In Acts 17 we read of Paul and Silas in Berea. The text says of the Jews in Berea, "Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so." (Acts 17:11) "More noble." Nice. That's what we want; to be "more noble." So what did they do that made them "more noble"? They examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Great!
So we have this model. These Bereans didn't eject or embrace the message of Paul and Silas. They listened ("received the word with all eagerness") and then went home and diligently compared it to what the Bible said. The right response. "Therefore," the text goes on to say, "many of them believed." (Acts 17:12) Not merely because a reputable preacher said so, but because they could see it right there in their Bibles. Because they confirmed it for themselves.
It's a good model and we should embrace it. We should hear what preachers and teachers say and then compare it to Scripture and see if it stacks up. If it does, we should embrace it and believe it. But many of us, I daresay, don't do this. We often tend to imbibe of our favorite teachers and preachers and go with what they say. "My pastor said it, so it's true." We even get angry if someone questions it not because we've confirmed it with Scripture, but because that's "my pastor" and "Who are you to question the Lord's anointed?" Wrong response.
Worse, I think that most of us certainly don't do it with ourselves. We are not self-Bereans. We are not "more noble" than the rest because we simply accept what we think to be true without comparing it with Scripture. We "feel" that "this" is true and "that" is true and, because we do, we assume it is. "But," someone might say, "Scripture." "Oh, no," we retort, "don't go there! I know that 'this' is true and no amount of your Scripture will change that." Oh, if we're wise, we won't say "your Scripture." We'll say "your interpretation." But we do it without examining the Scriptures. We don't say, "Is that actually what it says?" We reject objections out of hand, refusing to consider the possibility that "I might be wrong."
The Bereans of Acts 17 were "more noble" because they listened, then compared the claims with Scripture, then embraced the claims that Scripture supported. Some of us understand that and will compare claims of teachers and preachers and the rest of those around us with Scripture to see if they're right. Good for us. Rarely do we submit our own beliefs to the same scrutiny. We limit our nobility, so to speak. And, when you think about it, I think you can see that it's sheer arrogance. "I don't need to compare my beliefs with Scripture." Maybe, if you hear that in the back of your brain, you might also see that it's a lie. We need to be self-Bereans, too.
2 comments:
Your assumption in all of this is that those who don’t act like the Bereans are actually interested in being noble, let alone more noble. I suspect that there are plenty of people who are more interested in feeling kind, than in being noble.
I'd agree, although I think you meant they are actually not interested in being noble. Of course, biblically, the Bereans were commended for being this kind of noble. And, of course, the idea that "using Scripture as your guide is contradictory to being kind" is an error. It can't be "kind" to tell people, "Well, sure, that's what God said, but I don't want to be mean, so you just go along with whatever you want."
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