DISCERNMENT IN AN INFORMATION, TECHNOLOGY, AND FAKE NEWS AGE
In the reign of David the king, the sons of Issachar “had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.” (I Chronicles 12:32) We likewise need modern sons and daughters of Issachar who have spiritual insight and cultural discernment so that we can have the ability to see life as God sees it according to his Word.
In our modern age of astounding technological advances that allow virtually any information to be accessed and spread like wildfire, it is not only impossible to take it all in, but it is also very often difficult to recognize what information is true and what is false resulting in a great lack of ability to discern between biblical truth and blatant error.
It is obvious that one cannot distinguish truth from falsehood unless one has a knowledge of truth, based upon a Biblical foundation. In John 8:31-32, Jesus tells those who believe on him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Then, we must take our knowledge of the truth and bring it to bear on that which faces us in culture. Christian discernment means looking at and listening to our mass-media culture with the eyes and ears of Christ.
The primary causes of the lack of discernment among Christians are: 1) The influence of false teachers, 2) dependence on misleading pastors, leaders and deceitful writers and broadcasters, and 3) lack of serious personal Bible study among Christians.
We live in a world of lies. The whole world lives under the influence of the devil (1 John 5:19), whom Jesus called the father of lies (John 8:44). The New Testament repeatedly warns believers to beware of false teachers, who will only multiply as Christ’s return approaches (Matthew 7:15–20; Luke 21:8; 2 Timothy 3:3–4). Not even our own hearts are to be trusted; as Jeremiah 17:9 reveals, “the heart is deceitful above all things.”
In a world of fake news and false views, how are we to distinguish between truth and falsity? How do we discern what is true and what is false?
We are to test everyone and everything (I John 4:1) against the divinely revealed truth and principles found in the person of Jesus Christ and in God’s inerrant, inspired, and authoritative Word. Extra-Biblical truth will not contradict biblical truth. Since the Bible is God’s Word and God cannot lie (Titus 1:2) or teach what is false, it follows that everything God’s Word teaches is true and anything opposed to it is false.
We are called to be people of truth. God detests lies (Proverbs 12:22), calling us instead to “walk in the light, as he is in the light” (1 John 1:7), to put on “the belt of truth” (Ephesians 6:14), and to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).
We’re to exercise biblical discernment. The truth of God’s Word is our weapon for combatting all types of lies, whether from deceptive spirits (1 John 4:1), false teachers (Galatians 1:8; 1 Timothy 6:3–4), worldly “wisdom” (Colossians 2:8), or our own hearts (Hebrews 4:12).