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Subject: REAL BEREANS

Author: Posted By The Crusader

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 15:51:49 09/21/02 Sat REAL BEREANS ACTS 17:11 "These 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." REAL BEREANS Today a lot of individuals and groups claim to be Bereans, but many are not even close , even though they have the name "Berean" in their church name. Some even name their book stores "berean" and then promote unscriptural views at a profit! Let me tell you about the real Berean of today: 1. He is the one who seeks the truth at all cost or any cost. It may cost him his pastorate, his friends, his job, his retirement, etc; he is one who seeks the truth and follows through with performance. In John there is a verse that says, John 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself... So unless one has positive volition toward the word of God and awill to do the truth once he finds it , he shall not know it! This is why, when searching for truth, one must be open to change his mind----otherwise God is not obligated to reveal it to him. 2. The real Berean today is the one who "Rightly Divides" the Word of God.Paul called upon Timothy to "rightly divide" the word of Truth. While some claim that it is simply "right handling", the word used means "to cut", thus to divide. This is completely new with Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15 We must note that before Paul received his direct revelations from the glorified Lord in heaven there was no need for dividing the Word as it was all (except the first 11 Chapters of Genesis) written to the Jews and the Little flock that followed the earthly Jesus. However , once the Jews were set aside and God raised up the Apostle Paul and he began writing to the believers of the new dispensation of Grace (Eph. 3:2), then there was a need to divide the word. 3. The real Berean is careful not to read the Jew's mail and he understands that the Old Testament, the Gospels, the first 8 chapters of Acts, and the church epistles written by John, Peter, James , and Jude were written to the Jews. These writings all pertain to the Jews and Jesus' ministry to the Jews. "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision (the Jews) for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers." Romans 15:8 Jesus and the 12 preached the Kingdom "at hand" in fulfillment of the covenants and promises made to the Jews. "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them saying,'go not into the way of the gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritians enter ye not; But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying the kingdom of heaven (on earth, i.e. millinnial reign) is at hand' ". Matthew 10:5-7. 4. The real Berean is a Follower of Paul. Paul, our Apostle, says, "follow me", and so a real berean would be a follower of Paul. In fact , is it not significant that Paul alone (besides our Lord to his Kingdom Followers) says, "follow me" (1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1 ; Phil. 3:17; 1 Thess. 1:6; 2 Thess. 3:7-9, etc.)? Paul says "follow me as I follow the risen Christ". To follow Christ today IS following Paul. 5.The real Berean follows Paul in the matter of water Baptism. Paul, as of the moment of the announcement of 1 Cor. 1:17 "Christ sent me not to baptize", terminated water baptism in his ministry. Yes, he had baptized a few; so few that he couldn't remember how many! "None but" Crispus and Gaius ( v.14), the household of Stephanus (v.16 ), and beside that he can't recall baptizing anyone else! Men will tell you today that water baptism is important , but is it? Paul didn't think so! Paul, by progressive revelation , moved on to the position of the One baptism of Eph. 4:5. That is what 1 Cor. 12:13 is all about. The Holy Spirit is the baptizer in this new grace dispensation. In this dispensation man baptizing man is eliminated. This is the dispensation of the Grace of God and man is not needed , and not ask to baptize. Paul never told anyone to baptize, though some will tell you that this means that while Paul may have not baptized , his followers did. Don't you believe that! Be a Berean and read 1 Cor. 4:16 and other above mentioned verses. Paul says follow me; Paul stopped baptizing and I take it that that was an order for his fellow workers to stop baptizing as well. "Christ sent me (Paul) not to baptize". And "ouk" is the strongest negative in the Greek language. Be a real Berean in the matter of water baptism. 6. A real berean is a Pauline Dispensationalist. Eph. 3:2 "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward." Why is it that a lot of believers don't like dispensationalism? A lot of believers shy away from using the word "dispensation". Let me tell you,"dispenation" and "dispensationalism" are perfectly good biblical words. Every believer ought to be a Pauline Dispensationalist. That is every believer, without exception! If it was good enough for Paul; if it was good enough for the Holy Spirit; it should certainly be good enough for you! Dispensationalism is not a recent invention of Darby, or Scofield----that is misinformation; and though these men might be called dispensationalist, they were not Pauline dispensationalist as they did not know where to begin the church. Of all things, they have the "Body Church" beginning on the day of Pentecost, a Jewish feast day , with only the 12 Apostles and only Jews present. The only gentiles that may have been at Pentecost were a few proselytes, Jewish converts. The "Body Church", the Gospel of Grace, and the Dispensation of the Mystery or Grace is purely Pauline ---and Paul wasn't saved until about 12 years after Pentecost. Let's be bereans! Well, we could go on and on about the truths which real Bereans should believe and doctrines to live by in this dispensation of Grace, but we will close for now and bring up this subject another time. If you decide to become a real Berean and have a question please email me at albimb@inreach.com and I will give you the real Berean answer. Sincerely, Pastor Bray From Web-Site: THE BIBLICAL EXPOSITOR http://home.inreach.com/albimb/ [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]