“She’s at it again, going off the deep end about some church or Christian celebrity who does things just a little differently. She’s so nit picky, judgmental, and divisive. Why doesn’t she just shut up and be nice?”
That’s what I imagine most of my friends on my (personal) Facebook page are thinking whenever I post something about the latest false doctrine or false teacher. Maybe that’s what you think, too. “Ugh. One of those dreaded discernment bloggers.”
I don’t consider myself a discernment blogger, but rather a discipleship blogger. Discernment (warning against false teachers and false doctrine) is part of discipleship, but so is missions and evangelism, Bible study, and assorted “Christian living” topics, all of which I try to cover in balance.
Nobody seems to mind those latter topics, but a lot of people get their noses out of joint when I call attention to a false teacher, an unbiblical doctrine or practice, or an apostate “church.” I have been asked why I hate women. I’ve been told I’m what’s wrong with Christianity. And, I’ve been called every name in between for pointing out “Christian” teachers, doctrines, and “churches” that behave and teach in ways which directly contradict Scripture.
Who needs that? Who needs the hassle and emotional stress of being attacked, especially when you’re not even getting paid for it? Why don’t I just drop the discernment portion of my blog and social media and blow rainbows and unicorns up everybody’s skirt? It’s certainly a formula that works for other bloggers who choose to go that route, and everybody would be happier.
Well, let me tell you a little story.
I recently shared the gospel with someone who claimed to be a Christian. Why would I do that? If she says she’s a Christian, she must be one, right? Wrong. Before I shared the gospel with her, I asked her to explain her understanding of the gospel to me. Instead of talking about repenting of her sin and placing her faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection to save her from her sin, she gave me a laundry list of ways she was a good church member and all the activities she had ever participated in at her church. The name of Jesus did not come up once, nor did the cross, sin, nor repentance.
In case she had misunderstood my question, I then gave a very simple, biblical explanation of the gospel. She proceeded to tell me how wrong that was according to the teachings of her church. You see, all her life, this lady has belonged to an apostate church that teaches a false gospel of works righteousness (your own good works make you righteous before God, instead of Christ’s work on the cross).
This is a very real lady who really believes she’s a Christian who’s going to spend a very real eternity in Hell unless she repents and believes what the Bible says about salvation. Which is not what her so-called church is teaching her.
That’s why I do discernment work. Because real people’s eternities are at stake. False doctrine is not some trivial little difference of opinion over nothing issues in the church like pews versus chairs or what color the sanctuary carpet is. I’m not being judgmental or hateful over unimportant preferences.
People are dying and going to Hell forever
because they’ve been taught false doctrine.
And sometimes I wonder if anybody gets that.
So, if that’s what’s so important, why don’t I limit myself to writing about “first tier” issues like works righteousness or the deity of Christ which directly affect a person’s salvation? Does it really matter if churches allow practicing homosexuals to be church leaders or allow women to preach to, teach, and exercise authority over men?
Yeah, it does. Because if you take a look at churches that have their first tier issues wrong, they took their initial steps down the road to that destination by compromising and disobeying Scripture on issues, such as homosexuality and female usurpation, which are indirectly related to salvation. In other words, by the time the cancer has metastasized, it’s too late. Early detection, early cure.
Galatians 5 and 1 Corinthians 5 put it like this:
A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
In the same way that a couple of teaspoons of yeast leaven my entire batch of dough and a few cancer cells will grow and spread throughout the whole body, so, a little false doctrine, if left unchecked, will spread throughout the local Body of Christ and eventually kill it.
I care about y’all. I care about your churches. I don’t want to see a single person damned or church turn apostate. It absolutely breaks my heart when I encounter women who don’t know the gospel or have a complete misunderstanding of Scripture simply because that’s what they’ve been taught by a so-called church or a “Christian” celebrity that they trusted. These things should not be. Christ loves you and wants you to have a right relationship with Him and a right understanding of Him and His word. And I couldn’t live with myself – or Him – if I didn’t tell you that.
My voice and my platform are small. I don’t reach the millions of people the false teachers on the shelf at your local Christian bookstore reach. I am flawed and far from perfect. But I will continue to do everything I can, as biblically as I can, where I am and with what God has given me, to reach the women God places in my path in real life an on line with the glorious truth of His word.
Eternities are at stake. The church is at stake. I can’t sit down, shut up, and play nice.
Michelle Lesley 
I have read the Bio and Statement of faith via links above and would like clarification on one thing before I continue reading your blog.
Do you believe that in order to be saved one must also be “immersed” (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16-20; Acts 8:16)?
Thank you,
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No. The Bible is clear that we are saved by repentance and faith in Christ’s substitutionary atonement for our sin. To say that a person MUST be baptized (by immersion, sprinkling, pouring, or any other means) in order to be saved or that a person CANNOT be saved if he is not baptized is to add a work to salvation when salvation is by grace alone through faith alone.
That being said, baptism is an act of obedience to Christ which should closely (time-wise) follow salvation. The Bible knows nothing of unbaptized Christians. It is not optional for Christians and we should not take a casual, “I’ll get around to it” attitude about it. I also believe, unless a person’s health prohibits it, that immersion is the proper and biblical mode of baptism.
Hope this helps :0)
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Thank you!
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So well-put, and I definitely feel the same way! People indeed will go to hell unless they believe the true Gospel. I was thinking the same thing last night. I may link to this post in the near future.
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Thanks so much, DebbieLynne! Link away! :0)
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I have been debating what to discuss during our women’s prayer breakfast tomorrow morning, and I think your article came at the right time. After all, the points you make in the article are the reason I started the prayer breakfast, to disciple women and help them grow in discernment, to encourage them to seek a deeper knowledge of and love for God. Thank you!
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Thank you, Elldee! Glad I could be of help in some small way! :0)
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I love your website and your posts so much. I have been specifically told by my pastor to stop “being so negative”, “less judgmental” and to work toward more “unity” in my church. All the while, there are no warnings preached about false teachers, passages about false teaching are noticably skipped over, and loosy-goosy “niceness” prevails. It’s a lonely and helpless feeling to be shushed while so many of these “nice” people may be missing the true gospel, even though they’re filling a seat every Sunday. Thank you for your voice, your clarity, and your courage!
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Thank you so much, Cindy. I know it feels lonely. Keep looking for those opportunities to share the truth with people. God will provide them :0)
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Thank you Michelle🌼🍁😄 Barb 🌹
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You’re welcome, Barb :0)
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Good article. Amen! Souls are at stake as is God’s glory. The present day problem with apostasy is that it is extant throughout all denominations in one form or another. The false teachers and apostate churches all have one thing in common; they have a low view of Scripture and a high view of man’s opinion. May Christ compel us to only ever stand for Him and His Word. Amen!
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Thanks, Eliza! :0)
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Reblogged this on The Cross Is All We Need.
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Do you believe that Catholics go to hell?
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The Bible is clear that in order to be forgiven of our sin, declared righteous before God, and spend eternity in Heaven, we must repent of our sin and place our faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as the complete payment for our sin. Anyone – Catholic, Baptist, Atheist, Muslim, Mormon, etc. – who does not place his faith in Christ this way is not a Christian and will spend an eternity in Hell. But anyone who does is made right with God and is saved. I believe what the Bible says.
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We were at a church where the pastor was very adamant about calling false (male) teachers out on blasphemy, rightly. However, he would never touch on the complete lunancy his wife taught, the major culprit being Beth Moore. His wife “amen” his every word from the pew as he broke down male false teachers then defended Moore to me & anyone who’d mention her as if she were defending Jesus Himself. A man who claimed to have so much discernment “couldn’t see” what was so wrong with Moore.
I realized that men in leadership are scared of women in general & most of all of their own wives. They don’t check what they read, who they listen to or who they follow & lead their congragents to. They may look over an associate pastor’s shoulder like a hawk to scrutinize & “correct” but their wife is untouchable by them & anyone else.
Usurping…the age old trap to women and their weak husbands follow them to the end.
Needless to say my husband stepped down from ministry there & we left that church, mainly to avoid the pastor’s wife (attempt) to control our family & because my husband had lost all respect for the pastor who was clearly being lead timidly by his wife.
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Wow, that goes right along with my article from last week: Do You MIND? Five Reasons for Pastors to Mind What Their Brides Are Reading
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Yes, I read it, it was great & I was so happy to see it put into print. I told my husband, “I feel like this woman writes from my heart”. :-D. I read it to my husband who fully agreed with your article as well.
What I don’t understand is how these minister blindly follow their wives. I’m not sure what’s doing on anymore amongst the male leadership?
Our former pastor’s wife came back from a pastor’s wives conference furious because the speaker had said that as PWs they should abstain from alcohol all together as to not stumble any congregants nor give anyone a foot hold into trying to tear down their husband’s ministry. She was outraged & took “her women” (those who follow her blindly) back to her room to correct this “false theology” they were being taught.
Her husband came to our home to proudly tell us how awesome his wife was. I told him it sounded odd to me when someone defended drinking alcohol like this. I agreed with the speaker on the matter & for that matter the bible, itself. He didn’t say anything to my response as my husband fully agreed with me.
I know this pastor doesn’t drink & I know that as a pastor he is against any of his pastors or elders drinking at all especially in public but his wife drinks with her girlfriends & when she was teaching blasphemy he didn’t rebuke her he jumped up along side her on her high horse & he fully agreed with doctrine that went against his own doctrine. I don’t get it. It’s like they don’t see they are doing exactly as Adam did.
Why are Christian leaders (men) so scared of their wives?
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Wow, that’s just stunning. :0(
I would say that good, godly pastors are not afraid of their wives and lead them well, and that good, godly pastors’ wives would never dream of acting the way you’ve described. I’m fortunate to know many godly pastors and their wives who exemplify what Scripture teaches :0)
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Michelle, I think we are soul sisters… Well maybe more like sola sisters! Keep up the good work! It’s so important!
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Thanks,Kelsey :0)
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I just found your website through a link from the blog, The End Times. I have read through a number of your entries and am blessed!! Thank you for writing so clearly and powerfully. Keep up the great work. God bless you and this much needed ministry.
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Aw, how kind of you to say. Thanks, Susan! :0)
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Thank you dear sister for your encouragement, discernment and for your love of Christ and His bride. Keep on keepin’ on! ❤
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You go girl👍
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Thank you, I do not tire of reading your articles. I wish I had met someone like you earlier in my Christian walk. I wish I had known of your blog years ago, but I am thankful the Lord led me here just a few short weeks ago. Continue to speak the truth because peoples souls are at stake ! God’s continual blessing and guidance.
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Thank you for your kind words, Stasha-Gae, and welcome! It is my pleasure to serve you in Christ. :0)
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