Living as Bereans

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

—Titus:1:9Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
See All...

This is part three in our series of articles on being a Berean. Tom McMahon wrote “Being a Berean,” an article that laid out who we are as a ministry. Tom and Dave started The Berean Call to help get God’s message out through newsletters written by Dave Hunt (and later by Tom, too). In part two, Dave wrote a newsletter entitled, “More on Being a Berean” that continued the theme of what our ministry stands for with examples of error being taught in our Lord’s name. This newsletter will continue on those themes and our desire to do God’s will out of love for Him.

We start with the very first commandment, which Jesus said is “…thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength” (Mark:12:30And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
See All...). “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John:4:19We love him, because he first loved us.
See All...), which the Lord demonstrated because “…while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans:5:8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
See All...), “…was buried, and…rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians:15:4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
See All...).

God saved us from an eternal punishment that we fully deserve, but He didn’t stop there. He has given us His Word, which He magnifies above His name (Psalm:138:2I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
See All...). In addition, Jesus promised that He would send from the Father (John:15:26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
See All...) the Spirit of truth, who will guide us into all truth (John:16:13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
See All...). With God’s Word and His indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians:3:16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
See All...), He “…hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter:1:3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
See All...).

God’s Word is powerful in the lives of both believers and unbelievers. The Bereans in Acts 17 were Jews being presented the gospel by Paul, and they are commended because they “…received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, [to see] whether those things were so” (Acts:17:11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
See All...). The Lord used Apollos to “…mightily [convince] the Jews…shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ” (Acts:18:28For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
See All...). In their outreaches, the apostles preached the Word in Samaria, Salamis, Perga, and many other cities (Acts:8:25And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
See All...; 13:5; 14:25; 15:36; etc.). Jesus told a group of Jews who sought to kill Him, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John:5:18Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
See All..., 39).

It is with words that the Lord chose to communicate with mankind, forbidding any images. He “…[wrote] with the finger of God” (Exodus:31:18And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
See All...) the second commandment: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exodus:20:4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
See All...). After the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, many things changed in man’s relationship with God—no more required sacrifices by the sons of Aaron (Exodus 29); no more mandatory observance of sabbath days (Exodus:31:15Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
See All...); men were no longer required to come before the Lord three times in the year (Exodus:23:17Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the LORD God.
See All...); no more dietary restrictions (Leviticus 11, etc.). However, the commandment against graven images is set in stone. Art had risen to a high level in the 1st century AD, yet God did not choose to use images, or even descriptions, of the Man Jesus Christ. It is obvious why He didn’t: how could you accurately depict the One who said to Philip, “…he that hath seen me hath seen the Father…” (John:14:9Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
See All...)?

In 1982, my wife and I moved to Greenville, South Carolina, so my new bride could complete her senior year at Bob Jones University. BJU had what they called a “Sacred Art Museum.” I wasn’t sure what sacred art could be, given that the Lord had forbidden graven images. Much to my surprise, the museum was full of images of one who was supposed to be “Jesus Christ.” In many cases he was depicted as a baby or child (sometimes a graphically naked one), sometimes in Mary’s arms, sometimes with a crown. He was also depicted as an adult, sometimes effeminate, sometimes a strapping man. He was depicted on the cross, with a halo…image types that you would expect to see at the Vatican Museum, not at a fundamentalist Christian university. The wildly disparate images could not possibly be the same person, but had one thing in common: none of them was a true depiction of the Lord Jesus Christ “Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him” (1 Peter:3:22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
See All...).

At that same time, BJU was involved in a Supreme Court battle over their tax exempt status because they forbade interracial dating or marriage. Dr. Bob Jones III, BJU president at the time, said,

“Bob Jones University is opposed to interracial marriage, and I believe every Christian should be [opposed to interracial marriage] on the basis of the principles of the Word of God…”1 and

“God doesn’t want the black race to become white or the white race to become yellow or the yellow race to become green. God doesn’t want that! He wants the distinctions to remain lest we help the cause of Antichrist in bringing about that obliteration of the differences that God has established.”2

BJU required students to get involved with a local fellowship, but they “excommunicated” any church in the Greenville area that allowed an interracial couple to attend their fellowship. BJU’s influence was such that being banned by the University in Greenville at the time was tantamount to a church death sentence. I wasn’t sure what an interracially married couple was to do if they moved to Greenville. Should they attend a liberal church (since the conservative churches feared the consequences of allowing them in), or get divorced, or…?  I couldn’t find anyone who could answer that question.

Doctor Jones’ main text for the message quoted above was the 11th chapter of Genesis. The Lord’s only spoken words in Genesis 11 are, “Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that theymay not understand one another's speech” (Genesis:11:6-7 [6] And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. [7] Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
See All...). This passage deals with languages, not races.

The Bible deals with the issue of races succinctly. God has said that He has “…made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth…” (Acts:17:26And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
See All...): there is only one race, the human race. God does deal with cultures in the Bible: Paul wrote to Titus, “One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true…” (Titus:1:12-13 [12] One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. [13] This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
See All...). This passage is clearly a generalization about the culture that had developed on Crete because right before this, Paul told Timothy, “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest…ordain elders in every city…If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers” (Titus:1:5-9 [5] For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: [6] If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. [7] For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; [8] But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; [9] Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
See All...). There were godly candidates for being an elder on the island of Crete, but the Cretian culture was debased.

I spoke to faculty and senior administration to no avail. I wrote to Bob Jones III and noted that his chosen text of Genesis 11 quoted above is about the confounding of languages, not the establishment of races: if he believed that “maintaining God’s distinctions” was truly God’s will, logically he would have forbidden foreign language instruction at Bob Jones University instead of forbidding interracial dating. BJU held to their stance and subsequently lost their tax-exempt status before the Supreme Court in the case Bob Jones University v. United States.3

BJU was perhaps the best-known university that marketed itself as a fundamentalist institution. Fundamentalism has a bad name in the world and in the church, but true fundamentalism is the only rational position for a Christian to take. As Dave Hunt wrote, “If to be a fundamentalist means that one adheres to the sound fundamentals of math, accounting, chemistry, or whatever one’s profession, then I happily accept the label. And since the Bible is literally God’s Word and inerrant, embracing and standing true to its fundamentals is the only intelligent choice.”4 We must insure when defending the fundamentals, they are God’s fundamentals, not our personal preferences. Neither celebrating images of Jesus nor forbidding interracial marriages are defended biblically.

In extolling His Word, the Lord said, “Every word of God is pure…” (Proverbs:30:5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
See All...). Jesus said, “…Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew:4:4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
See All...). The Lord has given us His Word to be understood, and sometimes He makes small changes that make a big difference. At the lake of Gennesaret, Jesus told Peter, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets [plural] for a draught” (Luke:5:4Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
See All...). Peter replied, “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net [singular]” (Luke:5:5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
See All...). Whether through willful disobedience or a misunderstanding, Peter only let down a single net. Following Peter’s inappropriate response, the crew “…inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake” (Luke:5:6And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
See All...). In contrast, the resurrected Christ appears in John 21, and He tells the seven disciples to let down the net (singular). Despite being full of great fishes, the net did not break (John:21:4-11 [4] But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. [5] Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. [6] And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. [7] Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. [8] And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. [9] As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. [10] Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. [11] Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
See All...).

Another singular/plural distinction with a significant impact is noted in Paul’s epistle to the Galatians. The Lord wrote through Paul, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Galatians:3:16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
See All...). Many of the “seed” (Hebrew word zera‛) passages in Genesis refer to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (i.e., the Jews), but the Lord is highlighting the blessing the nations receive in Jesus Christ, e.g., “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Genesis:22:18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
See All...). Even with the clarification, some translations of Galatians:3:16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
See All... are poorly rendered in English, e.g., “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ.”5 According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the plural of “offspring” is also “offspring.”

When studying with others, we are to evaluate even trusted sources (like The Berean Call) or teachers, even as the Bereans checked out the Apostle Paul. As a young Christian I listened to Walter Martin, who referred to himself as “The Bible Answer Man.” From him I was able to learn much about the teachings of the Mormons and the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and how to effectively share with people who used the same words I did, but with a different meaning. Walter frequently recommended the New International Version (NIV) as the best and most scholarly English Bible translation available. I knew that the Bible was God’s Word and I wanted the best that God had available, so I bought an NIV for my Bible reading and study. Imagine my surprise when I read the Gospel of Mark in my NIV and found that Mark’s gospel “ended” with chapter 16, verse 8, which reads, “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” Below that verse was a large blank section with bracketed statement that read,

[The earliest and most reliable ancient manuscripts do not have verses 9-20.]6

The MacArthur Study Bible similarly has a footnote: “The external evidence strongly suggests [verses 9-20] were not originally part of Mark’s Gospel. While the majority of Greek manuscripts contain these verses, the earliest and most reliable do not….”7

This was followed by the last 13 verses of Mark, verses that the reader has just been led to believe are not trustworthy. It is difficult to imagine that even the most jaded cynic would think that the Lord completely omits any appearance of the resurrected Jesus Christ from one of His gospel accounts. After reading that, I went back to using the King James Version, the translation that was used at the fellowship I attended and that we use at The Berean Call.

By God’s grace, we at The Berean Call will continue as Paul exhorted Timothy: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth…. [F]ollow righteousness, faith, [love], peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves…” (2 Timothy:2:15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
See All..., 22, 25). May we be led of the Holy Spirit and walk in obedience with the Lord, speaking the truth in love (Ephesians:4:15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
See All...), remembering “…though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not [love], I am nothing” (1 Corinthians:13:2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
See All...).

Endnotes

1  Bob Jones III, BJU Tape God’s Barriers Between Men, January 15, 1982.

2  Bob Jones III, BJU Tape God’s Barriers Between Men, January 15, 1982.

3  At the turn of the century, BJU removed their ban on interracial relationships.

4  Dave Hunt, “Am I A Fundamentalist?”, TBC Newsletter August 1998.

5  Galatians:3:16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
See All..., English Standard Version.

6  The latest revision of the NIV has moved up the text and has the bracket section stating [The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20.].

7  John MacArthur, ed, The MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, English Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2021), 1366.