What other biblical examples emphasize the importance of verifying teachings with Scripture? Acts 17:10–11 – Models Who Checked the Message “ The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.” (Acts 17:10) • Luke immediately adds that these Bereans “examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were so.” (v. 11). • Their ready welcome of the apostles never replaced a careful, daily comparison with the written Word. Old-Testament Commands to Test Every Voice • Deuteronomy 13:1-4 – Even a sign-working prophet must match “the commandments of the LORD your God”; if not, “you must not listen.” • Isaiah 8:20 – “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, there is no light in them.” Jesus in the Wilderness – Scripture Answers Every Challenge • Matthew 4:4, 7, 10: Three temptations, three replies beginning, “It is written….” • The incarnate Word Himself submits to the written Word, leaving no room for teachings that contradict Scripture. Jesus on the Emmaus Road – Doctrine Verified by the Whole Canon • Luke 24:27: “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.” • The risen Lord models opening the scrolls to confirm truth, not private revelation. Philip and the Ethiopian – Scripture Interprets Scripture • Acts 8:30-35: Philip starts “with this Scripture” (Isaiah 53) and “proclaimed the good news about Jesus.” • The seeker’s questions are settled by comparing passage with passage, not by opinion. Jerusalem Council – Dispute Settled by the Word • Acts 15:15-18: After testimony, James declares, “The words of the prophets agree,” quoting Amos 9. • Even apostolic consensus bows to written prophecy. Paul’s Safeguard for Every Church • 1 Thessalonians 5:21: “Test all things. Hold fast to what is good.” • Galatians 1:8: A gospel that differs from the one already revealed is “accursed,” even if an angel proclaims it. John’s Pastoral Warning • 1 John 4:1: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” • The test is doctrinal fidelity to the apostolic message recorded in Scripture (vv. 2-6). Jesus’ Word to Ephesus – Commended for Testing • Revelation 2:2: “You have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and have found them false.” • The Lord praises discernment grounded in His written revelation. Why These Examples Matter Today • God never asks blind acceptance; He invites diligent, daily searching. • Every teacher, experience, or spiritual encounter stands or falls by alignment with the full counsel of Scripture. • The same Spirit who inspired the Word now equips believers to understand and verify it, ensuring that truth, not trend, shapes faith and practice. |
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