The Discipline of Discernment, Chapter 9 (Study Notes)

[The following are my teaching notes for Chapter 9 of Tim Challies’ The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment, which I am teaching through in a Sunday school class at Kosmosdale Baptist Church.]

I. The Commitments for Discernment

A. Pursue Discernment

1. Humility before God

2. Humility before men

B. Desire Discernment (= seek discernment passionately, as if searching for hidden treasure)

C. Pray for Discernment (Philippians 1:9-10)

D. Seek Discernment (through diligent study of God’s Word)

II. The Context for Discernment (= the congregation of believers) -> “reasons that Christians must join a church”

A. For assurance

B. To evangelize the world

C. To expose false gospels

D. To edify the church

E. To glorify God

III. The Character for Discernment

A. Humility

1. Humility before God

a. Isaiah 66:2

b. The definition of humility: “honestly assessing ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness” (C.J. Mahaney).

2. Humility before men

a. We must humbly surround ourselves with discerning people “and to invite their encouragement and correction” (see Proverbs 13:20).

b. We must humbly seek to protect our brothers and sisters in Christ.

B. Meekness (gentleness, expressing humility, seeking to build up rather than tear down)

C. Compassion (based on a humble recognition that we are all prone to stumble)

IV. The Confirmation of Discernment

A. “Discernment… requires obedience.”

1. Proverbs 28:7

2. Psalm 119:100 NET

3. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

B. Growth in the Christian faith requires a growth in discernment.

C. “[I]f we are to pursue discernment, we must pursue God.”