"The brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea:
who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica,
in that they received the word with all readiness of mind,
and searched the scriptures daily,
whether those things were so."
(Acts 17:10-11)
What does it mean to be a Berean? Well, in essence it is the diametric opposite of someone who is negligent to ever use the Bible as the litmus test to determine whether what is being taught is fact or fiction. My friends, let's note and note well that the Bereans were commended by Paul for continually checking... not just bits but the whole body of his teaching against the authority of the written Word. It is so very important that we do likewise, for all false teachers (of which there are a multitude in this age of rampant apostasy!) present their lies on the back of truths to snare the unwary. So while it is extreme folly to test nothing at all, let us also be aware that checking out just the odd one or two assertions made from the front is totally insufficient, for these just might be quite legitimate and a person thereby slyly primed to happily accept all the dross that they haven't been careful to examine against the Scriptures. Woe betide those who, like the folks of Thessalonica, fail to let God's Word confirm or contradict what is being taught to them, and can then effectively end up copiously drinking draughts of spiritual strychnine!
With this in mind, I've been moved to set forth a couple of acrostics here to hopefully drive home the point I so wish to make, that when it comes to our precious Faith which is being drenched daily with deception, we are assuredly to always BE A BEREAN and to EARNESTLY CONTEND!
BE A BEREAN!
Brothers and sisters, check absolutely
Everything for correctness
Against our benchmark, which is the
Bible, the inerrant Word of God,
Endeavouring always to discern that which is
Right from that which is wrong, refuting
Error wherever it is found, and holding to
All Truth in humble faithfulness,
Never neglecting to test every single spirit!
* * * * * * *
"Beloved, believe not every spirit,
but try the spirits whether they are of God:
because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
(1 John 4:1)
* * * * * * *
EARNESTLY CONTEND!
Every believer in Christ Jesus is to
Absolutely uphold all that He is and ever will be, as
Revealed in God's Holy and unchangeable Word,
Never consenting to but rather boldly condemning
Erroneous teaching, false doctrine and deception,
Standing unflinchingly for the Faith
That was once delivered unto the saints!
Let then all the Enemy's leaven be properly purged by
You and I, that we be presented wholly pure before Him!
Compromise is to be given no place, our steadfast
Obedience being of paramount importance;
No different Jesus or gospel or spirit is ever to be accepted:
Truth must be held to be utterly non-negotiable, being the very
Essence of the unmovable markers of the
Narrow Way that we are called to
Diligently and dutifully tread!
* * * * * * *
"It was needful for me to write unto you,
and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend
for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."
(Jude v.3)
* * * * * * *
