Examining the Scriptures Daily

[Christsfreeservant]

“The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.” (Acts 17:10-12 NASB1995)​

I really like what this teaches, and I am going to tell you why I do. For one, it has to do with honor and respect. The apostles had been met with much dishonor, disrespect, persecutions, false accusations, false imprisonments, and beatings, up to this point. So it must have been refreshing for them to be treated with honor and respect and value, and to have people who would actually listen to them and take seriously what they were teaching them.

The other thing I really like about this is that the people not only listened to them and to what they were teaching, but they were diligent about testing what the apostles were teaching them, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether the things they were teaching them were true. They didn’t just write them off just because what they were teaching was new to them, but they took the time and the effort to actually check it out for themselves.

Both of these things, both the matter of showing people respect who are deserving of respect, and the matter of listening to them, and taking it seriously, and caring enough to take the time and effort to check it out, seems so lost in our culture today. So many people in our present culture are more drawn to what is entertaining and sensational and what makes them feel good emotionally, than they are to the truth of the Scriptures.

So many people today just want everything quick and easy, which is one reason why short memes are so popular these days and why we have so many people recording “short” (partial) songs, talks, and messages, because the shorter it is, the greater the audience, even if shorter is lacking in dept of knowledge, truth, and reality, etc. And even if shorter is spreading lies to the people disguised as truth, which many of them are definitely doing.

For that is what so many have done today with the gospel. They have cut it way short, thus altering it, and turning it into a lie, because the lie is what is attracting the people, because the lie convinces them that all they have to do is say they believe in Jesus and now all their sins are forgiven, and heaven is guaranteed them when they die, but regardless of how they live. But if we read the Scriptures in their context, we should see the truth.

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

The grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Jesus’ return. For Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (See Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)

And we learn in 1 John 1-3 that if we claim that we have fellowship with God, but yet we walk in darkness (sin), we are liars. If we claim that we know God, but we do not obey his commandments, in practice, we are liars. For it is not the one who claims he is “in Christ” who is “in Christ,” but it is the one who has denied self, died with Christ to sin, and who is now walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in practice, and no longer in sin. We have the hope and the promise of eternal life with God in heaven.

So, give people honor and respect who are teaching you the full truth of the gospel of our salvation as Jesus and his New Testament apostles taught it. Be willing to read writings that are not the really short ones, because to really tell the truth of what the gospel teaches, it isn’t a quickie message like many people make it out to be. And then be people who examine the Scriptures, taught in their correct biblical context, to see if what you are being taught is what the Scriptures really teach. And don’t believe the lies.

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

Caution: This link may contain ads

Examining the Scriptures Daily
An Original Work / September 12, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love