The Need For Spiritual Discernment (Part Two)

Oct 11

1 min read

The writer of Hebrews teaches, “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14). What is discernment? Biblical discernment is the God-given spiritual ability to distinguish between truth and error, right and wrong, and God’s will versus worldly influences. It’s a sign of spiritual maturity. The writer says spiritual maturity comes “by constant use.” In other words, our daily choices (constant use) become the place where discernment and spiritual maturity is developed. There is a difference between knowing the right answer and being able to live it out in the moment. That gap between knowing and doing is where spiritual training happens. Hebrews 5:12 speaks to believers who have been in the faith long enough to teach others, yet they still need someone to explain the basics again. For this reason, the writer points to what builds maturity: constant use, repetition, and practice. Training yourself to distinguish good from evil by actually making choices rooted in Scripture builds spiritual maturity.