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Online! | | Having The Right Berean Attitude | | Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. – Acts 17:11
In modern evangelical circles the Bereans are esteemed as model believers that all should follow, and yes there are great attributes to them but also there are implications taken from them that are untrue. Firstly they were jews, meaning they were religious jews but not believing Christians. Yet Paul the Apostle states they had “noble character” meaning they had a sense of them that they were deep thinkers before coming to quick conclusions on a matter. They were willing to give others the benefit of the doubt. Secondly, we see that they gladly received the message, meaning they were teachable, willing to learn and adjust their own beliefs. They were not so dogmatic to think that they were perfect or not needing correction or perfecting of their thinking of the Scriptures. When they heard reasonable words shared from the truth of Scriptures they eagerly sought these out to see if they really were Scriptural and true. They were not defensive but rather looking to learn and grow in their relationship and walk with God. They were also diligent in that every day they looked to see if the things Paul was sharing was true. They did not just give up or judge Paul but were willing to listen to the other side of the story and not come to quick conclusions. What a wonderful picture of a people who in the end mostly “embraced” the gospel message, they certainly were “noble” and the Lord honoured that.
The Bereans did not spend hours looking for gaps and mistakes in Paul’s and Silas’s teachings but looked to see what was true of what they were saying. Modern believers who esteem Bereans think of these things in a different way. They look to diligently check things with the Bible so they can accuse and criticize another person or ministry. Most people are usually have their mind made up someone is wrong and therefore go ahead and simply look for ways to attack another’s character, calling and ministry. Such ministries are known as discernment ministries or even heresy hunters. Most of those who follow the ways of these “type” of Bereans are joyless, critical in spirit, bitter or even angry. Many believe they can take down the ministry they are accusing and feel they are doing God’s work just like the early Bereans. If you desire to have life and peace, stay with the Word of God and stay away from those who make it their life’s work to criticize and accuse others. Follow the example of the true Bereans who were happy and joyfully to rejoice in truth when it was shared and be willing to grow in our understanding of the Lord.
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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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 2018/12/12 22:01 | Profile |
docs
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| | Re: Having The Right Berean Attitude | | Thank you for sharing this. I believe you have hit the nail squarely on the head.
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David Winter
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| 2018/12/12 22:37 | Profile |
romanchog
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| | Re: Having The Right Berean Attitude | | I agree with you.
I have also found this same issue in my own life. Because of the abundance of wrong teaching, and the fact that I became the leader of my home when my husband passed away, I have been very careful when I listen to anyone discussing the Word. My goal has been to make sure that I do not allow any hint of a lie to enter into my following of Christ or into my children's walk. Considering that no one is going to be perfect in their exposition of the Word, that of course has been an impossibly difficult task.
However, just recently I realized that, though I have made sure that I know the truth, I have not known the presence of God. I noticed it has made me very cynical, questioning everything and therefore receiving little. I would say I have even been self-righteous.
Recently, I felt compelled by the Spirit to let down my guard, and to listen with gladness, knowing that I will know what does not conform with scripture because I know the scripture. If my children hear something that is unscriptural, I am in a position to discuss it with them.
The result of this change in my attitude has been a deeper love for my brethren and a greater joy in my heart.
Yes, I still need to be like the Bereans. But I have to be, as you state, eager to seek out the truth, not looking to find error.
Natalie
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Natalie
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| 2018/12/13 5:12 | Profile |
deltadom
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Hemel Hempstead
| | Re: | | One thing I find crazy with the beareans is that they were checking what Paul said who wrote most of the new testament with what was said from the old testament
My problem is that most people do not check what most teachers are saying
People say there are beareans unless you point out an error in there teaching and they get all defensive
People like the ideology of it but the practise is normally despised in church.
My problems is it that when you so want to say something positive about certain things in the church and all you discover are things that are not , if you discover cancer or if you discover something that is bad do you wait until it dies or do you just leave it
I know when I worked in the Christian bookshop I was wanting to find good books so that I could recommend to other people to build them up in there faith and I found the opposite it broke me as most of the modern teachers twist the bible .
It is hard when you have read most of the modern authors and then compare them to something like the puritan paperback series or other writings such as George Whitfield or Charles spurgeon or even some of the writings from last century such as r a Torrey or d l moody.
That's what broke my heart when going into the Christian bookshop I set the bar so low for what I thought a Christian book should be as in pass Walter martins bar for what a cult should not be in his book kingdom of the cults and many modern books even fail that test and that is whether something is defined as mormans or jws
My heart has always been to recommend positive things but I maybe found 1 or 2 books and that was it. I vacated to the commentary section because I at least thought it was safe as it is just commentating on the bible and you find some crazy views there aswell.
I remember walking into a Christian bookshop and being fine with most books there but now we have no Christian bookshops and Christianity is dying in the UK
I wonder how Martin Luther or Jeremiah must have felt or Noah .
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Dominic Shiells
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| 2018/12/13 6:28 | Profile |
Pnutty
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| | Re: Having The Right Berean Attitude | | Amen Greg!
And they were looking at one source.
Not like all the Micky Mouse bible versions we have today.
Bereans today would use the KJ Bible.
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Linda
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| 2018/12/14 7:07 | Profile |
enid
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Church attendance in England is now less than 5% of the population - that's from a newsletter I got.
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| 2018/12/14 7:59 | Profile |
BranchinVINE
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Hi Linda,
I use the NASB.
Micky Mouse bible???
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Jade
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| 2018/12/14 8:30 | Profile |
sermonindex
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Online! | | Re: | | Quote:
However, just recently I realized that, though I have made sure that I know the truth, I have not known the presence of God. I noticed it has made me very cynical, questioning everything and therefore receiving little. I would say I have even been self-righteous.
Recently, I felt compelled by the Spirit to let down my guard, and to listen with gladness, knowing that I will know what does not conform with scripture because I know the scripture. If my children hear something that is unscriptural, I am in a position to discuss it with them.
The result of this change in my attitude has been a deeper love for my brethren and a greater joy in my heart.
Thank you for sharing this testimony dear sister it is wonderful.
For full disclosure I use the NIV 2011 Bible for most writing and daily reading. I do reference to other translations such as the KJV / NKJV etc but I find it much easier and clearer to read the NIV and to teach from it.
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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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| 2018/12/14 13:01 | Profile |
Pnutty
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Branson, MO
| | Re: | | Micky Mouse yes, NIV, NASB ASV RSV NASV MESSAGE MEV AMPLIFIED yes Micky Mouse.
Has there been oh so much good since Christians rejected the Bible? Was the KJV not the most effective true Word of God?
Do you think God needed Man to reach outside of that book to scraps and research and tomfoolery? That is exactly what happened. There was and is a proven HOLY book written in English and it is rejected after 100s of years blessed and powerful use.
Yes, go to the Dollar Tree if you have little money and pick up a real Bible for one dollar. Go to a Christian thrift store, they will usually give you one free.
I was very wrong for years trying to find the better more accurate Bible. I was a numbskull. Read the KJV only say this coming year and you will come to see you have been a numbskull too. Can you forsee any harm coming to you from doing that? Are you preaching from NIV? Are Christians now too ignorant to understand the KJV? Need dumbing down do they? Send them to Joel Osteen.
Take a real hard look at Christianity in the English speaking world. Hows it going? The apostosy began with tossing out the King James Bible.
Who else but Satan would want to change that? Edit that? Question that? And make everyone DOUBT it is the Word of God.
Well gee golly, maybe it is and maybe it isnt. We cant really know......
Did Finney know? Did Whitfield know? Did Moody? Oh poor saps that they were. They really needed the NIV and it would have gone better for them.
Pray about it...
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Linda
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| 2018/12/14 14:48 | Profile |
InTheLight
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| | Re: | | Quote:
Take a real hard look at Christianity in the English speaking world. Hows it going? The apostosy began with tossing out the King James Bible.
Dear sister, I also use the KJV for most of my study, primarily because my reference materials (Strongs, Vines, TSK, etc..) are based off of that version. However, I don't believe that your statement I have quoted above is correct.
The current apostasy in America began in the late 1800's as humanism crept into society and the church. With the acceptance of "higher criticism" developed in Europe the authority of the Bible began to be undermined. It wasn't that a particular translation was rejected but rather it was an attack on Christian truth and on God Himself as supernatural religion was opposed by human reason and the desire to promote the happiness of man.
In Christ,
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Ron Halverson
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| 2018/12/14 20:18 | Profile |
