In our last two articles, we explored the need for the sanctifying work of the Spirit and the increasing revelation of God’s grace as two essential criteria for righteous judgment.
In this article, we will examine another vital aspect: the proper application of the Word of God. Before we look into this in detail, we must first understand the fundamental role that Scripture plays in discernment.
The reason is that, generally speaking, the Charismatic movement today lacks proper biblical foundations. In fact, within Charismatic churches, we have grown comfortable listening to sermons completely devoid of God’s Word and accepting ideas that lack biblical precedent.
This deviation has occurred because spiritual experiences, charisma, and supernatural gifts have taken the front seat, while Scripture has been pushed into the background.
In Psalm 138:2, we see that God honors His Word above all else. In any place where God’s word is not given supreme importance, people are bound to go astray. It is solely the Word (as breathed on by the Spirit) that guides, counsels, corrects, and searches our hearts and intentions, revealing errors. Truly, it is the foundational basis for all discernment (Hebrews 4:12 and 2 Timothy 3:16,17).
Because the value of spiritual experiences and spiritual gifts has been elevated above Scripture, we have largely ignored critical warning signs in those claiming supernatural encounters or those operating in giftings. Consequently, we have inadvertently created a culture that mirrors this in and around charismatic circles.
In many cases, these concerns could have easily been brought to light and corrected if early on, through a simple understanding and application of God’s Word. Doing so would have probably offered timely help to those in error before things spiraled out of hand. Unfortunately, our failure to act in season has led to devastating consequences in the body of Christ.
We have also blindly accepted individuals claiming divine encounters or a word from the Lord without testing their messages against scripture. In doing so, we have permitted them to say and do things that are entirely unscriptural. Consequently, we have reached a point where almost all discernment has been lost.
To make matters worse, added to this we (some) have rejected the sanctifying work of the Spirit. How, then, can someone who remains unsanctified and disconnected from the Word practice any true discernment? This neglect is precisely why our corporate discernment has been so poor.
I do not share this to be demeaning or condescending toward any individual or group. As a member of the Charismatic movement, I freely admit that I carry a personal share of responsibility for our collective failure to value the Word as Scripture commands, as well as for the resulting lack of discernment.
Though this issue requires a separate, in-depth discussion, our primary focus here is the proper application of God’s Word. Because this practice is also critically lacking today, it has led to unnecessary confusions, hurts and divisions within the body of Christ. We will look into this in the next few articles.
Scripture must be rightly divided (interpreted and applied); we need both the Spirit’s light on the Word we read, and His light on our own lives to do so.
There are a lot of lessons we can learn on how not to apply scripture from the Pharisees.
In Scripture, we see that the Pharisees possessed immense knowledge of the Word of God, yet completely lacked basic discernment and were deeply flawed in their application of that knowledge. They lacked love, choosing instead to strain at gnats while swallowing whales ( the blue ones 😊).
The condition of the heart determines how you judge in situations: Has the word you apply to others searched you and known you first? Do you judge by the letter of the law or the Spirit of the law?
In Luke 6:7, we see the Pharisees actively watching Jesus to find an accusation against Him. Driven by jealousy and deep-seated hatred, they were blinded to true discernment, which led them to misinterpret Scripture regarding the Sabbath. If our hearts are not right with God, we will inevitably apply the Word legalistically rather than with its intended grace.
Constantly searching or fishing for error in a person or ministry is a definitive sign that our own heart is not right before God, a condition that can only be exposed by the Word of God through the Holy Spirit.
This makes applying Scripture to our own lives first absolutely imperative; if we do not, we will undoubtedly misapply it to others. Can we truly correct others if the Word has not searched us first?
Using scripture without understanding: Scripture should be interpreted with scripture.
This error stems from a narrow-minded and short-sighted approach to a situation. It happens when we are determined to prove our own stance, cherry-picking details that suit our narrative while ignoring the larger picture or things that are contrary to our narrative. And, it is only the whole counsel of God that brings proper illumination to any situation.
The Pharisees in another instance accused Jesus of being a sinner because He spent time eating and drinking with tax collectors and outcasts. Most likely, they arrived at this distorted conclusion by misapplying Psalm 1, which warns believers not to even stand in the path of sinners. However, that passage does not apply to all contexts.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost; reaching out to them so they could be redeemed and set free was His primary mission. Consequently, He intentionally sought out every opportunity to be with them, and the ultimate result was that many lives were powerfully transformed.
The Pharisees conveniently ignored both the life-transforming fruit of these encounters and the scriptures that affirmed what Jesus did, revealing God’s heart for the wicked (lost) . Blinded by legalistic motives and desperate to see Jesus condemned, they fixated entirely on the outward act of Him eating with sinners. By applying (most likely) Scriptures selectively and magnifying only a single detail, they weaponized it to falsely portray Jesus as a lawless man.
This is the exact same playbook the enemy uses today. If he found reasons to accuse Jesus, who was perfect, how much more will he accuse those who follow Him, who are far from perfect?
An important area of concern:
In the current context, there is something important that needs to be brought to the light
Today, minor missteps or genuine errors that could easily be repented of are instead grandiosely magnified. This exaggeration then makes it incredibly easy for critics to discredit both the person and their entire ministry. When this is the case if those in error aren’t mature enough it drives them to defend their errors, fearing that it would consolidate people’s opinion on them being disqualified.
Undeniably, there are serious concerns today within the Charismatic movement that require immediate course correction. However, serious errors and systemic flaws are not, by themselves, a final judgment on a person, a ministry, or a movement. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus spoke very sternly to several churches that were in deep error. He explicitly laid out the severe consequences and potential disqualification they would face if they continued down that path, yet He also highlighted the rewards awaiting them if they overcame. He even gave Jezebel—a self-proclaimed prophetess—time to repent of her deception and immorality.
If Jesus Himself gives people time to repent, even those caught in deception and serious error—why are we so quick to condemn them and pronounce their definitive end? Only God holds that right and knows the end of all things, dear brethren. Are we entirely sure we have His heart and mind? If a correction or exposure is not redemptive, can it truly be from God?
If we are quick to label people as false and completely discredit their entire ministry, then our own spiritual destiny becomes a serious cause for concern if we are wrong in our judgments. Imagine the eternal plight of those who disqualified Christ and never repented of their actions. We must tread very carefully in this territory; by overstepping, we risk discrediting the Spirit Himself, who may have anointed them or is actively working through them.
It is one thing to point out a specific error and lay out the concerns, but an entirely different matter to declare a minister or ministry completely false. Doing so implies that if there was any genuine work of the Spirit through them it is also fraudulent. This type of excessive judgment stems directly from a lack of the fear of the Lord within the body of Christ—a deficit that is equally manifested when sins are covered up and justified.
Now, we must note that not everyone who brings correction falls into this outright accusatory category. Furthermore, not everyone who makes a mistake in judgment should be labeled a Pharisee, just as everyone who falls into error is not necessarily a false minister. Also, there is a place to call out those who are false. Discernment must be exercised, waiting for the Spirit to breathe on God’s word and reveal His heart behind it.
(TO BE CONTINUED()
