January 21, 2004

To Discern the Truth: What Are We Afraid Of?                                     

About a month ago our small congregation began a discipleship course that seems to be true to the Scriptures in its approach. The course is called 'Self Confrontation' and is published by the Biblical Counseling Foundation. The emphasis is on teaching Christians to be well grounded in the Scriptures so that each and every person finishing this course will be able to discern truth from error, contend for the faith and be able to minister and counsel others from the Scriptures. The developers of this course are concerned with the rise in the numbers of Christians that would rather go to psychologists or Christian counselors that combine psychology with the Scriptures rather than trusting that the answers for all life's circumstances can be addressed by Scripture. [ 2 Timothy 1:13-14 ]

What I like about this course so far is the enormous emphasis on learning Scriptures. (By the way, if anyone has had any problems with this course study, please send me a note by way of e-mail or snail mail.) In order to learn to discern, we have to know the Scriptures [ 2 timothy 2:15 ], and I am not implying that we must be theologians to know how to defend the faith but many of the discipleship efforts by the churches we have visited have not given much time to preparing a new believer what to expect as they face a multitude of teachers in the "Christian experience" [ 2 Timothy 4:3-4 ].

I was at an event the other night where the service centered on a visiting "Apostle" and "Prophet" (see New Apostolic Reformation by Renee Rodriguez) that are going to lead the believers that were in attendance to new levels of spiritual understanding, new levels of revelation, to "decree" a breakthrough in taking back the government of NY state from its usurpers, in the heavenly realms. We were able to talk to some of those that had seen and heard as we did and were surprised to learn that many people had questions in their minds regarding what was happening but because of a lack of understanding of the Scriptures, they did not know what to do, and eventually brushed aside any doubts and accepted everything that was happening "was God moving by the Holy Spirit".

I have received several phone calls in the past few days as people are beginning to examine the doubts but are afraid to act. The fear of coming up against an "anointed Apostle or Prophet" which interpreted in their minds is coming against God, is the largest obstacle to overcome. The confusion that has now infected them wants to shipwreck their faith in God. The fact that they are calling me for advice in dealing with these doubts, is a major step in their moving forward to walk in truth and regain their peace in the Lord. It can be a terrifying thing to watch as most of the major Charismatic/Pentecostal leadership in our area, willingly walk through a "portal" formed by two of the representatives of the Iroquois Nations acting as "gatekeepers", (see Keeper of the Keys by Tricia Tillin, Banner Ministries) when you understand that their actions appear Christian. We must be careful to apply the test of Biblical accuracy to whatever we see or hear, to test the spirits to see if they are of God [ 1 John 4:1 ].

The fact that I am seeing for the first time in my 30 years of Christian experience, from walking as a hyper-Charismatic/Pentecostal to a fundamental Spirit filled believer, a discipleship course that deals with the basic understandings of  the Scriptures shows the extent of the famine for the word of God. About 20 years ago I began to seriously study the Scriptures after coming out of the Shepherding/Discipleship movement because I saw in myself the lack of any understanding of the Bible.

I want to note that there are many fundamental churches that do provide a good beginning for new believers but very few in the Charismatic churches. It is left up to the individual believer in many cases to fill in those areas of Scriptural lack and this leaves many to just drift along, as "the Spirit leads" into whatever new move of God comes to town.

Pastors, if you are so quick to run to every new move without discerning the truth, without checking the doctrine or teaching, without seeing if this move is another spirit or another Christ, then what happens to the sheep under your care and who do they turn to if you are deceived? (see Pastor, who is leading you astray?, Christian Research Ministries) Remembering the weight of responsibility to understand the Scriptures, supposedly mature, having learned to discern right from wrong, "My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation."  James 3:1.

Steve Muse, Eastern Regional Watch

Please send us any comments at: smuse@erwm.com