I am exercising my spiritual gift on this web site. My spiritual gift is the discernment of spirits.
1 Corinthians 12:7-10 “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. .. to another the ability to distinguish between spirits…”
In my experience and perception of my experience, it gives me the ability to detect true doctrine from false doctrine. Usually it appears in the form of the sayings of men that usually don’t directly come from the Bible, but as inferences or deductions “supposedly” based on the bible. These sayings of men are really the doctrines of men, referred to by Jesus (Matthew 15:9):
"But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
In Jesus’ day it was some of the sayings from the Talmud, the oral tradition of the Pharisees, as opposed to the actual Word of God that they had back then, the Torah, the 1st 5 books of the Old Testament, which we refer to as the Pentateuch. In our day, it is spread out all over the place and from all types of sources: sermons, blogs, etc. It also comes from religious organizational groupings developed over the church age, the “isms” as I like to call it, Catholicism, Arminianism, Calvinism, etc. And don’t forget the errors introduced by the crazy complexities of the “ologies”, Christology, Ecclesiology, Harmartiology, Patriology, Pneumatology, Soteriology, etc.
Back to me…
I have been a Christian for over 30 years. I had a born-again experience to start my walk with Jesus Christ. I grew up attending Catholic church as a kid, baptized and confirmed there, and served as an alter boy for a few years but did not know Christ by faith. After my confirmation, my mother said that I didn’t “have” to go to church anymore. She stopped going at that time, so I stopped going too, except for the big church days, Christmas and Easter. Sad as I reflect on this. It shows my whole upbringing as a Christian was a farce and my parents led me right into that hypocrisy. At that time, I truly had a bad turn for the worse like the Prodigal Son, giving myself over to whatever I felt like doing: sex, liquor, and drugs. Not only did I hurt myself but others as well. To this day, I still suffer the consequences for my past, evil actions. BUT I am standing in Christ right now! That is all that matters.
Where you are now is the most important thing about your life.
Are you in Christ and free from all condemnation or are you lost, under God’s condemnation and headed for eternal destruction?
- If you are saved, thank God!
- If you are lost, all is not lost yet. You can still repent and turn toward the Lord Jesus and get a right standing with Him.
- Have you fallen away from Christ? You too can turn toward the Lord again, and get a right standing with Him again.
God is not willing that anyone should perish (2 Peter 3:9), including the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11) and including the backslidden (2 Chronicles 7:14, James 5:19-20) . His Will is that everyone comes to a saving knowledge of Christ (1 Timothy 2:4 , Revelation 22:17).
Please read Enduring Sound Doctrine which gives an overview of this site.
Jesus Saves!
Hello,
I wish I knew your name, though since you have not provided it in your About Me section, I can only address you as “Sir.” But, sir, you do not possess a working handle on the word of God regarding salvation. I have one question for you; “How does the word of God speak of the death of Christ; it actually saves, or makes salvation possible?
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
“The latter clause, He shall save His people from their sins.” Does this sound like Jesus’ death made salvation possible? Or actually saves people from their sins?
Take caution when you are attempting to represent God, that you do not do what Job’s friend did by MIS representing God
And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
So you are quick to the draw in judging me as “not possessing a working handle on the Word of God regarding salvation”. How can I possibly address you or present my argument back to you? I have no idea where you are coming from, or what I said that triggered this response from you. I have some ideas about where you are coming from, but unlike you, I am not “quick to the draw” in judging you. You can address me directly at watcher@blog.awatchman.com.