Were you a good student in school? Did you get good grades and enjoy the classroom experience? Not everyone can say that, but you can be a good student of the Bible when you examine the scriptures. We see a group of people today who heard Paul preach and were eager to explore what God’s Word had to say.
Acts 17:11
“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.”
Be Noble-Minded
Paul got ran out of Thessalonica for preaching the Gospel and headed to a smaller village called Berea. When he got to the synagogue there, he preached the Gospel, and instead of getting upset and arguing, they received the Word and then went and examined the scriptures for themselves. They didn’t let other people tell them what to believe but were eager to see if what Paul told them was true. Many came back the next Sabbath and believed in Jesus, while some refused. Everyone was noble-minded about it, which means they were non-combative and listened with an open mind.
Equip Yourself
Christians are often accused of being closed-minded and set in their ways. Most of this criticism is unfounded because it is based on not accepting sinful behaviors, but they can be guilty of it if they don’t examine the scriptures. For example, many Christians believe that God helps those who help themselves. Sounds biblical, but it isn’t. God helps you because you can’t help yourself. It’s easy to believe so many Christian cliches because they sound catchy but, in reality, aren’t grounded in scripture. You leave yourself ill-equipped and susceptible to heresy when you don’t know God’s Word.
Examine the Scriptures
A true mark of a growing believer is that you eagerly receive the Word of God because you have examined the scriptures. You can sift through counterfeit theology and know it is false because you are grounded in the Word. Start to be a student of Scriptures. Read the Bible daily, cross-reference passages, and read commentaries that explain what the text means. You will be fascinated by how interweaved the books of the Bible are and how much it makes more sense. Commit to examine the scriptures.