What is the gift of discernment?

The concept of discernment is common throughout the Bible.  There are several passages throughout the Word of God warning believers against false teachers along with instructions for them to test the spirits and motives of these individuals, who claim to be speaking on behalf of God.  In the New Testament, we find the gift of discernment included among the gifts of the Holy Spirit with the words – “For to one is given by the Spirit…discerning of spirits….” (I Corinthians 12:8-10 KJV) 

The Prophet Isaiah prophesied against seeking spiritual guidance from mediums and spiritists.

“When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God?  Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?  To the law and to the testimony!  If they do not speak according to this word, they have not light of dawn.” (Isaiah 8:19-20 NIV)  

The Prophet Jeremiah also prophesied against following false prophets.

“This is what the Lord Almighty says:  Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes.  They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord…’I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name.  They say, I had a dream!  I had a dream!....’” (Jeremiah 23:16, 25 NIV)

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ himself even warned about false teachers with the following words.

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7:15 NIV)

In addition, the Apostle Paul cautioned the Corinthians against deceptive people posing as believers teaching a different gospel of Christianity.

“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 your received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough…For such men are false apostle, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.  It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.  Their end will be what their actions deserve. (II Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-15 NIV) 

Overall, discernment – or disputation – plays an important role in the church.  The Apostle John warns believers to test the authenticity of professed religious people and leaders with the words – “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (I John 4:1 NIV)  In summary, the Holy Spirit uniquely entrusts certain believers with the gift of discernment and enables them to distinguish the authenticity of the words and motives of professed believers and churches, and whether or not they are derived from God or a counterfeit source.  Ultimately, individuals entrusted with the spiritual gift of discernment keep spiritual leaders and organizations accountable to the tenets of faith found in the Word of God.   

What is the gift of apostleship?

The term apostle is common throughout the New Testament. The twelve disciples of Jesus Christ were referred to as apostles. In a traditional view, the apostles were the official commissioners of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 10:1-4) In similar manner, the Apostle Paul describes how the Holy Spirit has given the gift of apostleship to some believers. In a broader sense, believers entrusted with the gift of apostleship are ambassadors of the gospel. (I Corinthians 12:10, 28-29; Ephesians 4:11)

The spiritual gift of apostleship, or being an ambassador, is when the Holy Spirit guides a believer to leave his or her own local area for the purpose of spreading and relating the message of the gospel to individuals in different areas of the world. An individual entrusted with the spiritual gift of apostleship feels led by the Holy Spirit to participate in mission trips, whether short-term or on a full-time basis, to different areas of the world and/or regions of a country for the ultimate purpose of glorifying God. Many churches often refer to people indwelled with this gift as missionaries.

The Apostle Paul makes it clear that not all believers are called to be ambassadors, since only some believers are entrusted with the gift of apostleship. In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he asks a series of rhetorical questions – “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?” (I Corinthians 12:29 NIV) The Apostle Paul reiterates this same point to the Ephesians with the words, “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….” (Ephesians 4:11-12 NIV)

Believers who are indwelled with the gift of apostleship usually have other spiritual gifts and individual talents that help distinguish their specific type of missionary work. For example, you have missionary church builders who may be talented carpenters with the gifts of apostleship and helps. Similarly, missionary church planters are often entrusted with the gifts of leadership, pastoring and apostleship. The list could easily continue with seemingly endless combinations. So in a sense, being a “missionary” is not necessarily limited to its traditional usage of pastoring and/or teaching people in a foreign country. Rather, the gift of apostleship enables certain believers to venture outside of their local communities and utilize their God-given individual talents and spiritual gifts anywhere in the world as ambassadors of Jesus Christ, be it building/planting churches or reaching out to people in a constructive and meaningful manner that ultimately glorifies God.