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How Christians Can Discern Truth in a Post-Truth Culture
Not everything that sounds spiritual is from God, and not every message that feels meaningful is true. Christians are called to test what they hear according to the unchanging truth of God’s Word.
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Testing What We Hear
One of the most common assumptions in our culture is that something must be good simply because it sounds spiritual, feels meaningful, or is presented sincerely. First John 4:1 directly challenges that assumption by commanding Christians not to believe every spirit, but to test the spirits to determine whether they are from God.
Christians are not called to accept every message, experience, or spiritual claim without examination. Spiritual language is not the same as spiritual truth. Every idea must be tested according to the written Word of God.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.”1 John 4:1
Scripture Is the Standard
Acts 17:11 commends the Bereans because they received the Word eagerly while examining the Scriptures daily to see whether what they heard was true. Their example shows that Scripture, not feelings, experiences, popularity, or personality, is the final standard for evaluating every teaching.
If a teaching contradicts the Word of God, it is not from God. True teaching will also agree with Scripture concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ. False teaching often distorts Christ, minimizes His work, or replaces the biblical gospel with another message.
Discernment Grows Through Practice
Hebrews 5:14 teaches that mature believers have their powers of discernment trained through constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Biblical discernment grows as Christians regularly read, study, meditate upon, and apply the Word of God.
Discernment also develops through faithful participation in a biblically qualified local church. Christians need sound preaching, biblical fellowship, and the help of other believers. Discernment is a community project. We need one another as we seek to understand Scripture, recognize error, and remain grounded in truth.
More Than Exposing False Teaching
Discernment is not merely about identifying false teachers, dangerous ideas, or deceptive spiritual movements. It is also positive. Biblical discernment begins with knowing what God has said and what He means in His Word.
A genuine love for discernment grows from a genuine love for Scripture. From that foundation, Christians can contend for the faith, warn others about error, and care for those who have been trapped by false teaching and deceptive philosophies.
In This Episode
- Why not everything described as spiritual comes from God
- How Christians can test spiritual claims and experiences
- Why Scripture must remain the final standard of truth
- How false teaching distorts the biblical Christ
- Why discernment develops through constant practice
- How biblical preaching strengthens personal Bible study
- Why discernment is a community project within the local church
- How Christians can confront error with truth, clarity, and love
Key Scriptures
- 1 John 4:1-3
- Acts 17:11
- Isaiah 5:20
- Hebrews 5:14
- Psalm 1
Grow in Biblical Discernment
Contending for the Word exists to help Christians think biblically, resist deception, contend for the faith, and remain grounded in the truth of God’s Word.
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Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.
He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
