Is "spiritual" discernment an objective judgment of the mind, or a subjective intuition of the spirit?
By: Gregory Koukl
I had a challenge from a friend a couple days ago that I've heard many times. Maybe it's been leveled at you, too. It has to do with spiritual discernment. Am I in my "head" too much when I do spiritual discernment, and not enough "in the Spirit"? Am I discerning with my mind - with reason and rationality - and not discerning with my heart ? That was her question.
Am I in my "head" too much when I do spiritual discernment, and not enough "in the Spirit"? Am I discerning with my mind - with reason and rationality - and not discerning with my heart?
It got me thinking. Since I'm involved in offering a reasonable defense for the faith and advocating clear thinking on critical issues, since I'm skeptical of those whose religion is almost entirely emotional/intuitive, people have challenged me that I'm only "half there" not using all my spiritual faculties and therefore am at risk of running into error.
"Koukl, you're just in your head too much," they suggest. "You're too left-brained when it comes to spiritual things. You're too logical, too reasonable. You don't depend enough on your heart to discern the spiritual realm. Yes you're using your mind, but what about your spirit? Why do you always trust in your own thinking instead of what the Spirit is saying about something?"
These statements imply that somehow I'm not doing a full-blooded assessment of things because I'm only using half of my machinery. My analysis should include the subjective, not just the objective.
This kind of critique assumes a couple of things. First, it assumes that there are two types of spiritual assessment. One is a rational assessment, a kind of theological head-trip. The other is a subjective, intuitive skill that some call discernment, in which we sense deep within us that something is on target or that something is amiss.
Second, it implies that the subjective, intuitive analysis is more advanced and more accurate. It is a "higher method," a more tuned-in capability. It's a spiritual assessment and not just a mental, rational assessment. It's an ability to "hear what the Spirit has to say."
People who make these kinds of comments generally are skeptical of the rational to begin with. It strikes them as being fleshly. It's what Koukl "brings to the table," so to speak, his mind, his thinking, his own rationality, his own ideas. And all of these smack of "the ways of the world," as opposed to going to God and letting God do the analysis for us.
This distinction is incredibly pervasive in Evangelical circles, so much so that some groups have even given a name to it. Some of the so-called Word-Faith teachers distinguish between what they call sensate knowledge --that which you learn with your mind as a result of study and analysis- -and revelational knowledge --that which is mediated directly to you in the spiritual realm. You have this learned stuff you get with your head, and you have this spiritual stuff you get from somewhere "out there," from the spiritual realm.
As I did a mental inventory of the New Testament, though, it suddenly occurred to me that I couldn't think of any verses at all that supported the notion of discernment as subjective and intuitive.
The second type is definitely better, the argument goes. You need to develop the capability to learn things spiritually so you can really get the deep truth, because the sensate stuff is distorted by the flesh. At least this is implied when you hear these kinds of assessments. And isn't it really true that Evangelicals trust more in their "spirits" than in their minds when it comes to spiritual things?
When I was less than a year old in Christ, I went to a coffeehouse in the basement of a church in Pacific Palisades in California. It was so long ago that Keith Green was not even a Christian yet (for those of you who remember that fine Christian musician who died in 1982 in a plane crash). Keith was there that night playing with Randy Stonehill, who eventually was to lead Keith to Christ. But Keith wasn't a believer that night.
As I entered the door that evening, my friend Joyce paused and put her hand to her chest as if she felt something. "Gosh, I sense that something is wrong. I feel this check in my spirit," she said. And I thought, I can't wait till I get to the point in my spiritual growth where I can know things directly in the spiritual realm, and have this sixth sense and discern things like Joyce just did.
It's 23 years later and I still haven't gotten that sixth sense. Instead, I use my mind. I don't say that as a concession, like I got the last place prize. I think it's biblical. The only way to know if I'm correct, though, is to ask the questions, "Which way is really right? Which is best? Do we discern with our minds, or do we need a sixth sense for optimum spiritual discernment?"
When I was challenged this week, my first response was, "I bet if you do a scriptural analysis, you'll find there are more verses that have to do with an objective assessment than those for a subjective one." I figured that if there really are two different ways of discernment, no one could fault me for being rational if I had scriptural support, especially if more verses supported a objective method than a subjective one.
As I did a mental inventory of the New Testament, though, it suddenly occurred to me that I couldn't think of any verses at all that supported the notion of discernment as subjective and intuitive. None came to mind, so I had to do a little searching.
I went to my NASB Bible Master program and started looking up words, starting with the word "discern." There are only two verses in the New Testament that even use the word. In Matthew 16:3 Jesus says that in the morning, "...[you say] '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?"
Jesus was talking about looking at particular signs - the appearance of the sky - and drawing conclusions about what the weather will be like. That's an objective, not a subjective, assessment.
The point is, when the Bible talks about discernment - when it talks about assessing spiritual things - it's talking about a rational assessment based on objective criterion.
Hebrews 5:14 chastised those who ought to have been teachers of the Word, eating meat instead of drinking milk. Then it says, "...but solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." So the discernment here is not subjective; it's objective. It's using the knowledge and practice of the truth of the Scriptures to develop an ability to objectively discern right from wrong.
Then I looked up the word "discernment." There's only one use of it, Philippians 1:9-10. It says, "...this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ."
Here, discernment is coupled with knowledge resulting in a morally excellent life. Discernment is knowing what's right and what's wrong. We get that from the Scriptures, as Hebrews 5:14 points out. Sounds like an objective assessment to me.
Then I looked up the word "test." There are fifteen verses that use this word, but only one that applies to our issue. In I John 5:1-3 it says: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because there are many false prophets gone out into the world." Now we're getting warmer, I thought, testing the spirits. Surely now we're moving into subjective.
Not so. Read again. The next verse says, "By this you know the spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God." Hmm...not a subjective test here, but an objective one, once again.
First Corinthians 12:10 talks about spiritual gifts. Here we might be on to something, because distinguishing of spirits is a spiritual gift. There is no hint of objective standards here; there's also no hint of subjective standards. In fact, what's curious about this verse is that it doesn't say anything else in this passage, nor anywhere else, about what it means to distinguish spirits.
I'm inclined to believe that since it's a spiritual gift, it leans more toward a subjective ability, because if this were referring to an objective way to distinguish spirits, we all could do it, and we wouldn't need the gift. So here seems to be one verse that lends itself to a subjective sense of discernment, but it's not something that everybody has, only those who are gifted. If I'm not gifted in this way, then there's no point in me trying to distinguish spirits subjectively, because I have different gifts.
Next I looked up the word "correct," but there were no entries. I looked up the word "correcting" and found II Timothy 2:25, "...with gentleness, correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth." Here the correcting has to do with having a conflict with people who disagree with you. The verse above it says, "...not being argumentative, but gracious when wronged, with gentleness correcting..." Once again we have an objective test. We see that somebody is doing something wrong and we offer correction. No intuitive pondering here or getting into a spiritual twilight zone. Rather a correction "leading to the knowledge of the truth." The truth is objective.
Here's my point. Is it true that Koukl is too much into his head, using his reason to assess spiritual things, and is not into the Spirit enough? Only if the Bible teaches that we must balance the two. But when I asked the question, "Where does the Bible teach such a thing?" I found no such teaching. I was unable to produce any scriptural support except for I Corinthians 12:10 about the distinguishing of spirits, which is a spiritual gift I have not been given, apparently, and which only a few have.
The point is, when the Bible talks about discernment - when it talks about assessing spiritual things - it's talking about a rational assessment based on objective criterion. You can't be "too much in your head" when it comes to spiritual discernment. Using your head is spiritual discernment, if you're using the truth properly.
First, James, can you fully with clear understanding explain what it is the article is saying? I would love to hear yourthoughts on this article.
Nevertheless, Based on what GOD SAYS, discernment is not of the mind of man or the heart, as you are speaking...
Spiritual Discernment IT IS OF THE PERSON'S SPIRIT IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO REVEALS TO THAT PERSON WHAT IT IS GOD SPEAKS...
God�s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit(this si speaking about the Holy Spirit of God)
We discern with our spirits, becaseu God is Spirit and we must communicate with him and our spirit to connect with His Spirit.. Sprit (god) to spirit (man)... but wh oknows what you Calvinists will come up with to explain this... :laugh:
6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God�s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: �What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived�� the things God has prepared for those who love him� these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
For who knows a person�s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, �Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?� But we have the mind of Christ.
I Corinthians chapter 2, chapter 3, and chapter 4 will pulll it all together for your spiritual enlightment
and your brain and your mind James are not the same thing! If you are usinmg your own self proclamed intelet then your are tee teeing in the wind so to speak! YOU HAVE NOTHING that you can give to the word of God, it does not need your "brain" your brain is influenced by the things of this world and I would say that your brain and your "heart" are more closely related than you might think as that they are both decieving you , you dont know as much as you think and I am not cutting you down personaly I am saying you and me and human flesh in general! We think wayu too highly of our own intelect!
Its funny how you spout off so much about the soverginty of God and yet when it comes to the fact that He is able to reveal hi,se;f and HIS MIND to you through the scriptures and the leadership of hte Holy Ghost you are so full of unbeliefe ! God is completly sovergn but He cant speak to his chosen???? He is not able to reaveal himself personaly to me through scripture or even divine refelation? How so James?
How is that you can be so adimant about the soverginty of Him as far as the process and what all is involved in salvation, but the santifcation process and comunion with God and prayer and your personal relationship with Him??? You turn into something very impersonal and distant and cold, God is close yes sometimes my emotions get involved but not as you think they do! I GET ECSTACLY HAPPY emotionaly fantasticaly happy when I think about what he has done for me!!!
When godly sorrow comes and works repentence in my spirit? Mnd? Heart?? whatever you want to call it, then I get emotionaly so so sad, distraught I fell terrible a sick feeling deep in my being that can only be fixed by Him.
Not an emotional hisy fit as you presume but natural emotions that come with the feelings of remorse that goes along with godly sorrow and repentence, and repentence is not a one time deal you must walk in repentence the aspirit will kep ypu in check and draw you to repentence!
Firther more, yes I get emotional sometimes the tears that flow from my eyes are from complete and utter humility in the presence of an almighty God! Yes it can be something you feel and it is a wondrful thing to feel but is not the absence of common sence andloss of self! You see here is the thing God is there alkways David said something like where could we go and not be in his presence? so wghat that tells me is either we acknolge his prescence and live accordingly or we ignore or reject it! But why is it so terrrible to you that God could stir up emotions in me that he put there in my being in the first place for his Glory! Now thats not to say that we should be led by our emotions as I said in the beging the heart is decieful and desperatly wicked! And satan certainly can play on our emotions from what I have seen, satan loves to use emotions to fool us, but isnt that just like anything else that slmiey snake does? Does he not always take a beautful gift that God gives for his Glory anything God gives and puts in us satan can and will usefor his own glory, but if thats the case its is just like we have spoken of before it is his counterfit to stir up our emotions therfor the original stiring for Gods glory that stirs us up to fall on our face in sheer humilty in the presence of and almighty Godand cry like a baby with tears flowing like a river, isnt it safe to say that it is ok for that to happen and not only ok but intended to happen since God himself put the emotions there, if we were to be robotic in our worship then He wouldnt have given emotions to us, the fact is OUR MIND, is made up of our spirit+emotions+ intelect it is all of those things tbhast what our mind isso thatr article doesnt even make sence as your heart and your mind are one in the same or shall I say your heart is part of your mind in fact when the heart is mentioned in the bible it means mind!
It is with the heart of main, in his innermost being that is where the holy spirt dwells and there is where all spiritual interaction with the lord is.
The heart is interchangable with the term spirit, James the word of god' truth's given to mankind is not hunches and to say so, is blashpemy.
Man is made in his image and likeness and you continually deny all that is true procaliming to have all the truth, sounds so much like Satan.
To justify any action of the mind is carnality at it's best and the word of God say's that is hatred of the lord.
It is with the heart that man believe's unto the new birth.
It is with the heart, in the heart that faith is birthed.
We are talking about discerning spiritual things right?
How are we to do that? Do we pray for divine revelation to discern them? Do we go with what feels right in our heart?
I choose to go with what Scripture teaches and tells how the noble Bereans discerned a new word.
Acts 17:11" Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, EXAMINING THE SCRIPTURES DAILY TO SEE WHETHER THESE THINGS WERE SO".
There is certainly nothing wrong with praying for the Holy Spirits help in discerning something, I would recommend that in all your studying. But the truth of the matter is that God has given us His once and for all delivered to the saints, perfect, infallible Word. And we are to use His perfect Word to discern any and all things along with prayer seeking His wisdom.
I would never trust my own judgement or feelings of my heart when it comes to spiritual things. I can only check them against the perfect Word of God to be sure they line up with His will, NOT mine.
If you don't use the Bible as your source of discernment, how can you be sure it is of God? Only a prideful fool would set aside God's written wisdom and go with his "heart" and what he "felt" was God's revelation to himself.
We already have enough cults in the world declaring God spoke to them when what they declare goes directly against the written Word of our Lord.
