True Biblical Discernment (Pt 2)

Before my study on discernment, some more trees to see:

In an earlier post I had a picture of this weeping willow dancing in the wind. Another thing I like about the weeper (my nick name for such a tree) is that they are one of the first of the deciduous trees to produce foliage in the spring and one of the last to lose their leaves in the fall.

The following weepers originated as branches from the tree above.


The biggest one is over 7 feet tall after one and a half years of growth from a few inches of a branch.

The second is already 6 feet after one year. They survived after their water froze in the garage over the winter. They are very easy trees to reproduce.

Back to something of more importance:

Psalm 119:18-19
“Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your law. I am but a foreigner here on earth; I need the guidance of your commands. Don’t hide them from me!” -NLT

I am continuing this study here knowing I can do nothing except what God grants to me. No human, no other being anywhere in all existence in the heavens or below has any authority to produce in any one of us an understanding of God’s Word. Only that which is given to us from the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ via the person of the Holy Spirit will save us from the darkness of this present age and the ruler of this worlds systems including those that talk like they are soooo spiritual and pure. Some religious or cultic leaders would have you believe that you can not understand God or His Words except through their so-called “gifted” help. These blind leaders of the blind are not on the Throne of God even though they, as Satan does, may wish to be. And as the Scriptures make clear, Satan himself can transform himself into the appearance of an “angel of light” or a “minister of righteousness”.

Consider the relevant definition of the word "appearance":
look, exterior, outer shell, facade, outward show

Only God in His own wisdom and mercy reveals Himself and the real truth and balance of His own Words (that of the heart and mind of Christ) to those whom He wills. One thing is for sure, we need no further words of apostolic or prophetic revelation from any man or spirit than those already established for us from Christ’s founding Apostles and Prophets.

Ep. 2:20
“having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,”

Ep. 3:5
“which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:”

Heb. 1:1-2a
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son,” (emphasis added to bring out the past tense)

All Scripture has been completed since the infancy of the Church. And we are well past that stage. No one may add to Scripture or take away from it without the consequences of falling into the hands of an angry God who said “vengeance is mine, I will repay”. Those who use His words for their own little kingdom at their own feet will be repaid by God‘s just wrath in due time if they do not repent of this beguiling perversion. Therefore considering the goodness and severity of the Lord, His Mercy and Truth are not to be taken lightly as it is with those that have seen a way to manipulate others by perverting and peddling the Word of God for their own gain. Whether the personal gain is self-exaltation or aggrandizement, money or material, power or control, or otherwise selfish ends, it is a fearful thing to rebel as Korah, deny as Cain, or be greedy as Balaam and offend God in this way. For Paul said himself:

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8).

Accursed from the Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon means:

“a thing devoted to God without hope of being redeemed, and if an animal, to be slain; therefore a person or thing doomed to destruction, a curse, a man accursed, devoted to the direst of woes”

Jude 10-11 declares:
“But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.”

If this sounds very frightening it definitely should. Man’s intelligence (what they know naturally) coupled with human pride and unity (guised as spiritual maturity) was the cause of God’s judgment on the Tower of Babel. Cain, who had an unacceptable offering, was jealous of Abel’s acceptable offering to God and killed his brother for this. There is only one acceptable offering which is foundational in the Kingdom of God and that is Jesus Christ's death on the Cross. In this fact we see also only one acceptable “Truth of the Gospel” as Paul phrased it in speaking of those who would have tricked others into legalistic bondage:

Gal. 2:5
“to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”

But Peter was rebuked by Paul in this matter. In effect Paul said to Peter that he must accept and express salvation as 100% completed by Christ and 0 % of our own works. For Peter could not say that Jesus was a “minister of sin” by not doing what He promised in completing this work for us. And it is not possible to have even the slightest trace of legalism in our doctrine or we are saying, in effect, that Christ wasn’t good enough and we have to do something ourselves. Even if it is only said to be 0000000001% or less of the work necessary to earn and complete our salvation, it says Christ lied when He said He died for all of our sin and also said “it is finished”.

Now for the matter of who God reveals Himself and the Truth of the Gospel we go to Scripture. First of all Jesus said this as He was reminded of OT Scripture:

Matthew 21:16
And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read,
‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have perfected praise’?” (from Ps. 8:2)

Matthew 11:25-27
“At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

And the Apostle Paul’s Holy Spirit inspired words on this matter:

1 Corinthians 1:26-29
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

And James agreed:

James 2:5
“Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” (emphasis added to show God’s choices)

2 Cor. 2:9-10
“But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”

Many are cunning or wise as to how Scripture can manipulate others to their own following. As Jesus said:

Mt 24:4-5
“And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.”

Consider this for a moment if you will. The “many” that come in Jesus name are the many various false teachers and apostles or other forms of liars or deceivers. All of which have separate and different claims of being “of Christ” or a “Christ Himself”. Therefore each of the followers of each of those leaders may vary in amount. There are smaller cults and there are larger cults. But unfortunately the “many” will follow their cunningly perverted but “apparently righteous” leaders. If the followers have it set in their system of belief that this particular leader is “the chosen one of God for today”, it follows that their leader can do no evil; therefore, whatever he directs them to think and do is good --even if it seems unethical or immoral or contrary to other words in the Bible-- because “GOD” would never tell them to do evil so it is better to accept this than what their conscience is saying about it. Searing of the conscience is the end result and the more often this occurs the more normal this “spiritual” way of life seems to be OK.

I can’t seem to see the end of this study yet so I will be praying and looking forward to sharing more on this in the near future, Lord willing.

Until then sleep right and don’t let the spiritual perverters bite.

Scripture quotes from -nkjv unless noted