Discernment Needed -- False Teaching Part 2

Today I want to make some quotes from the book "Fool's Gold? Discerning Truth in an Age of Error" by John MacArthur and others. It's been some time since I've read this book, but it was a good reminder for me as I paged through it last evening.

"Nothing is more desperately needed in the church right now than a new movement to reemphasize the need for biblical discernment. Without such a movement, the true church is in serious trouble. If the current hunger for ecumenical compromise, pragmatic sanctification, and numerical success continues to gain a foothold within evangelicalism, it will result in unmitigated spiritual disaster." Introduction -- John MacArthur

"When churches or individual Christians lose their resolve to discern between sound doctrine and error, between good and evil, between truth and lies, they open themselves up to every kind of error. But those who apply biblical discernment consistently, in every area of life, are sure to walk in the wisdom of the Lord (Prov. 2:1-6)." Introduction -- John MacArthur

"The church will never manifest its power in society until we regain a passionate love for truth and a corollary hatred for error. True Christians cannot condone or disregard anti-Christian influences in their midst and expect to enjoy God's blessing. (Romans 13:11-12 and Philippians 1:9-11)" Introduction -- John MacArthur

"If we are going to be discerning people, we must develop the skill of discriminating between truth and error, good and bad. In the original language the Hebrew word for 'discernment' conveys the same idea as our word 'discrimination.' It entails the idea of making distinctions. In essence it means to separate things from one another at their points of difference in order to distinguish them." Page 22 -- John MacArthur

"Does Scripture tell us how to be discerning? It certainly does. Paul sums up the process in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22: "test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." Page 22 -- JM

"Everything I read, for example, goes through a grid of discrimination in my mind. If you were to look through my library, you would instantly be able to identify which books I have read. The margins are marked. sometimes you'll see approving remarks and heavy underlining. Other times you'll find question marks -- or even red lines through the text. I constantly strive to separate truth from error. I read that way, I think that way, and of course I preach that way. My passion is to know the truth, and proclaim it with authority...Any church leader who does not feel the burden of this duty ought to step down from leadership." Page 23 -- JM

(Note: I can't even give my books away, because people don't want to read through all my notes! In fact, I can't even read a book if I don't have a pen handy -- I'll hold off until later.)

"The same careful discernment Paul demanded of pastors and elders is also the duty of every Christian." Page 23 -- JM

WHAT ABOUT THE PASSAGES THAT SAY, 'DO NOT JUDGE'?

"The spiritual discernment Paul calls for is different from the judgmental attitude Jesus forbade in Matthew 7:2-5. Obviously, what Jesus condemned was the hypocritical judgment of those who held others to a higher standard than they themselves were willing to live by. He was certainly not suggesting that all judgment is forbidden. In fact, Jesus indicated that taking a speck out of your brother's eye is the right thing to do -- if you first get the log out of your own eye. Elsewhere in Scripture we are forbidden to judge others' motives or attitudes. We are not able to discern "the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb. 4:12). That is a divine prerogative...What is forbidden is hypocritical judging and judging others' thoughts and motives. But other forms of judgment are explicitly commanded. Throughout Scripture the people of God are urged to judge between truth and error, right and wrong, good and evil. (John 7:24, 1 Corinthians 10:15). Clearly, God requires us to be discriminating when it comes to matters of sound doctrine." Page 25 -- JM

The Thessalonians were gullible and susceptible to believing everything, like little children who put everything into their mouths.

"Why were they so vulnerable to false teaching? Surely it was precisely because they lacked biblical discernment. The Thessalonians did not examine everything in light of God's Word. If they had, they would not have been so easily hoodwinked. And that is why Paul urged them, "Test everything." Page 27 -- JM

And the Thessalonians were at a disadvantage compared to us today. They didn't have all the resources that we have. For instance, they didn't even have the whole New Testament at that point in time. We certainly have no excuse!

Paul said that what was written in Scripture was and is authoritative, inspired truth. Part of the problem with the lack of discernment in the church today is when different religions will add their own "Tradition" to the Word of God and the leadership of those churches will point people to the "Tradition" instead of the Word of God. This "Tradition" often directly contradicts the Word of God. Anything added alongside Scripture and given equal authority is indicative of false religion.

Paul did speak about the traditions that were taught by them as apostles to the church. But they were apostolic traditions. They are connected with the Word of God itself. The "traditions" necessary for Christians to be discerning are recorded for all ages in the text of Scripture. This verse cannot be used to support the man-made "Traditions" of some religions today.

"With this in mind, 2 Thessalonians 2:15 cannot be used to support the claim that extrabiblical, spiritually binding "apostolic tradition" is passed down verbally through popes and bishops. Paul's whole point was that the Thessalonians should treat as authoritative only what they had heard from his own mouth or received from his own pen. That body of truth -- the Word of God -- was to be the measuring stick they used to examine all things...Therefore, Paul is affirming that the Bible is the only reliable criterion by which believers in this age can evaluate any message claiming to be truth from God." Page 28 -- JM

We're to hold fast to what is good and abhor what is evil. This speaks of jealously safeguarding the truth. It demands careful watchfulness; we're to guard the treasure of the gospel. The truth is given into our custody, and we are charged, as Christians, with guarding it against EVERY POSSIBLE THREAT.

"This describes a militant, defensive, protective stance against anything that undermines the truth or does violence to it in any way. We must hold the truth securely, defend it zealously, preserve it from all threats. To placate the enemies of truth or lower our guard is to violate this command...'Hold fast' also carried the idea of embracing something. It goes beyond bare assent to "that which is good" and speaks of loving the truth wholeheartedly. Those who are truly discerning are passionately committed to sound doctrine, to truth, and to all that is inpsired by God...Every true Christian has this quality to some degree. All true believers hold fast to the gospel." Page 29 -- JM

"The attitude this calls for is incompatible with the suggestion that we should lay doctrine aside for the sake of unity. It cannot be reconciled with the opinion that hard truths should be downplayed to make God's Word more palatable for unbelievers. It is contrary to the notion that personal experience takes precedence over objective truth. God has given us His truth objectively in His Word. It is a treasure that we should protect at all costs." Page 30 -- JM

There are self-proclaimed "prophets" and preachers out there today who need to be put into the light of this intense scrutiny of the Word of God.

"Experience and feelings -- no matter how powerful -- do not determine what is true. Rather, those things themselves must be subjected to the test..."That which is good does not refer to that which is entertaining. It does not refer to that which garners accolades from the world. It does not refer to that which is satisfying to the flesh. It refers to that which is good, true, accurate, authentic, dependable -- that which is in agreement with the infallible Word of God. When you find such truth, embrace it and guard it like a treasure." Pages 30-31 -- JM

We are to abstain from every form of evil (1 Thess. 5:22) which means to hold oneself back, keep away from, shun.

"In this context, the primary reference seems to be evil teaching -- false doctrine. Having examined everything in light of God's Word, when you identify something that does not measure up -- something that is evil, untrue, erroneous, or contrary to sound doctrine, shun it...Scripture DOES NOT GIVE BELIEVERS PERMISSION TO EXPOSE THEMSELVES TO EVIL." Page 31 -- JM Emphasis mine.

"We are to reject evil however it appears, to shun every manifestation of it. This explicitly rules out syncretism. Syncretism is the practice of blending ideas from different religions and philosophies...The only proper response to false teaching is to shun it. Erroneous doctrine is no place to look for truth. There is usually some point of truth even in rank heresy. But it is truth out of balance, corrupted truth, truth mixed with lies and therefore rendered dangerous. Shun it." Page 32 -- JM

"Satan is subtle. He often sabotages the truth by mixing it with error. Truth mixed with error is usually far more effective and far more destructive than a straightforward contradiction of the truth. If you think everything you read or hear on Christian radio and television is reliable teaching, then you are a prime target for doctrinal deception. If you think everyeone who appears to love the truth really does, then you don't understand the wiles of Satan. 'Satan disguises himself as an angel of light,' Paul wrote. 'So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). Pg. 33 -- JM

"Satan also disguises his lies as truth. He doesn't always wage war openly against the gospel. He is much more likely to attack the church by infiltrating with subtle error. He uses the Trojan horse strategem by placing his false teachers in the church, where they can "secretly bring in destructive heresies" (2 Peter 2:1). He puts his lies in the mouth of someone who claims to speak for Jesus Christ -- someone likable and appealing; then he spreads his perverse lies in the church where they can draw away Christ's disciples (Acts 20:30). He attaches Bible verses to his lies (Matthew 4:6). He uses deception and hypocrisy. He disguises falsehood as truth. He loves syncretism. It makes evil look good....That's why we are to examine everything carefully and shun whatever is unsound, corrupt, or erroneous. It is deadly. Millions in the church today are being overwhelmed by the Trojan-horse ploy calling for the integration of secular ideas with biblical truth. Others are easily duped by anything labeled Christian. They don't examine everything. They don't hold fast to the truth. And they won't shun evil. They are left vulnerable to false doctrine and have no defense against theological confusion." Page 33 -- JM

"Doctrinal error is all around us. Often it looks very good -- that's why so many fall prey to its deception. And that is also why God gave us His Word, so that we would have a measuring stick by which to examine every spiritual or theological message we encounter." Page 33 -- JM

The goal of exposing error in the name of true religion today is not to be unloving, but to guard the treasure that has been entrusted to us.

"In fact, Scripture makes it clear that this type of examination is inherently loving, as God's people are called to think biblically and exercise discernment. To do anything less will only result in spiritual anemia (Hosea 4:6)." Page 34 -- JM