BEREAN CHRISTIAN

"They found that the Jews of Berea were of more noble character and much more open minded than those of Thessalonica. They were hungry to learn and eagerly received the word. Every day they opened the scrolls of Scripture to search and examine them, to verify that what Paul taught them was true." (Acts 17:11 TPT)

We know Paul to be a charismatic preacher, an insightful, prophetical teacher and an apostle. Ministers of the Lord who possess such magnitude of grace in our day appear to be excessively authoritative and unquestionable. They exude a kind of authority that makes their messages not liable to investigation. However, the ministry of Paul leaves a model that allows for listeners to subject the messages of a preacher to scriptural inquiry. To effectively listen to messages or soak sermons, you need to exhibit attitudes and behaviour typical of the Jews of Berea. 

In this article, we consider some right attitudes and behaviour that will make you effectively listen to messages or soak sermons of any preacher typical of the Jews of Berea.

Berean Christian

From the key text above we learn that the Jews of Berea were of a more noble character than the Jews of Thessalonica. The word "noble" [eugenēs: pronounced yoog-en'-ace] literally means of a noble or high-ranking family. Truly, the Christian is born of God and belongs to the noble family of God, hence must behave nobly. A Christian who behaves nobly as the Jews of Berea may be termed as Berean Christian. Such a Christian exhibits the following traits when listening to the message or soaking the sermon of any preacher:

•Berean Christian is open minded.

When approaching a message from any preacher, whether your own spiritual trainer or other, open your mind, not prejudging the preacher or his (her) message as accurate or inaccurate. Moreover, empty your mind of any preconceived interpretation of a scriptural text that you knew before. If you retain your own interpretation in your mind, you are very likely to reject any other view that differs from yours. Listen to the different views with an open mind. Add what you find to be a more accurate view and sift what you find to be inaccurate. It is not comfortable to listen to a preacher with an open mind but it is very helpful. 

•Berean Christian is hungry for the word

The Jews of Berea were hungry for the word when they encountered Paul.

The Bible teaches that our spirit feeds on the word from the mouth of God (Mat 4:4). By 'word' it means rhema or the word instantly spoken by the Spirit of God directly to your spirit. Our spirit connects with the Spirit of God, and so, when he speaks we hear him, and we become full. We depend on the word from the mouth of God to be full at different times and seasons, just as we depend on physical food to be full at different times and seasons. In this sense, the word is our food, our life. Christians who are hungry for the word show signs of spiritual growth and maturity faster than those who are not. 

•Berean Christian is eager to learn and increase knowledge

The Jews of Berea were eager to learn and increase knowledge when they encountered Paul. 

A Christian must be eager to learn and increase knowledge. Bible says that God's people perish for lack of knowledge. But for ignorance, no Christian must lose his or her life untimely. The inner man, according to Scripture, is intended to increase in knowledge and spiritual understanding every day until he fully knows and understands God (Col 3:10). 

•Berean Christian searches the Scriptures daily to find evidence of the truth. 

The Jews of Berea, after encountering Paul's insightful and prophetical teaching, opened the scrolls of Scripture every day to search and examine them, to verify that what Paul taught them was true. 

It is common with Christians of today to simply receive any message that comes from the mouth of a preacher, whether their own spiritual trainer or other. This is totally unheard of! Throughout the Gospels, we find that Jesus' disciples met with him to ask questions and to seek clarification after a hard sermon. Christians of today, apart from feeling too reluctant to search the Scriptures, often are afraid to approach their spiritual trainers to ask questions or to seek clarification after a hard sermon. This is because, preachers of today have become excessively authoritative. How dare you question your spiritual father! It is noble to search the Scriptures to find evidence of the truth, that is, to verify that what a preacher has taught is true. This ought to be a normal practice in the church. It will prevent authoritarian abuses by church leaders. 

•Berean Christian is intimate with the Spirit

The Spirit throws light on the Scriptures to make you clearly see and understand the original meaning that it is conveying. Except by the Holy Spirit, you will not be able to understand the Scriptures. So then, be intimate with the Holy Spirit so as to understand the Scriptures. 

From the foregoing, we have seen that to effectively listen to messages or soak sermons of any preacher, whether your own spiritual trainer or other, you need to be open minded, you need to be hungry for the word, you need to be eager to learn and increase knowledge, you need to search the Scriptures daily to find evidence of the truth or to verify that what they taught was true, and you need to be intimate with the Spirit to be able to understand the Scriptures. May these be your attitudes and behaviour! 

#Verity Haven