The 95
Days of Christmas
“The Bereans” and the
"Berean" Spirit
Acts 17 11Now the
Bereans were of more noble character than the
Thessalonians, in that they received the Word with all
readiness, and searched
the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things
were so. |
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The Bible alone is the Word of God. The words of no theologian, scholar or
church council are the Word of God. This means we must be Bereans. We must
search the Scriptures. We cannot simply say "I believe it because Dr.
So-and-So says so." If Dr. So-and-So is worth listening to, he would say
what we're saying: "Don't believe me -- search the Scriptures to see if
it's so."
One of the most important doctrines of the Protestant Reformation is "the
Priesthood of All Believers." We do not need priests as mediators
between us and God. Nor should we be denied access to the Scriptures and be
forced to rely on the pronouncements of the doctors of the church.
In fact, the Scripture declares that we have an obligation to search the
Scriptures for ourselves.
And to do so daily.
The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647) agrees:
4. The authority of the holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed,
and obeyed, dependeth not upon the
testimony of any man, or church; but wholly upon God (who is truth
itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because
it is the Word of God[i].
- [i]. 2 Peter 1:19, 21. We have also a more sure word of prophecy;
whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a
dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts....
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of
God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2 Timothy 3:16.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 1
John 5:9. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is
greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his
Son. 1 Thessalonians 2:13. For this cause also thank we God
without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard
of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the
word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church to an high
and reverend esteem of the holy Scripture[k]. And the heavenliness of the
matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of
all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God),
the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other
incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments
whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet
notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and
divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing
witness by and with the Word in
our hearts[l].
- [k]. 1 Timothy 3:15. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know
how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the
church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
- [l]. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 But as it is written, Eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the
things which God hath prepared for them that love him. {10} But God hath
revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the deep things of God.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is
quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to
the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and
is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.;
- John 10:35; If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God
came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
Isaiah 55:11 So shall
my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me
void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in
the thing whereto I sent it. Romans 11:36 For of him, and
through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.; (Psalms
19:7-11) The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the
testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. {8} The statutes of
the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is
pure, enlightening the eyes. {9} The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring
for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
{10} More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:
sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. {11} Moreover by them is thy
servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. 2
Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy
scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 And my speech and
my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit and of power: {5} That your faith should not
stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 1 Thessalonians
1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power,
and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of
men we were among you for your sake. 1 John 2:20,27 But ye have
an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. {27} But the
anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not
that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all
things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye
shall abide in him. Isaiah 59:21 As for me, this is my covenant
with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which
I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the
mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the
LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
6. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own
glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in
Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture:
unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of
the Spirit or traditions of men[m].
- [m]. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: {17} That the man of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Galatians 1:8-9 But
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than
that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. {9} As we said
before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you
than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike
clear unto all[p]: yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed,
and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some
place of Scripture or other, that not
only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary
means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them[q].
- [p]. 2 Peter 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them
of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which
they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other
scriptures, unto their own destruction.
- [q]. Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
light unto my path.
Psalm 119:130 The entrance of thy words
giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. Deuteronomy
29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things
which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we
may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 30:10-14 If thou
shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments
and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou
turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
{11} For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden
from thee, neither is it far off. {12} It is not in heaven, that thou
shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us,
that we may hear it, and do it? {13} Neither is it beyond the sea, that
thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto
us, that we may hear it, and do it? {14} But the word is very nigh unto
thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. Acts
17:11 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.
For centuries the Church leaders kept the Bible hidden from the laity. The
Protestant reformers said that the Bible should be read and studied by laymen,
and to that end should be translated into common languages.
8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people
of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the
writing of it, was most generally known to the nations), being immediately
inspired by God, and, by his singular care and providence, kept pure in all
ages, are therefore authentical[r]; so as, in all controversies of religion,
the church is finally to appeal unto them[s]. But, because these original
tongues are not known to all the
people of God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are
commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them[t], therefore
they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which
they come[u], that, the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may
worship him in an acceptable manner[w]; and, through patience and comfort of
the Scriptures, may have hope[x].
- [r]. Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and
earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till
all be fulfilled.
Psalm 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is
settled in heaven.
- [s]. Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak
not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Matthew
15:3,6 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress
the commandment of God by your tradition? {6} And honour not his father or
his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of
none effect by your tradition. Acts 15:15 And to this agree the
words of the prophets; as it is written, 2 Timothy 3:14-15 But
continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured
of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; {15} And that from a child
thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
- [t]. John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye
have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Acts 17:11
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. Revelation 1:3 Blessed is
he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep
those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
- [u]. Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost: {20} Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world. Amen.
1 Corinthians 14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto
you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak
to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by
doctrine? Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a
loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being
interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
- [w]. Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Exodus
20:4-6 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness
of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or
that is in the water under the earth: {5} Thou shalt not bow down thyself
to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting
the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth
generation of them that hate me; {6} And showing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me, and keep my commandments. Matthew 15:7-9 Ye
hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, {8} This people
draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips;
but their heart is far from me. {9} But in vain they do worship me,
teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
- [x]. Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime
were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the
scriptures might have hope.
9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture
itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense
of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and
known by other places that speak more clearly[y].
- [y]. Acts 15:15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as
it is written,
John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would
have believed Me: for he wrote of Me. 2 Peter 1:20-21 Knowing
this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation. {21} For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of
man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
10. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be
determined, and all decrees of
councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits,
are to be examined, and
in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking
in the Scripture[z].
- [z]. Matthew 22:29,31 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do
err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. {31} But as
touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was
spoken unto you by God, saying,
Acts 28:25 And when they agreed
not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word,
Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, 1
John 4:1-6 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits
whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world. {2} Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: {3} And every spirit
that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:
and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it
should come; and even now already is it in the world. {4} Ye are of God,
little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in
you, than he that is in the world. {5} They are of the world: therefore
speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. {6} We are of God: he
that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby
know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Those who believed the Popes and priests of their day were misled. They
should have searched the Scriptures.
But the Reformed Churches must be semper reformanda: "always
reforming." Anytime we trust the established theologians rather than the
Scriptures, we have become the new catholics, and have made Dr. So-and-So the
new pope. We must be returning continually to the Scriptures.
There are two areas in our day in which I believe we must return to the
Scriptures. (There are many, of course, but there are two in particular that I
believe are of great importance.) These two areas are (1) The Second Coming and
(2) The State.
Theologians and scholars have largely been in agreement on these two issues,
but the example of the Bereans is to search the Scriptures to see if what they
say is true. And in these two areas the stakes are incredibly high. If the
theologians are wrong, western civilization itself hangs in the balance.
Following the Fall of the Roman Empire, Christians
began building Western Civilization. There is a rumor (started by atheists)
that Greece and Rome were the architects of Western Civilization. This
is false. Rome was a dictatorship and a depraved empire. It was men like
Justinian and King Alfred who brought the world out of the truly dark ages of
pre-Christian paganism, and began the creation of Western Civilization, basing
laws on the Ten Commandments and ensuring human rights for all, not just for the
philosopher-kings.
The ACLU doesn't want people to know this, but America's Founding Fathers
were Bible-believing Christians, America
was a Christian nation, our laws
were based on the Bible, and Presidents, courts and legislatures
acknowledged that
the LORD is our Judge, the LORD
is our Lawgiver, the LORD is our King; He will save us. (Isaiah
33:22)
Christianity
is the basis of Liberty.
Great advances in science and technology were made by Christians like Isaac
Newton (who wrote more books about the Bible than about science). Our prosperity
and productivity were fueled by "the Protestant work ethic." Darwinism
and other false "science" has led to genocide
and Hitler.
But beginning around 1925 (the "Scopes Monkey trial" and the rise
of "dispensational premillennialism"), Christian began retreating from
life, waiting for the rapture,
instead of working to create heaven
on earth (Matthew 6:10). During the 1970's the number one book on the New
York Times bestseller list was not a book on how to end abortion, bring an
end to atheistic communism, or convert the Muslim world to Christianity, it was
Hal Lindsey's Late Great Planet Earth, an almost wholly fictional account
of how the world was going to end after Christians were raptured by 1981 (forty
years after the formation of the State of Israel in 1848, but 7 years short of
Armageddon and the Great Tribulation).
The brief rise of the Christian Reconstruction movement in the 1980's, with
their goal of "exercising dominion" and Christianizing the nations,
brought howls of protest from premillenarians like Dave Hunt, who asked Whatever
Happened to Heaven? Hunt argued that the primary purpose of the
Christian was to long for heaven, and convert others to Christianity so that
they too would repudiate the world and long to be raptured out of it.
Because of this escapist mentality, atheists have gained political and
cultural power in the 20th century. Darwinism, Islam, Marxism and other forms of
paganism have enslaved billions of people, murdered hundreds of millions, and
nearly brought us back to the state of affairs that existed in the debauched
Roman Empire.
Jesus is not "coming soon." Jesus and the Apostles taught that
Jesus was coming soon, and if Jesus did not come soon, then they were all
mistaken. Begin your
search of the Scriptures with these.
But even those who do not believe that the world is coming to an end
tomorrow, and may even believe that Christianizing the nations is our
"Great Commission," have still been rendered culturally impotent by
their belief that there must always exist an institution which will advance
paganism, secularism and anti-Christian morality. That institution is "The
State."
The State must always advance anti-Christian ideas because it is contrary to
Biblical Law. God nowhere commands human beings to form "the State."
The State's essential function is to take vengeance, which is explicitly
forbidden to us (Romans
12:19-21). It takes vengeance by murdering people, in
violation of the 6th Commandment. It funds its activities by confiscating,
extorting, or stealing the wealth of others, in
violation of the 8th Commandment. It says it protects us against "anarchy,"
but Jesus said His followers were to be anarchists (that is, they are not to be
"archists," the opposite of
"anarchists." Politicians, dictators, and bureaucrats are all
"archists" in violation of Christ's commandment.).*
Christians in the 19th century were abolishing slavery and guaranteeing human
rights. Christians in the 20th century were waiting around for the rapture. As a
result, more than 10,000 people on average were murdered by the pagan state each
and every day. Nearly half a billion people murdered, while Christians were
passive and silent, longing for heaven, despising God's creation. This figure of
murder and enslavement is slated to increase on a vast scale in the 21st century
if Darwinists have
their way.
In the spirit of the Bereans, we urge Christians to search the Scriptures to
see if Christ is really going to come again "at any moment," and to
see if socialism is more Godly than capitalism.
* Violent resistance against the State is also prohibited, although those who
defend the State also defend armed revolution at some point. In the passage
which is usually used to buttress the moral legitimacy of the State, Paul speaks
of the State as "the powers that be." That word "powers" is
universally used to speak of demonic forces. Paul says (Ephesians 6:12) that we
are to "wrestle against" the powers.
Study Romans 13
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