More Than Bereans
Sometime ago, I had the pleasure of listening to the audio recording of a court session.
The session consisted of several prosecutors questioning Seventh-day Adventists on their beliefs.
They challenged the Adventists on various doctrines such as the Sabbath, the state of the dead, and even an allegation that Ellen Whites full name, when viewed under the Roman numerical system, produces the number 666.
What I found fascinating was that none of those who stood to answer the prosecutors were able to give satisfactory answers.
A few were indeed able to answer well on one issue, but when probed with a more difficult question they could not defend their beliefs.
However, it was more fascinating to realize that I myself would not have been able to intelligently defend what I proclaim to be the truth.
Now thankfully the court session was not real, the prosecutors where all Seventh-day Adventist pastors, and those in question where the attendees at a recent ARME Bible camp, but the day will come when this same scenario will indeed be real.
Due to this eye opening experience, I am certain that those present walked away with the sensation that it was time to be more like the Bereans.
So who are these Bereans? Acts 17:11 introduces us to them saying, "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.
" The key phrase here is that they "examined the scriptures every day.
" And why did they do it? Because they wanted to see "if what Paul said was true.
" Seventh-day Adventists have been known as "the people of the book" ever since the movement began.
The attitude of the Bereans is one that we admire because as Adventists we strive to be just like they were.
If it was not for the ardent Bible study of William Miller, Joseph Bates, and many others one could say that the Seventh-day Adventist church would not have been born let alone progressed.
[i] However, the recent tide of feeling driven, entertainment focused church has developed a generation of Christians within our denomination who "feel good" at church but when asked to defend their faith, find themselves totally incapable.
[ii] To this many would say, "We need to get back to the Bible" or "We need to be more like the Bereans.
" While I totally agree with both sentiments, today I would like to point out that we are nearing the time in which we will have to be, "more than Bereans.
" So what do I mean by "more than Bereans?" The text tells us that they "searched the scriptures.
" However, what if their Bibles were confiscated? How would they search the scriptures to determine truth if they had no Bible? We as Seventh-day Adventists believe that a time of trouble is coming in which we will undoubtedly find ourselves without a Bible in hand at one point or another.
When that time arrives, we will not have the luxury of searching the scriptures, but will instead have to rely upon the Holy Spirit bringing to our memory the things that we have learned when we did have the Bible.
In light of this, I believe it is safe to say that many of us (including myself) are not ready for this crisis.
I know in my case, nine times out of ten when my faith is challenged, I turn to the concordance, or I do a word search on my computer, or I log onto Amazingfacts.
com and get the answers from there.
Clearly I am not ready to intelligently defend my faith before a courtroom.
How about you? Does your Bible knowledge go only as far as Google can take you? Or is it built upon a personal experience with the word of God? Are you able to find Bible verses only because you have an app on your iPhone that lets you do a word search? Or are you daily striving to memorize scripture? And what of those who, when faced with a Bible question, immediately go to the SDA Bible Commentary or to the writings of Matthew Henry, Ellen G.
White, or C.
S.
Lewis to find the answer instead of wrestling with God in prayer and study? Friends, if we will have no Bible in the time of crisis, I promise you, we won't have seven volumes of the SDA Bible commentary either or any other resource for that matter.
The time has come for Gods people to place their feet on solid ground, dig deep into the word, memorize scripture, study these things to see if they are true, and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding so that when the time comes we can be "more than Bereans.
" [i] I present this statement for the sake of argument.
However, I do realize and accept the fact that with or without specific individuals, God would have ultimately raised up His remnant church.
[ii] Do not interpret this statement to say that I am a "traditionalist" who agrees with everything the church of the 50's did and condemns everything our modern church does.
Nothing can be further from the truth.
I enjoy contemporary church services including the music, environment, and worship service.
What I am pointing out here is a "feeling driven" (as in feelings alone) and "entertainment focused" (as in entertainment alone) type of Christianity.
The session consisted of several prosecutors questioning Seventh-day Adventists on their beliefs.
They challenged the Adventists on various doctrines such as the Sabbath, the state of the dead, and even an allegation that Ellen Whites full name, when viewed under the Roman numerical system, produces the number 666.
What I found fascinating was that none of those who stood to answer the prosecutors were able to give satisfactory answers.
A few were indeed able to answer well on one issue, but when probed with a more difficult question they could not defend their beliefs.
However, it was more fascinating to realize that I myself would not have been able to intelligently defend what I proclaim to be the truth.
Now thankfully the court session was not real, the prosecutors where all Seventh-day Adventist pastors, and those in question where the attendees at a recent ARME Bible camp, but the day will come when this same scenario will indeed be real.
Due to this eye opening experience, I am certain that those present walked away with the sensation that it was time to be more like the Bereans.
So who are these Bereans? Acts 17:11 introduces us to them saying, "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.
" The key phrase here is that they "examined the scriptures every day.
" And why did they do it? Because they wanted to see "if what Paul said was true.
" Seventh-day Adventists have been known as "the people of the book" ever since the movement began.
The attitude of the Bereans is one that we admire because as Adventists we strive to be just like they were.
If it was not for the ardent Bible study of William Miller, Joseph Bates, and many others one could say that the Seventh-day Adventist church would not have been born let alone progressed.
[i] However, the recent tide of feeling driven, entertainment focused church has developed a generation of Christians within our denomination who "feel good" at church but when asked to defend their faith, find themselves totally incapable.
[ii] To this many would say, "We need to get back to the Bible" or "We need to be more like the Bereans.
" While I totally agree with both sentiments, today I would like to point out that we are nearing the time in which we will have to be, "more than Bereans.
" So what do I mean by "more than Bereans?" The text tells us that they "searched the scriptures.
" However, what if their Bibles were confiscated? How would they search the scriptures to determine truth if they had no Bible? We as Seventh-day Adventists believe that a time of trouble is coming in which we will undoubtedly find ourselves without a Bible in hand at one point or another.
When that time arrives, we will not have the luxury of searching the scriptures, but will instead have to rely upon the Holy Spirit bringing to our memory the things that we have learned when we did have the Bible.
In light of this, I believe it is safe to say that many of us (including myself) are not ready for this crisis.
I know in my case, nine times out of ten when my faith is challenged, I turn to the concordance, or I do a word search on my computer, or I log onto Amazingfacts.
com and get the answers from there.
Clearly I am not ready to intelligently defend my faith before a courtroom.
How about you? Does your Bible knowledge go only as far as Google can take you? Or is it built upon a personal experience with the word of God? Are you able to find Bible verses only because you have an app on your iPhone that lets you do a word search? Or are you daily striving to memorize scripture? And what of those who, when faced with a Bible question, immediately go to the SDA Bible Commentary or to the writings of Matthew Henry, Ellen G.
White, or C.
S.
Lewis to find the answer instead of wrestling with God in prayer and study? Friends, if we will have no Bible in the time of crisis, I promise you, we won't have seven volumes of the SDA Bible commentary either or any other resource for that matter.
The time has come for Gods people to place their feet on solid ground, dig deep into the word, memorize scripture, study these things to see if they are true, and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding so that when the time comes we can be "more than Bereans.
" [i] I present this statement for the sake of argument.
However, I do realize and accept the fact that with or without specific individuals, God would have ultimately raised up His remnant church.
[ii] Do not interpret this statement to say that I am a "traditionalist" who agrees with everything the church of the 50's did and condemns everything our modern church does.
Nothing can be further from the truth.
I enjoy contemporary church services including the music, environment, and worship service.
What I am pointing out here is a "feeling driven" (as in feelings alone) and "entertainment focused" (as in entertainment alone) type of Christianity.
Source...