The importance of being a “Berean” of the Word of God!

Jun 23

Written By Maureen Abley

Pastor Brad Abley: Biblical Educator

Pastor’s Corner - “Bein’ a Berean”

Acts 17:11

A Careful and Exact Search of the Word of God

Pastor Brad Abley writes…

It is highly distressing to me to see how many Christians ardently follow preachers and teachers -- and enthusiastically recommend them to others -- while continually failing to observe this from the Word of God, in Acts 17:11:

"Now these 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."

The word translated "great eagerness" can also mean zeal, and the Greek word translated "examining" means to sift, up and down; to make CAREFUL AND EXACT SEARCH, with an absence of bias."

The word is in the present tense, denoting a habit. My question is, why would someone so easily follow a teacher and not examine his or her fruit -- and not follow the money they accumulate? Why?

Why not compare what they teach with what the Word of God teaches -- unless, of course, it takes too much work? Or is this simply a sign of Christians lazily wanting their ears tickled -- not heeding Paul's warning of the last days, in 2 Tim. 4:3-4?

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."

Why is it distressing to me? Well, doesn't the Lord deserve the best from His followers -- men and women who will give everything they have to honor Him, guard their hearts, and the faith -- as we read in Jude 3?

"Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints."