"These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." (Act 17:11 NKJ)

Everyone has opinions.

We all want our opinions to be right.

Nobody wants to be ignorant or wrong.

This is especially true regarding God.

However, many people do not check their beliefs.

They simply accept what they are taught.

They rarely question why they believe it.

This is a dangerous habit.

Your religious beliefs are important.

They determine your values.

They dictate how you treat other people.

They define how you relate to God.

You may hold assumptions that contradict the Bible.

Consider the Sabbath. The Bible says to keep it on Saturday, not Sunday.

Consider major holidays. Christmas does not celebrate Jesus’s birth. Easter does not celebrate his resurrection. Jesus did not rise on a Sunday morning.

Consider the Holy Days. God commands specific days like the Feast of Trumpets. He commands the Days of Unleavened Bread.

Consider what happens after death. The dead are asleep. They are not in heaven. They are not in hell.

Consider what we eat. God calls some meats unclean. They are not food for humans.

The Berean Example The Apostle Paul challenged people in the Bible too. He spoke to people in a place called Berea. He told them their ideas were wrong.

Acts 17:11 describes their reaction.

They were "fair-minded" people.

They were noble.

They did not get angry.

They did not reject Paul immediately.

They listened with "readiness".

Prove It Yourself

The Bereans verified the facts.

They searched the Scriptures daily.

They wanted to know if these things were so.

You have a choice today. These challenges might not match your opinion. You can be stubborn and close-minded. Or, you can be noble like a Berean. Open your Bible. Search the Scriptures. Prove whether these things are true.

Based on Verse by Verse told by Mr. Dave Myers