Does your church have discernment?
 

Does your church have discernment? If I walked into a service with the intent of, say, faking a repentance at the altar, complete with "tongues", would your ushers swing me around and toss me out before I even had the chance? Or would they at least interrupt my fake tongues?

I've considered actually doing something like this. I'd announce here on AFF that I will show up at one of your churches with $100 in my pocket, which I would gladly hand over to the person who identified me as a fake, when I went to the altar and before I left it. You'd have to tap me on the shoulder and say "You are fake. Get out of this church and never come back." If and only if you said those words I would keep up the act as I walk out the building, with escort, and then and only then hand over the hundred bucks.

That would be easy for someone with discernment. If I could affort it, I'd make it even more interesting, with $1000 or more! But the real danger, of course, is that you falsely identify someone else as me. That poor guy would probably be devastated. Might even fall into despair. And that is why I will never pull this prank.

Other pranks, maybe. But not this one.

Re: Does your church have discernment?
 

(Another problem is that some of you have seen my picture on Facebook. :lol)

Re: Does your church have discernment?
 

I don't know who you are, have never seen your picture.... but your game is not a game I'd want to participate in, sorry.

However, discernment is a noteworthy subject that we do need to discuss. People need to be aware that as long as there is a genuine experience, there is also a counterfeit one. Perhaps if the subject were understood more fully, someone WOULD recognize you, should you or anyone else put this deceitful game into action.

Re: Does your church have discernment?
 

I have seen people come into the church, come to the altar, raise their hands, and speak in tongues in a moment or two, and then leave the church, and you'd never see them again. Was that a true, genuine experience, or just a fleeting emotional thing that wasn't the real deal?

There is no hard and fast rule to discernment, Timmy. However, I do believe we can be led by the Spirit that in each situation can lead us to understand if a person has made a true and genuine commitment to follow the Lord, and turn their life over to Him. Only the Lord himself knows the true condition of a heart, but we can be led by the Spirit to respond to people, just as Peter responded to Simon the Sorcerer here in
Acts 8:18-24:

18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

Re: Does your church have discernment?
 

I would never do this, because I would be afraid of being struck dead by God Himself.

Re: Does your church have discernment?
 

People who believe in discernment would not fear this "deceitful" game. Though I prefer to think of it as a test. ;)

Re: Does your church have discernment?
 

Discernment comes from the Spirit. God doesn't always give his people discernment. Joshua 9 is one example. But we are instructed to know the wolves by their works. Matthew 7:15-20

Re: Does your church have discernment?
 

Yes, people who believe that God gets mad about such things would be afraid of that. I'm not afraid. I wonder, do people who believe God might strike people dead for doing certain things know of any cases of God striking, say, a child molester dead? Has God ever struck a bank robber dead? An adulterer? Did he strike Saddam Hussein dead? Hitler?

But yes, it does seem that the examples we have in the Bible are only when a "man of God" is insulted or disobeyed, or someone lied about how much they gave to the church, or something. Even the Bible doesn't record God getting that angry about things like rape or murder, as I recall.

Re: Does your church have discernment?
 

For that matter, has God ever stuck someone dead for faking tongues?

Re: Does your church have discernment?
 

Not only that but we don't always react because we discern something. There have been time where I have dealt with someone that I discerned their intentions and other times I discerned it and left it alone and let God deal with it.