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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
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 ...
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Mike Joshua
Supporter
I struggle with discernment amid debate with unbelievers around certain 'hot' topics that are prevalent in our society. Sometimes I engage the debate and wind up after it feeling that silence and avoidance would have been better. I silently pray for wisdom and stick to the facts when debating and make reference to my own personal testimony to avoid offending others and it still doesn't end how I'd like it to with a sympathetic listening to what God has done for the world. On reflecting on it, it simply reassures me that salvation begins and ends with God. It is for none of us to presume we can incite thoughts of salvation, we can only tell what we can, when the time and opportunity presents itself and let God Water the seed. Paul wrote this principle in the bible (plant seed and let God water it) and amid wise discernment of when to engage and when to remain silent I pray that I get better at it. Solomon was a giant of wisdom, but still faltered. We are only human and fallible, praise God He has the final say in all things.
James Kraft
Supporter
Paul told Timothy to righty divide the word of God. That can only be done by a person who has the Holy Spirit in them. Ephesians 1:13-14. But we start with the simplicity of the gospel. First Corinthians 15:1-4. John 3:16-18. John 6:47. Acts 16:31. John 6:40. Those are all simple savlation verses that any one can believe and be saved. God can not lie. Romans 1:16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the POWER of God unto salvation to EVERYONE THAT BELIEVETH, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Those are the simple salvation by grace scriptures. Now as we go through the bible and it seems to contradict those simple salvation verses, we know we just do not understand them yet. God can not contradict Himself. John 6:47. Jesus said it, we believe it, and that settles it. John 3:18. Once we believe on Jesus we have eternal life. No longer condemned to hell. Always go by the simple verses to understand the hard to understand verses. Not the other way around. It takes study and discerment to understand much of the bible. But any one can believe John 3:16 and understand it to be saved. First John 2:2 confirms John 3:16. First John 5:13 confirms the gospel. First Corinthians 15:1-4. Never try to make a doctrine out of hard to understand verses when we have the simple verses to understand. John 3:18.
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