There are some in some so called discernment ministries that feel it is appropriate to speak against other Christians who believe differently and to say they are not Christians but are walking and preaching the doctrines of demons. They may quote this verse, “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” (2 Corinthians 11:3–4, NIV84) They believe that because they disagree on some areas of doctrine, that those who disagree with them are no longer serving Jesus.
I think we must understand that salvation is both an event and a process. We begin a relationship with Jesus and we are saved. “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9, NIV84) This Jesus that we confess is Jesus, the Son of God, who is God, who became man, died for our sins and rose again. This Jesus is the only way. “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, NIV84)
Our confession that Jesus is Lord is a surrender of our lives to the authority of Christ giving Him permission to transform us and to change us into His image. “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV84) This is called the process of sanctification. Sanctification is the process of allowing the Word of God to conform us to all that God says we are to become, do, and say. “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17, NIV84)
Studying God’s Word and allowing the Word to change us so that we begin to look and act more like Jesus is how we walk out our salvation. “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” (Philippians 2:12, NIV84) If we truly have received Jesus as Lord, we will allow Him to teach us and we will become like Him. “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40, NIV84)
So let’s examine the basics of faith. We realize that it really does not take more than recognizing our sin and trusting Jesus because even the man of the cross was saved. “But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”” (Luke 23:40–43, NIV84) It does not seem that becoming a follower of Christ requires much more than acknowledging our sin, acknowledging Jesus and trusting in the work Jesus did on the cross.
There is another who demonstrated that salvation begins simply. “The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.” (Acts 16:29–32, NIV84)
These people entered into a relationship with Jesus but had a long way to go yet in learning the fullness of who Jesus was and how to live in a relationship with him. Let’s take a look at examples of followers of Christ at different places of understanding.
There is the lame beggar who learned that Jesus was healer and loved Jesus but certainly had not had time to learn about the parables and other teachings of Jesus. “Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.” (Acts 3:6–8, NIV84) Jesus decided to teach this man first about His healing power and perhaps later teach about the Holy Spirit or prayer.
There was another group in Samaria who heard about Jesus and received Jesus and had been taught about baptism. “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:14–17, NIV84) They later learned about the Holy Spirit and laying on of hands.
There are those who learned about the gifts of the Holy Spirit first (Corinthians) and those who learned about grace (Galatians) and those who learned how to give (the church in Macedonia). Their journeys with Christ took them each in different sequences of learning about how to follow Jesus.
Even Apollos needed to keep learning even as he was preaching and teaching what he already had learned. “Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.” (Acts 18:24–26, NIV84)
What I see these “discernment ministries” doing is labeling those whose journey with Jesus has been different than their own as following a false Jesus. It is wrong.
What we must do is remain focused on the Word of God at all times and fully embrace the Word of God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1, NIV84) We must never assume that parts of the Word are not for us today merely because we have not experienced it. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, NIV84) We must not condemn those who are experiencing parts of the Word that we have not yet experienced.
Each of us will pray differently as we learn the many facets of prayer. Each of us will worship differently as we learn how God calls us to Worship. Each of us will find our faith is expressed in unique ways as God works on each of us privately. Some like Peter and Jonah and David will learn that God is the God of second chances. Some will learn the justice of God against deceit as those who saw the deceit of Ananias (Acts 5).
What we must do is keep our eyes in the Word of God and always be prepared to explain from the Word, our actions and our understanding. “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (1 Peter 3:15–16, NIV84) We remain teachable seeking God and His Word and we will grow into the fullness of Christ.
As we keep our focus on the Word and embrace each of our individual journeys with Jesus through the process of becoming like him, we will grow in unity. “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:11–16, NIV84)
I follow Jesus. He is described in the Word of God, the Bible. I want to learn and experience all of the Word. Be patient with me, because I have not yet arrived.
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