Be a Berean

Culture is an interesting dynamic that affects the way we see the world and interact with others.  Depending on ethnicity, family heritage, tradition, and religious beliefs, culture has an infinite amount of variables.  The same can be said about a particular fellowship, what people would commonly call "church."  All the born-again Christians in the world make up the Body of Christ, of which He is the Head.  For example, there are many Baptist churches in the United States and they all have distinct cultures which have been cultivated over the years.  One church is highly involved in foreign missions while another church participates in "Adopt-a-Block" every Saturday.  Many fellowships have a liturgical style of worship with organ and hymns only, and others have a more contemporary feel with electric guitar, bass, and drums.  Some pastors preach in robes while others wear a shirt and tie.  It is likely that whatever "church" you regularly attend, you do so because it suits your doctrinal views, vision for ministry, and supplies godly fellowship.

Like culture influences the way a person perceives, the culture of a church fellowship affects the way people see other churches, the Bible, and God.  When Jesus dictated letters to the seven churches in Asia, they were not all lumped together.  Each church was seen as distinct with different strengths and weaknesses.  Today there are countless church denominations where born-again believers in Jesus Christ fellowship.  Most members of a church believe their fellowship has the correct doctrinal balance and is teaching the truth.  One primary danger of being part of one church fellowship is the growing assumption that whatever is taught at my church is right:  the way we worship is right, the way we teach is right, our church structure is right, our interpretations are right, our style is right - and every other group that varies from us are not quite right and in many ways are quite wrong!

How important it is that our denomination or group not trump the authority of scripture!  Most people today are like those from Thessalonica, not Berea.  It is written in Acts 17:10-11:  "Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. [11] These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."  The people from the church in Thessalonica did not receive the word (likely because their hearts were not prepared, for good seed will always grow in good soil) with readiness.  The Bereans distinguished themselves not only by receiving the word, but daily searching the scriptures to validate the truth of what Paul and Silas taught.  I once asked a co-worker what he believed concerning a Biblical doctrine.  He quickly retorted, "I'm not sure, but I'll ask my priest what the church position is."  Friends, this will never do!

No matter what Bible-teaching fellowship you attend, this is a danger that must be avoided.  Allow me to share an example.  From my childhood until now I have regularly attended a particular church.  I was always taught there are several Greek words translated as "love" in English.  For example, "phileo," a word translated as "love" means "to be a friend, to have affection towards."  There is another word translated as "love" which denotes God's kind of love, "agapao" or "agape" (a great description of this love is found in 1st Corinthians 13).  If I could choose a catchword how God's agape love was always summed up to me it would be "unconditional."  I thought "agape" and "unconditional" were synonymous, one never without the other.  I received quite a shock a few years ago when I was putting together a study on God's love.  I went to the Strong's concordance, expecting to see "unconditional" leap off the page.  It wasn't to be seen.  I went to Wuest's word studies who explains agapao love this way:  "a love which is awakened by a sense of value…a love of esteem…God’s love for a sinful and lost race springs from his heart in response to the high value He places upon each human soul.” (Word Studies, Vol. 3, pgs. 60-61)  Not one mention of the word "unconditional."  Before too long I was pulling out every commentary I had, not for the purpose of learning how to describe God's agape love, but trying to find the word "unconditional" which I had always been told was the primary descriptor of God's love.  I sat in my chair staring at the books piled up all around me when I realized I had been a Thessalonian and not a Berean.  I believed it because people had said it and my church had taught it, but not because the Bible or original languages say so.

God's love is an active love.  The Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words says, "Love can be known only from the actions it prompts...In respect of agapao as used of God, it expresses the deep and constant love and interest of a perfect Being towards entirely unworthy objects, producing and fostering a reverential love in them towards the Giver, and a practical love towards those who are partakers of the same, and a desire to help others to seek the Giver."  There is a big difference between "active" love and "unconditional" love.  Active love is always unconditional while unconditional love is not always active.  God's love is unconditional, in that His love is constant toward all people without fail.  But that is simply a facet of God's love, one minor part of the whole.  Now if this was simply an issue of me being misinformed, I could have shrugged the whole thing off.  But in this aspect, I believe God was robbed of glory and His love sold short by summing up the love of God only as "unconditional."  It is far more than unconditional:  it is a pursuing, relentless love.  It is a love displayed by Jesus Christ dying on a cross for the sins of mankind.

I know people who are not Christians but love unconditionally:  they love their sports teams win or lose; they love a particular brand of beer no matter the cost.  Sinners love their sin unconditionally, drinking iniquity like water!  Yet I do not know a single sports fan who would willingly die for their sports team.  Romans 5:6-8 says, "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. [8] But God demonstrates His own love [agape] toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  God's love cannot be adequately described or quantified but is demonstrated through the life of Jesus Christ.  The Bible says that the world will know we are Christians because of the love of Jesus being displayed through us.  God's love is always reaching out, arms wide open to all who will come.  His love is heartfelt and sincere, desiring us to willingly trust and take shelter in it.  God is not content to have affections toward His creation:  He is constantly showing us His great love for us so we might love Him back.

No matter your church affiliation or denomination, be sure to be a Berean.  You are responsible for what you believe and teach.  If we simply repeat what we have been told, we have as much credibility as celebrity tabloids.  We must search the scriptures daily to confirm what we have heard is true.  It is possible to go to church every week and remain ignorant of spiritual truth.  Looking at food does not satisfy hunger, and reading words off the pages of a Bible does not mean you are receiving spiritual sustanence!  We must be empowered by the Holy Spirit to understand the Word and break us free from the modern culture of Christianity which drowns many in legalism, judgmental attitudes, and self-righteousness.  Is the active love of Jesus Christ at work in you towards all people?  May it be so, LORD Jesus!