If you were told something that is a proposed truth, what would you do with it? Would you choose to believe it on blind faith? Would you refuse it on blind faith? Would you choose your opinion based on others opinions? Would you base your opinion based on research? What would you do if you found the "truth" told to you wasn't the truth at all? What would you do if you found out it was the truth?
This is what every single person faces when they are confronted with the gospel. They have to formulate in their mind what course of action they must take to solve this dilemma. The fact is that most don't even take the time to understand what they have been told. What I mean here is to actually process the information given. This is the first thing that needs to happen. We should not dismiss or accept any information on a whim. We should process this information mentally and intellectually. What strikes me strange is that a group in Berea had something along these lines happen to them and they just didn't accept new ideas and concepts as truth. Look at this scripture in Acts 17:10-15
As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea. On arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Consequently, many of them believed, including a number of the prominent Greek women as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that God’s message had been proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came there too, agitating and disturbing the crowds. Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to go to the sea, but Silas and Timothy stayed on there. Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed. (Acts 17:10-15 HCSB)
What you have to first noticed is the fact that they were open-minded. A person can never accept a truth unless they first break down there world views and preconceived notions that closes minds. Most people consider themselves open minded. However, when truth encroaches on a persons idols their mind becomes narrow because they must defend their idols. (A side note. An idol that's needs defending is not worthy of your worship. That's another blog all together.) A person will violently defend their idols. Nothing narrows a mind like idols. However, most people will not admit to idol worship, whether a person is a believer or not. Ok idol rant over.
Now even though the Bereans were open minded they were not naive. They tested the what they heard to the word of God. This should be the action of every believer and non-believer. A man can be wrong, even your pastor and even me, especially me. Man is an errant creature. However, God is inerrant. Though, some take this concept a step to far. The completely throw out what someone new brings because they only trust what they know right now. Sometimes, what they know is what another pastor has taught them and that may be wrong because they never examined the scriptures when they were taught at first. People live off a blind faith that is dangerous. That kind of faith is when the object is a person or thing and not God. They so blindly follow a person because they stand behind a "pulpit" and "preach" a message they pull out of scripture, which may or may not be contextually correct. We need to examine God's word to see if the message they are hearing is the truth.
So, now you have examined the scriptures and found this new message to be true. What now? Next thing to notice is that the Bereans that out of their examination of the messages led to their conversion. The Bereans not only came to the conclusion that the message of Paul was true but the truth compelled them to be saved. It is understandable that there is an initial response of denial or acceptance but what happens to the person who can no longer deny that it is truth, will they accept the message then? Josh McDowell tells his story of his road to Christ, which I will greatly paraphrase here. He speaks of his quest on how he was trying to disprove that Jesus was real and show the fallacy he believed the Bible to be. I believe he said he was in a London library when he realized that Jesus was real. However, that did not change his heart. Sometime later, as we all know, he came to give his life to Christ. However, what I derive from this is, even though your brain might accept it as truth your heart has to do the same thing. You have to reconcile the truth you accept to your life. You have to admit that you are not in relationship with God. You have to admit that the truth applies to you and you are not exempt from the fact that we are not God. We have to accept that Jesus did die and was risen for you and me. The Bereans not only recognized Paul's message as truth but also accepted that truth through their hearts. The were saved not just on their head knowledge but on their belief and confession of Jesus' resurrection and Him being Lord and Savior.
The last thing I want you notice is that whenever a message is found to be true it will be in direct opposition to anther message. Therefore, there will be people who will be direct opposition to the message bearer and those who choose to accept it as truth. We see the same thing here in Acts. The Jews were trying to keep the message of Jesus from being proclaimed. So don't feel like because you now know the truth everyone is just going to follow suit. However, don't back away from the truth because others are in opposition to you. Stand strong in what you know and believe.
So what will you do with new messages that you hear? Will you be like the Bereans or the Jews.
No comments:
Post a Comment