In Acts 17:10-11, Paul and Silas left Thessalonica and arrived in Berea. They went into the Jewish synagogue and soon observed that the Berean Jews were more noble than the people in Thessalonica, because the Bereans searched the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul and Silas were teaching was true.
What does it mean to be “noble”? The dictionary defines “noble” as “possessing outstanding qualities; of high birth; excellent; possessing superiority of mind, character, morals or ideals.”
Nobility reminds us of royalty — people who are separate from the rest of us because of their lineage or position, i.e. kings, queens, dukes, and duchesses.
As Christians, we are also separate, but in a spiritual sense. When we were baptized into Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, we were set apart, or sanctified, as members of God’s royal family (1 Peter 2:9).
In the physical sense, royalty behaves differently from commoners. In the spiritual sense, as Christian royalty, we also need to behave differently from the rest of the world.
In my formal education to be a chemist, I learned about the noble gases (Helium, Argon, Neon, etc.) and the noble metals (Gold, Platinum, Iridium, etc.). These noble elements are just a small percentage of the total number of elements that are known to exist. What makes them different is the fact that they don’t combine readily with corrosive materials that would corrupt their purity.
As noble Christians, we need to be able to resist the temptations and influences of the world that will corrupt our purity and lead us into sin. Scripture teaches us that we can’t separate ourselves physically from the world (1 Corinthians 5:9-10), partly because we’re commanded to go into the world to seek and make disciples of those who are lost (Matthew 28:19-20). Therefore we need to be able to discern the things in the world that endanger our faith and avoid them. In order to discern, we must know what the Scriptures say about what to avoid. We also need to know what the Scriptures say about salvation, so that we know what to teach to make disciples of those who are lost in sin.
Which brings us back to the Bereans. Why were they more noble? It was because they searched the Scriptures daily to compare what was taught with what God said. Apparently, they wanted to be certain that they weren’t being taught anything that would corrupt God’s Holy Word. Are you noble like the Bereans? Do you search the Scriptures daily?
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul said, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Sitting in Bible classes and listening to a couple of sermons every week isn’t enough. Every Christian needs to be in God’s Word every day. If you choose not to follow the reading plan that Kyle provided, you can pick a reading plan of your choice from the many that are available. Or you can just make up a schedule of your own.
One of my favorite plans is to get a chronological Bible and read the text straight through in chronological order. With this plan, you’ll read the prophecies inserted into the historical books along with the accounts of the kings of Judah and Israel that were contemporary with those prophets. You’ll read the letters of Paul inserted into Acts to provide a historical context to what Paul wrote.
Admittedly, reading can be tough when you get into books like Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy — but stick with it. There are lessons to learn and insights to absorb. If you read just 3-4 chapters a day, you can read the whole Bible in one year.
Another of my favorite plans is to read the New Testament four times in one year, with four different versions of the New Testament. You can completely read the New Testament in about 3 months by reading just 2-3 chapters each day.
You say you’ve already read the Bible? Read it again. Every time I read it, I learn something new. Passages of Scripture can mean something different to you at various times in your life. Your second, third, or fifteenth reading can reveal greater understanding for you of other Bible passages. After all, the Bible is its own best commentary.
You don’t have to wait until the first of the year to start. Start today. A good time to read is right after you get up in the morning. Grab a cup of coffee and spend 30 minutes of quiet time reading and meditating on the Word. It’s a great way to start your day.
As you listen to sermons and Bible classes, follow along with your Bible and open to the passages being used to see if the preacher or teacher is really telling you what the Scripture says. A sound preacher or teacher of God’s Word will be honored when you do this. Then you too can be more noble like the Bereans.
Bob Deister