ARE YOU NOBLE?

Please read Acts 17: 11-12

Paul and Silas had been whipped and imprisoned in Philippi. The opposition in Thessalonica had been so great that they had to leave in haste. Yet they refused to be discouraged and, when they arrived in Berea, they went to the synagogue as they always did, if there was one. They may have anticipated the usual response: some would believe and others would stir up persecution.

Instead they found a very different response. The members of the synagogue neither responded with faith nor rejection. They studied the scriptures and considered whether what Paul had been saying accorded with them. When they found that it did they put their faith in Christ and a church was planted. The New Testament letters tended to be written to churches with problems. Is it coincidence that there is no letter to the Berean church?

I recently read a book which challenges the Church to reject all the traditions and beliefs which have been added to the scriptures over the last 2000 years. The Lord has been restoring truth to us since the Reformation but there is still much that lacks Biblical support.

The Reformation renewed the emphasis on righteousness coming through faith. The Methodist Revival restored the call to make disciples. Carey challenged the church to restore world mission. The Charismatic movement gave a greater emphasis to gifts which had become infrequent over the centuries. Nevertheless there are still traditions which have no biblical support that we hold fast to. There are also phenomena which have no scriptural support.

When something claims to be a work of the Holy Spirit we do not want to quench Him but nor do we want to open ourselves to deception. So what are the tests?

The first one is whether scripture supports this new teaching or phenomena. The second is whether our spirit witnesses to it - though this can be unreliable. The third is fruit. However fruit is not instant, it is only after some time has passed that we will know the true fruit. Something might make us feel good now but end up leaching our love for scripture, prayer and fellowship. Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.