⏱️ 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, 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 (G3 Press, 2022), 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.
