SUNDAY February 7, 2021

Spiritual Discernment

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?
Galatians 3:1

Paul was very serious in his warning to the Galatians about false doctrines and false teachers.

Seriously, if you engage someone in conversation about the doctrines of the Bible, always check the Scriptures. Never just believe what you have been told. Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses may try to persuade you with their books, magazines or their false beliefs. When necessary, look up words in a Strong’s concordance or Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon. These resources will give you a number so you can look up the exact definition of a word and know what it means in context.

As Christians, when someone debates with us or tries to bewitch us with lying words, do not be foolish and accept what was said. The word foolish does not signify a natural stupidity, but it is a failure to use moral and spiritual discernment. In these cases, if a Christian is not wise and watchful, a person can be seduced into a false doctrine––a false gospel.

Paul warned believers in the book of Romans:

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple (Romans 1:17-18).

These people bewitched others with their false doctrines. They did not preach the doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are living in the last days where demons of seduction will try to take you or anyone else away from the Gospel of grace. They work through people who try to convince those who are simple––spiritually immature––to become part of a doctrine of works rather than grace.

This is a time when all God’s people need to keep their eyes and their Bibles wide open. We must ask God for discernment as never before.
~David Jeremiah~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!