⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 2 min read
Why Biblical Theology Matters for Discernment
In this episode of Contending for the Word, Dave Jenkins begins our February focus on
testing the spirits, exposing counterfeits, and standing firmly on the truth of God’s Word.
Many believers drift into false teaching not because they hate Scripture, but because they lack a framework for understanding how the Bible fits together as one unified story centered on Christ.
This episode explains what biblical theology is, why fragmented Bible reading creates discernment gaps, how the gospel gets subtly “edited,” why false teaching often sounds biblical, and how biblical theology stabilizes believers and strengthens local churches over time.
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Key Scripture
- Luke 24
- 2 Peter 1:20
- Nehemiah 8:8
- Galatians 1
- Matthew 7
- 2 Corinthians 11
- Hebrews 1–2
- Colossians 2
- Ephesians 4
- John 17:17
Episode Notes
- What biblical theology is: reading Scripture as one unified story centered on Christ.
- Why discernment breaks down: Scripture is often consumed in fragments rather than in context.
- How the gospel gets distorted: false teaching edits categories like sin, repentance, grace, and faith.
- Why false teaching sounds biblical: it uses biblical words while redefining their meaning.
- Counterfeit spirituality vs. true spirituality: discovery and experience vs. revelation and submission.
- Discernment and drift: discernment is about trajectory over time, not isolated mistakes.
- Stability in the church: biblical theology produces maturity, unity, and resilience (Ephesians 4).
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Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
