Cessationism - Episode 12 - What is discernment? Is there such a thing as a discernment ministry?

Our next Episode in the cessationism series.

Additional Episodes:

• Episode 1, the Perfect.
• Episode 2, the apostles.
• Episode 3, prophecy.
• Episode 4, the closed canon.
• Episode 5, extra biblical reasons.
• Episode 6, only the apostles had all truth.
• Episode 7, there were only limited periods of miracles.
• Episode 8, tongues.
• Episode 9, the work of the Holy Spirit.
• Episode 10, does God speak only through the Scriptures?
• Episode 11, what about impressions?
• Episode 12, what is discernment? 
• Episode 13, the sufficiency of Scripture.
• Episode 14, Was the purpose of miracles restricted to the authentication of the apostles?
• Episode 15, Is revival excluded because of apostasy?
• Episode 16, is prophecy subjective?
• Episode 17, Could only the apostles confer miraculous powers or gifts?
• Episode 18, are charismatics functional cessationists?

Our criteria for the cessationism debate is that the argument must

1. be from the Bible
2. Not appeal to contemporary expressions of charismata
3. Not appeal to silence
4. Not appeal to events or practices of history

That is, any defense of cessationism must be Sola Scriptura.

Introduction

A cessationist is a Christian who believes that the "supernatural" gifts of the Spirit, including prophecy, tongues, words of knowledge, as well as signs and wonders, did not continue after the death of the last apostle. This is contrasted with a charismatic, or perhaps, a continuationist, who is a Christian who believes the Bible's descriptions of the "supernatural" gifts of the Spirit apply to today's church and should be embraced.

Cessationists also believe that the supernatural existed largely or solely to validate the apostle's ministries, so that their teaching, eventually contained in the NT, would be attested to. With the completed canon of the Bible, there would be no longer a need for these supernatural validations, and thus these things ceased. The reason, they say, is that since signs and wonders had the sole purpose of validating the ministries of the apostles, they are no longer needed because the apostles are gone and we have the completed Bible.

From this they conclude that the Bible is the complete and final revelation of God, and thus He speaks only through the Scriptures today.

Part of the reason they make this claim is if they can restrict the supernatural only to the apostles' ministry, they can invalidate the idea that the supernatural persists to present day.

This series will examine these and other claims.

"Discernment Ministries"

We should first mention that the issues surrounding discernment are not specifically cessationist versus charismatic. Our observation, however, is that those whom we call the Doctrinal Police, or as they often call themselves, "discernment ministries," are nearly all devoted to policing charismatic teaching and behaviors. We have very rarely come across a "discernment minister" lambasting or mocking, let alone offering correction to, an errant cessationist.

More troubling, "discernment ministers" often bristle when discernment is applied towards them.

We've published numerous posts about the excesses and faulty arguments of the "discernment ministries." We've taken particular issue with those who engage in what we have deemed "scorched earth discernment." These fancy themselves as defenders of the Gospel, but they don't simply defend the truth as they see it, rather, they disparage and impugn those "heretics" who are in their cross-hairs, often to the point of absurdity. This is dishonorable.

What do we mean? While it is certainly a good thing to stand for the truth and correct doctrine, it is entirely another thing to belittle, mock, and insult people. Merriam Webster defines mock:

1: to treat with contempt or ridicule: deride

The Greek word for "mock" is ἐμπαίκτης, which means a mocker, a scoffer: playing like children.

Jude 17-20 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers (ἐμπαίκτης) who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

2Pe. 3:3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers (ἐμπαίκτης) will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.

We would suggest that mocking is sinful and destructive, and should not be practiced by any Christian, let alone "discernment ministries." There are times when we certainly agree with  "discernment ministries" on some of the issues they raise about certain teachers, practices, and doctrines. We also agree that the truth is crucial. But unchristian behavior ought to be rejected.

Scripture is clear that sound doctrine is something we are called to and must guard:

Jude 3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

Tit. 1:9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires...

But there's the defense of the truth and refutation of false doctrine, and then there are personal attacks and disrespectful rhetoric. We would wish the Doctrinal Police would embrace the former and abandon the latter.

Two Kinds of Discernment

Does having a "discernment ministry" as is currently practiced have anything to do with discernment in the biblical sense? Is there a biblical precedent for a person or group evaluating another church's teacher? We don't think there is.

Discernment operates in at least two ways:

1) Distinguishing Between Good and Evil

"Distinguish" is diakrisis. This word appears three times in the NT. It means 

a discernment (conclusion) which distinguishes "look-alikes," i.e. things that appear to be the same... a distinguishing, discerning, judging: not for the purpose of passing judgment on opinions, as to which one is to be preferred as the more correct...

The first occurrence of this word we wish to consider is

He. 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

A Christian is called to maturity, and they partake of solid food, which the writer of Hebrews contrasts with milk:

He. 5:12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

Mature people gain discernment by training themselves, and one of the manifestations of that is the refined spiritual gift of discerning good from evil. Thus discernment is a manifestation of mature faith.

The second occurrence of diakrisis is found here:

Ro. 14:1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.

Notice that discernment is not to be employed in matters where there is an inconsequential variety in Christian preferences or practices. Remember, the definition for diakrisis, cited above, says discernment is not for the purpose of passing judgment on opinions, as to which one is to be preferred as the more correct...

So discernment is something in which we need to train ourselves, and it involves central truths, not matters of opinion or secondary matters.

2) The Spiritual Gift of Discernment

On one hand mature Christians have trained themselves to be discerning, but on the other hand discernment is also a spiritual gift given by the Holy Spirit. The mature Christian is trained to discern good and evil, but discernment is a spiritual gift.

This is the second way discernment manifests, spiritual matters in the church gathering. That is, there is spiritual insight that comes from the Holy Spirit which discerns the genuine work of the Holy Spirit from the work of evil spirits or the flesh. Discernment is a supernatural manifestation.

That is the third occurrence of  διάκρισις:

1 Co. 12:8-11 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

This spiritual gift of discernment is a tool for the Body to employ to safeguard not only the truth, but the health of the Body. Spiritual forces of darkness are always at work, and the enemy wants to disrupt the Church. He and his minions masquerade as angels of light, and they need to be discerned and rooted out within the local congregation.

This is further reinforced by

1Jn. 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

"Test" is δοκιμάζω (dokimazo), which is to test, by implication to approve... I put to the test, prove, examine; I distinguish by testing, approve after testing...

So not only is a separation of good and evil discerned, but the good is deemed approved and the evil is rejected. That is, when presented with prophetic spiritual information, the gift of discernment makes a determination, then proclaims what is good and should be received vs. what is false and should be discarded.

We see also that spirits that are not from God are equated with false prophecy. "False prophet" is pseudoprophétés, which is 

...someone pretending to speak the word of the Lord (prophesy) but in fact is phony (an imposter), acting as a wolf in sheep's clothing. 

A false prophet engages in deliberate, malicious, demonic deception, it is not accidental or mistaken. This is an important distinction, for there are those who think any error taught by a pastor means they are a false teacher, or that a mistaken prophecy must result in the rejection of the person as a false prophet.

This is not the biblical standard.

We discuss prophecy here and here.

We believe the gift of discernment should be widespread and common in the Church. This is hinted at here:

1Co. 14:29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.

"Weigh: is diakrinó, which is to distinguish, to judge...I separate, distinguish, discern one thing from another... Prophecy in the local church contains things that need to be separated out. In the prophetic word some is good and worthy, and must be retained. Some is mistaken or fleshly and must be rejected.

Something else interesting about this is the word "others." This is  allos ...with the article... οἱ ἄλλοι, all others, the remainder, the rest. In the congregational setting, the prophetic word is weighed at minimum by the other prophets, and perhaps by everyone present. 

Discernment Ministries: A Biblical Idea?

What does the Bible have to say about "discernment ministries?" Actually, nothing. There are some ministries described in the Bible, like

Prophesying: 1Ch. 25:1 David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying...

Apostleship: Ac. 1:24-25 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry...

The Word: Ac. 6:2 ...It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word...

Imparting the Holy Spirit: Ac. 8:18-21 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry..."

Reconciliation: 2Co. 5:17-18 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation...

Evangelism: 2Ti. 4:5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

"Ministry" is diakonia, service, ministry. It's the same word as "service" here:

1Co. 12:5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

It's a word which describes deacons. A ministry, then, is specifically service to the local body, dedicated to God in pursuit of advancing His purposes within the local congregation. It's humble, selfless, and brings edification to others. Implied is some sort of action by God to establish the ministry as a calling or ordained purpose. Ministry is Kingdom labor.

This would not exclude "discernment ministries" specifically, if indeed the ministry was dedicated serving the local body. However, we would suggest that "discernment ministers," as ones who have dedicated themselves to rooting out and lambasting perceived heresies perpetrated by pastors 1000 miles away, while attacking and mocking those people who come under their focus, would not be this.

Explaining Away Bad Behavior

Here is a "discernment minister" who tries to justify his bad behavior. Here is a "discernment minister" who exempts herself from Matthew 18.

And Carl Trueman tries to excuse the division that can result from discernment ministries this way:

Paul regards divisiveness as those who depart from sound doctrine. Doctrine is not the cause of disunity, departure is.

Mr. Trueman creates a Category Error. Sound doctrine is not a subset of unity, and unity is not a subset of sound doctrine. One can assert sound doctrine and yet still not be unifying. Mr. Trueman's mistake here is he regards the goal of promulgating his version of sound doctrine to be self-justifying, seemingly at the expense of any other factor.

Discernment is a spiritual gift (1Co. 12:10), and all spiritual gifts are supernatural empowerments designed primarily to build up the body, not tear down targets.

Certainly we are all called to sound doctrine, in terms of being a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2Ti. 2:15). But we all are also to be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Mak [ing] every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ep. 4:2-3). And we all are called to stand firm in the truth (Ep. 6:14).

However, we are not called to root out and decimate suspected violators of our doctrine. We are not called to insult, denigrate, or dishonor others.

Practical Biblical Discernment: Truth, Wisdom, and Spiritual Fruit

2Ti. 2:23-25 is probably the quintessential passage regarding our behavior in discernment activities:

Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth...

There is a certain kind of humility that couples with our doctrinal certainty. This is a sometimes difficult balance to achieve, since our egos and our need to be right can overwhelm our obligation to be of a gentle spirit.

Col. 3:12-15 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.

We have a tendency to apply these verses to people we already like, respect, or agree with. We also tend to exempt ourselves from this regarding those who are disagreeable, coarse, or believe differently than we do. But this is not how to act with honor.

Dealing With False Teachers 

We would certainly concede there are false teachers. They are divisive, destructive, and wicked. They infiltrate, deceive, and lead the church out of the truth. Theirs is a malicious ministry, purposely designed to cause evil.

The false teacher actively tries to suppress the truth:

Ro. 1:18-19 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

There are those in our midst who represent themselves as teachers of the truth, yet they are godless. They have entered into the Church to spread their false teaching and perversion of the truth. But most, if not all, of what Paul writes about is regarding the local congregation. That is, those with discernment are exercising their gift in the gathering. Their ministry is not regarding a pastor in another city.

It is interesting to us that very little is said about what to do with false teachers. We would expect several admonishments to cast them out of the assembly. But interestingly, those kinds of admonishments are largely reserved for the immoral, those who persist in sin.

Here's what we found regarding false teachers:

Ga. 2:4-5 This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you. (They are resisted.)

1Ti. 1:3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer... (They are commanded to stop their false teaching.)

1Ti. 6:3-4 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. (A statement of lack of character.)

2Pe. 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them — bringing swift destruction on themselves. (Peter speaks of the inevitability of their presence in the Church and that they bring peril upon themselves, but there is nothing here about sending them away.)

Tit. 1:9-11 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. 10 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach — and that for the sake of dishonest gain. (False teachers are silenced. They are not given a platform.)

1Ti. 1:20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. (Scholars have debated the meaning of this for centuries. We don't know what it actually means to hand someone over to satan, but there is no indication that a person like this is ostracized in other ways.)

2Ti. 2:16-18 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. (Interestingly, Paul names names. But since he is writing to Timothy specifically as Timothy is ministering in a specific church body, we would not be quick to suggest that this is a model of behavior for us.)

What Scripture seems to indicate is that false teachers are inevitable, and they need to be corrected, silenced, or warned. But for some reason there is little information in Scripture about expelling or excluding such people. It seems that both Paul and Peter let these people remain in the assembly, albeit under discipline.

Conclusion

Discernment separates good from evil, and is employed in two ways. The first is by people who have been trained up into maturity of the gift of discernment to guard the truth and recognize falseness. The second is by way of the spiritual gift expressed in the local congregation. It judges prophecy, discerns spirits, and separates them. It recommends that which is to be held onto, and what should be removed from consideration.

The public mockery of people is not discernment. There is no such thing as a discernment ministry in the way it's generally expressed today. Discernment is first guarding the truth in gentleness and firmness, and second, the spiritual perception or recognition of things so that they can be commended or rejected.

Discernment happens in the gathering of the people, by and large. We don't find any examples of discernment operating outside the local church body. We don't find that discernment categorizes people for the purpose of branding them or excluding them.

Ro. 14:4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls.