10/23/07 - Life Journal - Discerning Bereans Want to Know

Now these were more noble minded then those in Thessolonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examing the scriptures daily to see whether these things were true.
Acts 17:11

This is Paul we're talking about here, the greatest evangelist in history, and the Bereans still checked his words in the Light of His Word. We're talkin OT prophets here. They didn't have the benefit of the NT (uh...it wasn't written yet). This isn't stubborn disbelief, it's good, sound discernment. Like Peter says later, there were already false teachers within the church, and the people of Berea were wise enough to turn to God for guidance.

I should never, nobody should, take a sermon at face value unless I know, or check out, the validity of the words compared to the bible. Pastors can say a lot of stuff that sounds pretty good, but if it isn't God's word, and doesn't ultimately point to our Savior, Jesus Christ, it's at best a bunch of Dr. Phil psycho-babble, at worst dangerous falsehoods.

Lord, thank You for the Scriptures you have left for us and the Spirit to help us weed out the truth from the lies.