In Acts 17:11 Luke tells us that the Bereans “were more noble-minded than those in
Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to
see whether these things were so.” We are all familiar with this passage, and have been urged to
“become like the noble Berean’s” more than a few times, and rightly so, for their response to
Paul’s preaching is indeed something to consider and immolate.
But why is this posture so noteworthy? Because this was not the normal response from the Jews,
as was evidenced in Thessalonica before. They actually listened (received the word), with great
eagerness. No mocking or scoffing. No bitter jealousy that drives them to irresponsibly lash out
and attack the messenger. No they listened, and considered, “examining the Scriptures daily, to
see whether these things were so.” They weren’t like the naive man in the Proverbs either, who
simply embraces every new proposition without examination. They received the word which
Paul brought to them “with great eagerness”, and then tested it against the Scriptures, to see if
indeed it was true. Even after 2000 years, this posture is still refreshing, and we admire it. Yet
why is it still such a rarity today, even in the church
Our age of information and enlightenment?
We live in an unprecedented time of information access and availability today. With just a few
clicks of a mouse or taps on a screen we can have more information and documentation
available to us than we are able to process. We can also verify whether a proposition is true or
not faster than ever before, and all again, just a few taps away. And yet in spite of this
information explosion, we are seeing some of the most dim-witted, hair-brained ideas and
propositions being advanced among us. For those of us who can remember the invention of the
microwave oven, I dare say we are seeing things that we never could have imagined being
advanced and becoming polices and laws in our society.
Who would have imagined that people in America today would be campaigning for the
implementation of Socialism, or for the removal of local law enforcement in our communities?
Who would have imagined that women would argue for the killing of their own child to
accommodate their liberty to fornicate, even through the 3rd term of their pregnancy? Or that
same sex marriage would be embraced as a nation and become law? Or that men and women
can self identify as something other than what God has created them to physically be, and a
society embrace this neurosis and endeavor to foist it on everyone else? Or that even the
definition of what a man or a woman is, would become difficult for some people to make? Could
it be that not only the liberalization of our formal institutions, but the legalization of pot also be
a factor here?
Clearly the need for discernment and the ability to assess whether a proposition is true or not is
at a premium today. Relativism always seeks to erode absolute truth. In fact the claim that there
even is such a thing is mocked today just as it was in the 1st century by Pilate (John 18:38). And
yet we know that we can’t live like that. Clearly there are absolutes throughout this world that
God has created and sustains. Absolutes in chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics are all
established and maintained by absolute laws. Without them, life itself would be impossible.
And what about the church?
So it is also with the Scriptures. God’s Word speaks authoritatively, and any propositions that
someone is advancing to us regarding what God says in His word, needs to be “examined…to see
whether these things are so.” The church is being barraged today by a whole slew of screwy
ideas such as LGBT Christians1 and the proposition that Muslims and Hindus unknowingly
worship Jesus.2 Both of these the Scriptures clearly refute, and yet professing Christians in some
denominations embrace these notions as valid biblical propositions.
Yet not all the propositions advanced in the church today are as brazenly false or convoluted as
these. There are many that have been advanced and embraced as biblical, that are however
rather subtle in their approach, and not nearly as sound on the surface as they appear, and I’ll
site just one for an example .
The concept of submission to church leadership, without ever examining the extent of the elders
authority and jurisdiction in the church. It is widely held that the stopping point for your
submission to them would be if they ask or require you to sin. That sounds reasonable at first
glance. But let’s see if we can hone our understanding of their authority and jurisdiction through
asking a series of questions.
- Can your governing elders ask you/tell you/require you to worship God in a particular
manner? Allow or restrict certain styles of music, expressions such as raising of hands or
knelling? - How about tithing? Can they require a minimal percentage of your income? And how often,
who makes that decision? Can they prevent you from supporting other ministries? Do they
have the authority to do so? - What about Bible teachers outside of your particular church? Can you listen or learn from
others that are not under their auspices? What about books? Do you have the liberty to freely
read, or do you need to stick with an approved reading list? - What about various activities that you take up outside the church such as the music you listen
to, concerts or dances you can attend, and various types of gaming and sports events? - What about various foods and beverages? Approved or prohibited?
- Clothing for men and women? Hair lengths? Is perfume for women allowed?
- Can you hold competing or opposing theological or social views on minor issues and still be a
member in good standing? To what extent can unity be biblically pursued? - How about political candidates and social policies? To what extent is there room for different
choices and perspectives in the church? - How about your association with others? Do the elders have the right/authority to tell you who
you can or cannot associate with? - How about raising your children? To what extent, if any, is our parental authority subject to
the authority of our governing elders? - How about marriage? Do they have the authority to tell you who you can or cannot marry?
And if so, to what extent? - What about employment, or types of business? Should we expect or look for an approved list
of occupations that we can enter into as adults. - What about outreach and evangelism? Do we need approval to engage in that? Open air
preaching? Teaching or participating in a Bible study that is not under their auspices?
Although some of these may seem simple and self evident, others will have both a “yes and no”
answer in different senses. Thus the need to consider carefully.
Also, there will be, and has been situations where our elders will tell us that our choices do not
have the liberty of conscience as a determining factor, but for the greater good, we need to
comply. What are we to do is such cases?
Some of you may think that some of these examples are mere hyperbole. I wish that were the
case. You won’t normally find the churches position on these issues the doctrinal statement, but
you will in the churches Constitutions or Bylaws, and membership is often predicated upon an
agreement to abide by the things listed in these documents. Thus the need for clarity.
Is the leadership of the church asking you to sin in order to comply with any of these things? No.
But I would propose that many, if not all of these things are issues that are beyond the scope of
their jurisdiction and authority to enforce.
But we read “Obey your leaders, and submit to them” (Heb 13:17), yet many times without ever
asking… “To what extent is my submission required?” Blind submission is never a wise
approach, and this call to obey our leaders needs to be “examined” in these regards. Clearly how
the church dealt with Covid would support the need to “examine everything carefully”(1 Thes
5:21).
Gullibility is not a virtue.
But shouldn’t we leave the theological matters to the leadership of the church to handle? To The trained professionals?
As helpful as a man with formal training may be to the church, unfortunately many of them are
only available in a limited sense. Most church leadership boards are not occupied by “trained
professionals,” but rather by godly men who do meet the basic requirements of 1 Tim 3 & Titus 1
for leadership in the church, but may or may nor have an interest in deep, penetrating study of
the Scriptures. Some may not have any interest in do so at all. If you’re every curious, just ask,
what do they primarily do with their “free time.” If it’s taken up with a lot of hobbies,
recreational actives or favorite shows, I dare say you have your answer.
As for the “trained professionals,” many of them simply don’t have the time to entertain your
questions or queries about the Scriptures. They are already swamped with all of the other
activities of governing the church. So what does God expect you to do? Paul told the members of
the congregation to “examine everything carefully”(1 Thes 5:21). And as we have already seen,
the Bereans were commended for their willingness to “examining the Scriptures daily, to see
whether these things were so.” The biblical approach here is personal study, with the plea of the
Psalmist…”Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Thy law”(Ps 119:18).
The point of what I’m getting at here is the need for all of us to adopt a posture that is given to
“examine everything carefully,” and not just embrace propositions on the basis of another’s
credibility or position. Yes it takes work. Yes it takes effort. But truth is worth it.
Paul told the Ephesian elders that he “did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose
(or counsel) of God” (Acts 20:27). He did so with the intention that all of it was to be understood
and embraced, not by just the elders, but by the whole church a well. Paul told Timothy to “give
attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. To “Take pains with
these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Pay close
attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will
insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you” (1 Tim 4:13,15,16). There is great
benefit in knowing the content of the whole purpose and counsel of God. These are not just
superfluous issues. They matter. It’s important, and will even impact your faith, your trust in
God, and the assurance of your salvation that He has accomplished on your behalf.
The gospel of Christ, the church’s ministry, and our reputations as ambassadors of Christ is
worth it. God has given us His Spirit inside us to illuminate His word to us. He has given us His
Word in a book, allowed it to be translated into a language that we can read and and
understand, and given us eyes to do so; “tolle, lege” (take up and read).3
Indolence and indifference aren’t virtues either.
Which leads us to a right posture.
A right posture is everything when endeavoring to dialog with one another over important issues
of biblical truth. Paul told Timothy “the Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be
kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in
opposition,” (2 Tim 2:24,25a).
Paul told the Corinthians that… “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not
have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy,
and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but
do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Cor 13:1,2).
Pride and arrogance, impatience with others, an unwillingness to listen to others concerns, will
quickly nullify and undo any efforts you’ll make in moving forward what you’re trying to convey.
As the old saying goes… “They won’t care what you know, unless they know that you care.”4
We are all frail and utterly dependent sinners; prone to selfishness and greed. “Considering
others as more important than ourselves” doesn’t come naturally. It has to be given to us to
fulfill (Eph 2:10). But He does give it, along with many other fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5, 1 Cor 13).
Jesus said “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”
(John 13:35). Patience, kindness, consideration of one anther, will not only go a long way in
advancing a true proposition, but also in advancing the Kingdom of God among us.
Lord, help us to be known by Your love, sincerity and honesty in our dealings with one another;
and give us heart that longs to know You more, to grow in our understanding of You and Your
redemptive plan, according to Your word, and not our own creative musings. Oh Lord give us
hearts that “long for the pure milk of the word, that by it we may grow in respect to salvation.”
For Your honor and glory Lord Jesus. Amen.
Footnotes:
- Just for the sake clarity, I chose this example not because I consider it to be the most
deplorable of all sins, but because it is a conscience lifestyle choice that is diametrically
opposed to a legitimate Christian world view. To suggest that one can be an LBGT Christian
is as ludicrous as suggesting the Hugh Hefner or Jeffrey Dahmer was a Christian. Any
attempt to join together two opposing world views will inevitably gravely distort one or the
other. But perhaps that is what is intended in doing so. - Breitbart News – Adam Hamilton, Christian Pastor & Democrat Senate Nominee, Says
Muslims and Hindus Unknowingly Worship Jesus. - ”Take up and read” (tolle, lege) is the famous phrase from St. Augustine’s Confessions
describing his dramatic conversion in a Milan garden in 386 AD. - Author unknown