CHECK IT OUT

CHECK IT OUT!

Acts 17:10-11

10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11 These [the believers in Berea] 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.

2 Tim 4:2-4

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

           Sometimes in a sermon, or a conversation with another believer, something will be said that sounds an alarm in me. Something just doesn’t fit what I’ve always read or been told. Excuse me, but I’ll have to check that out! This was the common practice of the Berean believers. Oh, they received the word with all readiness of mind but they compared teaching with the written word.

           Paul told Timothy the time would come when sound doctrine wouldn’t matter to those that listened. They would heap to themselves teachers who would scratch where they itched. Ultimately they would venture off into fables and pure fantasy. The remedy for this would be a meticulous adherence to written scripture.

           Timothy was urged to “preach the Word” and to be “instant” in season and out of season. The Greek word for “instant” is ephistemi which means “to stand by or to be present.”  To continue the military “guard duty” analogy, we can say that there must have been some marching or drilling before the soldier is ready to stand by. Constant study is the only thing that can prepare a person for any attack on the truth. Study takes time and our hurried lifestyle has filled all our appointments.

           Cults are full of those who have listened to someone weave a thread of pure fantasy into the fabric of reason and truth. Satan will not attack with a frontal assault but will flank you with a mixture of truth and error. You must compare what you hear with what has been written. You must check it out.

Dear Lord, help me to be a student of your Word that I may be able to “stand by” and to discern between truth and fables. AMEN