ability to “test everything,” to “hold fast what is good,” and to “abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess. 5:21–22). It is the skill of comparing what we hear or read with God’s Word to determine its authenticity according to God’s revealed truth. Discernment is critical for evaluating everything said inside a church building, and it is equally critical for evaluating life experienced outside the church context. We need discernment to hear sermons, to watch movies, and to read books. Discernment protects the church, and discernment protects our hearts.
