"Discernment Ministries" | Newage to Grace Believer

Regarding "Discernment Ministries" and Obsessing Over Evil 

After leaving the newage, you will suddenly become aware of how much evil is in the world and of many of the deceptions, false teachings and lies in the world as well. Satan is the "god of this world " and he has a course for this world. 

Ephesians 2:2-3 KJB "Wherein in time past [before you believed the Gospel and were saved] ye walked according to the course of this world [ALL unbelievers walk according to the course of this world, not just people caught up in newage teachings], according to the prince of the power of the air [Satan], the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: [Satan's spirit literally works in and through ALL unbelievers] Among whom also we all had our conversation [our thinking and actions were in alignment with Satan's course for this world] in times past [before we believed the Gospel in which we now have God's Spirit living in us] in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; [these lusts include following after RELIGION including newage and any teachings that are contrary to God's word rightly divided; also includes the many other lusts of the flesh like lying, stealing, cursing, envy, gossip, sexual sin, etc] and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others [all unbelievers are sinners; all that an unbeliever can do is sin].

So, literally the world is run today according to Satan’s lie program. The Lord Jesus Christ created both heaven and earth and He is our God, savior and creator but Satan has temporary dominion over the Earth (stole it from Adam in the garden when he got Adam to sin) and has even corrupted some of the Heavenly places (the 2nd heaven) when he drew some of God’s angels to follow after him. The Lord Jesus Christ is forming the church the Body of Christ to reconcile the Heavenly places back to Himself and will use the believing nation of Israel (after this dispensation of grace is over, when God resumes his prophetic program with Israel) to reconcile the earth back to Himself. In the meantime, we are ambassadors for Christ, sharing the Gospel of the grace of God so that others might be saved. Our focus and attention needs to be on 1) sharing the Gospel of the grace of God with others, 2) reading, studying and believing God's word rightly divided and then 3) teaching other fellow believers sound grace doctrine rightly divided so that they can "come unto the knowledge of the truth."

We are NOT to spend all of our time trying to "expose" all of Satan’s lies because that would take up ALL of our time! We can, of course at times warn others of His deceptions but we need to make sure that a person is saved, then that they be established and edified in sound grace doctrine so that they can use proper discernment for themselves. 

What often ends up happening with many so-called "discernment ministries" or even sometimes so-called "apologetics" is that they get completely caught up in and obsessed about exposing everything. This can sometimes lead to paranoia, religious obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, scrupulousity and religious narcissism. (In fact, many of these people might actually struggle with religious OCD and scrupulousity, etc and not even realize it).

God also doesn't want believers overly focused on the evils of this world but to be heavenly minded - to keep our focus more on things above and on things that are good. We don't live in a bubble of course, and we are to be aware of Satan’s lies, but we can't live our lives obsessed over his lies and rarely ever focusing on God's great love and grace and the many things we have to be thankful for.

Ephesians 5:12 KJB "For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret."

Colossians 3:2 KJB "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

Phil 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

It is NOT your job to expose all of the evil teachings in the world but rather we can learn sound grace doctrine for ourselves and then teach it to others, so that they can use God's word rightly divided to have proper discernment for themselves. Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is judge and He will reveal the truth about all things. 

Revelation 20:12 KJB "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books [The Bible! People will be judged according to God's word rightly divided], according to their works."

When the Apostle Paul says to reprove someone, he means to speak with them privately and show them sound grace doctrine. If they reject it, we are to mark and avoid them (Gal 1:8-9). It really should be the male elders of a local assembly reproving other preachers who are teaching things incorrectly and it should be done in the spirit of love and meekness (Eph 5:1; 2 Cor 1:24; Gal 6:1). Much of the "exposing" community is a never-ending cycle of hatred, fear, paranoia and harsh judgment not to mention a lot of misunderstandings, slander and gossip. On YouTube specifically its also often about "click bait". Some of these exposing videos get millions of views, yet they usually don't give a clear gospel message alongside of their "exposing". Of course now with over 38,000 denominations in Christendom, it's not possible for grace preachers to reach every pastor personally who is teaching incorrectly! We have to make wise decisions about it. It's also different to talk about why specific doctrines are false, verses actually calling people or ministries out by name.

Also, I personally believe that women should NOT be calling out specific ministries, preachers or teachers by name, but we can teach others why specific doctrines are incorrect and then focus more on teaching sound grace doctrine. There is a specific order to the church. Women calling out false male teachers, is a woman usurping authority over a man, even if she's correct about him. When Paul says women are not to teach, he's referring to women being pastors of the local assembly. He says "nor to usurp authority over the man" in reference to keeping order in the church. Women should NOT be pastors of the local assembly. And they should also NOT be "calling out" or "exposing" specific false teachers especially if they are men. Again this would be a woman usurping authority over the man. Women can teach doctrine at other times and places. For example, when Aquilla and Priscilla taught Appollos more about Christ's heavenly ministry because all he had known was regarding John the Baptists kingdom gospel!

Acts 18:26

“And he [Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla [Husband and wife] had heard, they took him unto them, [not just unto her husband!] and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” This is a topic you could research more on your own.

So basically, this was just a little bit of caution about the so-called "discernment ministries" and those who call themselves "apologists" too, especially if they are women. We should be more focused on sharing a clear gospel message with others, teaching sound grace doctrine to others and living out the grace life (Christ living in and through you as a believer). 

Don't let others just have dominion over your faith. Study the Bible rightly divided for yourself.

2 Corinthians 1:24 says,

“Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.”

Acts 17:11 KJB, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."

2 Tim 2:15 KJB "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

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