Discernment IS Love - by Michelle Lesley

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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We have noted that "discernment ministers" do not like being criticized. One particularly egregious "minister" goes off on his critic for the critic's simple suggestion that disagreement does not mean heresy. This kind of response is too typical.

Mas. Lesley is herself is a "discernment minister," and she also bristles at criticism. She tries to justify her actions by comparing herself to Jesus and Paul. Of course, what Jesus and Paul did are not under discussion and in no way justify her behavior. 

Thus she simply diverts in order to avoid answering the question put to her. And as typical for "discernment ministers," she quotes absolutely no Scripture.

In addition, Ms. Lesley isolates behavior from motivation. She appeals solely to her self-avowed noble behavior, and simply presumes that this behavior demonstrates love.

Here is the comment to which Ms. Lesley responds:

RACHEL
January 10, 2018 at 4:25 am

Michelle,
You have written an article here to help address issues you feel strongly about today in the church. It sounds like you are concerned people are watering down the gospel. What is your sense of what the gospel’s message is? It is said that they will know we are Christians by our love. It is said that we can have all knowledge and truth, but without love we are just a noisy gong. It lists the gifts of the spirit and says that the greatest of these is love. It says love covers a multitude of sins. And that the greatest commandment is that we love God and love our neighbor as ourself. It says he laid down his life in love for others and that he expects we will take up that same cross and do the same as his followers. Our Lord is gentle in heart, slow to anger, abounding in Grace, quick to forgive. He climbed up on the cross to die for those who persecuted him. He laid down his life for us while we were full of sin. He seems hardest on the ones who fail to show grace to others, urging us to love unconditionally our brothers and sisters and also those who are not our brothers and sisters. My question is do you feel that kind of love for these folks you are talking about in this article? Do you think someone reading this would sense that love in this article towards the ones you disagree with? Is our gospel And good news that Jesus died for us out of love and that now we’ve got love overflowing in our hearts? I wondered if this is an article stemmed from that kind of love. I would think if the world looks on and sees how we speak of one another they will be encouraged if they see love and grace pouring out for one another even if we don’t agree. That we might try to season every conversation with love above all things. I wondered if you would agree with that?

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(Now for her response:)

I’m often accused of being “unloving” for writing in a direct or firm tone against false doctrine and other unbiblical issues in the church. (If it is often, then perhaps a bit of introspection is in order. People seem to be noticing things about Ms. Lesley. But rather pause and reflect, the author assumes them to be wrong and simply sweeps them away.)

I received another such accusation recently on one of my older articles, “Nine Reasons Discerning Women Are Leaving Your Church“. (Notice the author immediately diverts. She claims this person, Rachel, was accusatory. That she called her unloving. Re-read the comment, above. The reader will not find this accusation or any other. Ms. Lesley is misrepresenting Rachel's statements.

Rachel wrote, My question is do you feel that kind of love for these folks you are talking about in this article? It ought to be clear to Ms. Lesley that Rachel is asking her to consider the attitude of her heart as she performs her "discernment ministry." That is, Rachel is offering a notably meek reminder that motives and heart attitude are important.

Consider how Ms. Lesley responds below. She will never say, "yes I do feel that kind of love," but rather will simply assert that her activities are self-evidently loving.)

I thought I’d share my response to the reader with you, because it seems there’s a misunderstanding among Christian women as to the biblical definition of love. (She will never tell us the biblical definition of love, nor quote any scripture that points to this.)

It ain’t always “sugar and spice and everything nice” y’all…

I don’t think you have a complete understanding of the biblical definition of love. You seem to think that “love" is restricted to always being sweet and nice to people. (Ms. Lesley speculates about what Rachel believes about love. But it isn't relevant. The question brought to her is the attitude of her heart.)

That’s not biblical. (Having just admitted she is speculating about what Rachel believes, she now deems Rachel's supposed beliefs to be not biblical. So this is the "loving" example of discernment Ms. Lesley employs against people, who ironically are gently, even timidly, questioning her. 

The shoe is not so comfortable on the other foot, it seems.

Now comes the diversion, as Ms. Lesley wants us to consider the motives of certain biblical characters rather than her own motives.)

–Was Jesus being unloving when He cleared the temple? (Matthew 21)

–Was Jesus being unloving when He rebuked the Pharisees? (Matthew 23)

–Was Jesus being unloving when He instructed us to disfellowship unrepentant sinners from the church? (Matthew 18:15-20)

–Was Paul being unloving when he turned Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan so they would learn not to blaspheme? (1 Timothy 1:19-20)

–Was Paul being unloving when he anathematized anyone who preaches a false gospel? (Galatians 1:6-9)

–Was Peter being unloving when he described false teachers in 2 Peter 2?

–Was Jude being unloving when he wrote to the brothers warning them about the evils of false teachers instead of writing about the gospel?

Am I being unloving in writing this article? No. (Considering the somewhat hostile response to Rachel, and the diversion she subsequently employs, it seems clear that Ms. Lesley did not spend much time considering the question asked of her.)

Reproof, rebuke, and biblical instruction are all part of godly love. (Which has nothing to do with the question Ms. Lesley was asked.)

I am demonstrating love for Christ, His Bride, and His Word by pointing out biblical error that needs to be corrected. (She arrives at the matter under discussion, finally. But all she does is summarily assert her own correctness, conflating love with explaining biblical error. This is a Category Error. The two are not related.)

I am demonstrating love for ignorant pastors and churches by explaining to them (Hmm. Ms. Lesley believes women should not teach mean. Apparently she excepts herself.)

why their most spiritually healthy members are leaving. I am demonstrating love for the thousands of doctrinally sound Christians out there who long to attend a healthy church and can’t find one because so many churches are in error in the areas I mentioned. (We would ask the obvious: Can a person point out biblical error and yet be unloving? Yes. Can a person explain to "ignorant" pastors why people are leaving a church and yet be unloving? Of course. Can a person notice churches' errors and still not love? Most certainly.)

And, I am demonstrating love for you by helping you understand what God’s definition of love is. (Ouch. She did nothing of the sort.)

Is this article loving? You bet it is. (One last time Ms. Lesley asserts the lovingness and rightness of her behavior without having actually considered her motivations.)