Be a Berean

I have been wrestling with the concept of testing everything lately.  How important it is to take what we are spoon fed from our teachers, pastors, books, tv.  We need to research, study, test these things for ourselves.

Paul, when talking to the Bereans, was very adamant that they not take his word for it whatever he was preaching, but that they test what he said with the scriptures.  Too often, if we don’t test things, we may be led astray by someone who is a great speaker and makes sense.  We think that we can discern whether or not someone is telling the truth.  But reality is, we can’t know it all, but we can study what we have been told and test the scriptures.  It is how we get to know God deeply.  It is how we learn what God is asking of us in this life.  

Everyone has their own opinion, agenda, and they come from different walks of brokenness.  Sometimes we agree, and sometimes we disagree. But who is right?  In a word. God.  He will have the final answer, the final say.  Some will disagree with that.  But I want to know that I have sought him and his kingdom and not someone.

Acts 17:11

11 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.