(First of all let me express that I am not attempting to prove I’m an expert on the scriptures to anyone. I am far from perfect. I do not lean on my own reasoning when I study the scriptures.
I pray to God and ask for wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit every time I study the Bible so I don’t lean on my own understanding which is about pride. The Lord our God detests pride. I give God and the Holy Spirit the credit on these writings. God gave me many tasks to do and this website is one of them).
Discernment is a virtue and gift from the Holy Spirit and God. The Holy Spirit should be acknowledged each time discernment is mentioned.
The Lord gives us insight and discernment which are components of spiritual wisdom when we ask God for wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit in our prayers. That way we don’t lean on our fleshly pride, understanding, and reasoning.
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Dictionary;
the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure : skill in discerning.
an act of perceiving or discerning something.
Insight.
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We are foolish if we think we have discernment with our own thought process and reasoning, some do.
That is not what God wants.
We can easily be diverted by the enemy.
If a person boasts of discernment and they don’t give God and the Holy Spirit credit walk away, they are led by their flesh.
There is a fine line difference between judging and discernment. God does not want us going around judging others!
In addition, there is a difference between judging and gossip. Talking about others behind their back is wrong. Passing on gossip about another is wrong.
We should never ever come across as have a condescending holier than thou attitude.
Putting ourselves at a level higher than others is wrong and it gives Christianity a bad name. We must express love and humility.
There are false prophets and teachers today that have ulterior motives to attempt to impress others by claiming to have the gift of discernment and or prophesy.
The Scriptures tell us to discern God’s understanding.
We are to distinguish between righteousness and the wicked.
Malachi 3:18
So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us insight to know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This one is the true God and eternal life.
Psalm 111:10
To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living; all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight. He will receive praise forever.
Genesis 41:33
Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41:39
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are.
1 Kings 4:29
Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore.
Job 6:30
“Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my palate discern calamities?
Job 12:20
“He deprives the trusted ones of speech And takes away the discernment of the elders.
Psalm 2:10
Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth.
Psalm 119:66
Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments.
Proverbs 1:2
To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding.
Proverbs 2:3
For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding.
Proverbs 2:5
Then you will discern the fear of the Lord And discover the knowledge of God.
Proverbs 2:9
Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course.
Proverbs 10:13
On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, But a rod is for the back of him who lacks.
Matthew 16:3
And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?
Philippians 1:9
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment.
Hebrews 5:14
But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
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Discernment Wikipedia
Discernment is the ability to obtain sharp perceptions or to judge well (or the activity of so doing).[1] In the case of judgement, discernment can be psychological, moral or aesthetic in nature.[2] Discernment has also been defined in the contexts; scientific (that is discerning what is true about the real world),[3] normative (discerning value including what ought to be)[4] and formal (deductive reasoning). The process of discernment within judgment, involves going past the mere perception of something and making nuanced judgments about its properties or qualities.[4] Discernment in the Christian religion is considered as a virtue, a discerning individual is considered to possess wisdom, and be of good judgement; especially so with regard to subject matter often overlooked by others.[5]
Christianity Wikipedia
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In Christianity, the word may have several meanings. Discernment can describe the process of determining God's desire in a situation or for one's life or identifying the true nature of a thing, such as discerning whether a thing is good, evil, or may even transcend the limiting notion of duality.[4] In large part, it describes the interior search for an answer to the question of one's vocation, namely, determining whether or not God is calling one to the married life, single life, consecrated life, ordained ministry or any other calling.
Discernment of Spirits is a term used in both Roman Catholic and Charismatic (Pentacostal) Christian theology to indicate judging various spiritual agents for their moral influence.
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Wikipedia;
Discernment of Spirits
Discernment of spirits is a term used in Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Charismatic (Evangelist) Christian theology to judge the influence of various spiritual agents on a person's morality. These agents are:
- from within the human soul itself, known as concupiscence (considered evil)
- Divine Grace (considered good)
- Angels (considered good)
- Devils (considered evil)
Discernment of spirits is considered necessary to discern the cause of a given impulse. Although some people are regarded as having a special gift to discern the causes of an impulse intuitively, most people are held to require study and reflection, and possibly the direction of others, in the discernment of spirits.
Judgment of discernment can be made in two ways. The first is by a charism or spiritual gift, held as divinely granted to certain individuals for the discerning of spirits by intuition (1 Corinthians 12:10).[1] The second way to discern spirits is by reflection and theological study. This second method is by acquired human knowledge; however, it is always gained "with the assistance of grace, by the reading of the Holy Bible, of works on theology and asceticism, of autobiographies, and the correspondence of the most distinguished ascetics".
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What is biblical discernment and why is it important?
By John MacArthurIn its simplest definition, discernment is nothing more than the ability to decide between truth and error, right and wrong. Discernment is the process of making careful distinctions in our thinking about truth. In other words, the ability to think with discernment is synonymous with an ability to think biblically.
First Thessalonians 5:21-22 teaches that it is the responsibility of every Christian to be discerning; "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." The apostle John issues a similar warning when he says, "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" (1 John 4:1). According to the New Testament, discernment is not optional for the believer-it is required.
The key to living an uncompromising life lies in one's ability to exercise discernment in every area of his or her life. For example, failure to distinguish between truth and error leaves the Christian subject to all manner of false teaching. False teaching then leads to an unbiblical mindset, which results in unfruitful and disobedient living-a certain recipe for compromise.
Unfortunately, discernment is an area where most Christians stumble. They exhibit little ability to measure the things they are taught against the infallible standard of God's Word, and they unwittingly engage in all kinds of unbiblical decision-making and behavior. In short, they are not armed to take a decidedly biblical stand against the onslaught of unbiblical thinking and attitudes that face them throughout their day.
Discernment intersects the Christian life at every point. And God's Word provides us with the needed discernment about every issue of life. According to Peter, God "has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence" (2 Peter 1:3). You see, it is through the "true knowledge of Him," that we have been given everything we need to live a Christian life in this fallen world. And how else do we have true knowledge of God but through the pages of His Word, the Bible? In fact, Peter goes on to say that such knowledge comes through God's granting "to us His precious and magnificent promises" (2 Peter 1:4).
Discernment -- the ability to think biblically about all areas of life -- is indispensable to an uncompromising life. It is incumbent upon the Christian to seize upon the discernment that God has provided for in His precious truth! Without it, Christians are at risk of being "tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14).
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From got questions dot org
The word discern and its derivatives are translations of the Greek word anakrino in the New Testament. It means “to distinguish, to separate out by diligent search, to examine.” Discernment is the ability to properly discriminate or make determinations. It is related to wisdom, not our wisdom. The Word of God itself is said to discern the thoughts and intentions of one’s heart (Hebrews 4:12).
A discerning mind demonstrates spiritual wisdom and insight that go beyond what is seen and heard. For example, God’s Word is “spiritually discerned.” To the human mind without the Spirit, the things of God are “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 2:14). The Spirit, then, gives us spiritual discernment.
King Solomon was known for his power of discernment, making many wise decisions and moral judgments (1 Kings 3:9, 11). Christians today are to be discerning as well. Paul prayed for believers “to discern what is best . . . until the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:10).
A discerning person will acknowledge the worth of God’s Word: “All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge” (Proverbs 8:8-9). Seeking discernment is a goal for all who desire to walk righteously: “Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them” (Hosea 14:9).
We are commanded to “hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9). But, unless we have true discernment, how can we determine what is “evil” and what is “good”? In order to maintain the purity of the gospel, the church must distinguish truth from heresy. Wisdom also demands that we properly discriminate between what is “best” and what is merely “good.”