Exodus 14:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

In this I am reminded of old World War II movies I watched as a youth. A destroyer would sail across the advance of the armada laying down a smoke screen so that the enemy could not take dead aim on our ships. That was ancient warfare but still holds a practical application of personal behavior.

We as sinners do not like to have anyone taking potshots at our sin. We lay down a smokescreen of sorts to hide from others. We put on a brave face to hide our pain. We do good works to disguise our sinful nature. We make excuses and rationalize continually to justify ourselves rather than do anything that might just change our hearts. I’ve done it, and I doubt I am alone in this.

A faithful man of God who knew me would set me down and ask me what was going on in my life. I would talk, laying down that smokescreen, heaven help if I should tell the truth. But then this gifted man of God would use the gift of spiritual discernment to cut thru my smokescreen and make a direct hit on my problem.

I know I did not say anything that would expose myself. I was very careful, but there I was exposed and vulnerable. The God who knows my heart revealed me to another. My secret darkness was exposed to the light of truth.

This is true spiritual discernment. Others that have declared that gift have been found to be nothing more than judgmental. You will not find judgment in discernment, only truth telling, with love, grace and mercy.

Do you know the heart and mind of another? Examine yourself as to how that came into being.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

What do you do with scriptures that on the face of the text in comparison, leads you to wonder if perhaps there is room for doubt as to meaning? Do you wrestle with the context? Do you wrestle with your understanding? Do you wrestle with your faith?

I dare say there will be times when others, if not yourselves, pose difficult scenarios in which easy answers are not always apparent. How do we deal with these questions?

My advice, and this is me speaking, is to break down the issues into their base details in order to see if you are comparing apples to apples or apples to oranges. That is the first issue to address.

2 Thess. 3:3 basics, the Lord’s faithfulness, your establishment, your protection.

Heb. 6:4-6 basics, communion, power and apostasy.

If you can see that I have been fair in my assessment of the basic principles of these verses, then you can honestly say you are comparing apples and oranges and at this point erase the line drawn between the two as a thing to be compared.

If the person offering up the scenario cannot erase that line drawn connecting the two, then you have bigger problem that must be dealt with first.

Job 6:25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

Proverbs 26:21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.