and her prophets, not the church.
On the contrary, we are admonished to receive [any] word (teaching, etc) with a ready mind, and then to search the scriptures to see if these are so (Acts 17:11).
However it seems that in today’s church what matters most is the popularity of the message (and the messenger) rather than the biblical accuracy of the message, or conduct of the messenger as being an “approved workman of the Word”.
This makes me wonder, Where is the discernment in the church today? Why aren’t Christians perceiving the leaven, that is, false doctrines that are promulgated in the ‘cutting edge’ (often mega-) churches?
2 thoughts on “When truth tellers are no longer “on fire””