I am soon closing out on my 8th year since yielding my life to the Lord Jesus Christ in October of 2007. As I take a moment to consider what has been the "fuel" to keep me mentally challenged and maintain a willing heart to adhere to His call: "Follow Me", I have discovered it is not prayer, nor is it being involved with a group of other Christians, and certainly not the "feel good" thing from participating in giving to another... that keeps yearning to know Him....no, the 'fuel" that sustains and grows in my friendship with Him..is the study and thought I give to reading the Sacred Scripture.....
The study of the Sacred Scripture...a lost art to some, boring to others, and simply a book of rules to the many. If there be an "Achilles heel" to Christianity...I would conclude it is found right here...the study of the Sacred Scripture. Also I might include this could be an age old problem that might have its origins even in the days of the Early Church.
One thing of interest to me since I gave my heart and life to the Lord Jesus is: "How is one to study, identify, contemplate, and apply the teachings of the Scriptures into our everyday lives?"
With that...allow me to begin....
Saint Paul in my own mind was the very catalyst to get Christianity "off the ground" you might say and separate the Early Christians from being just another segment of the Jewish faith. His trip to Jerusalem and to the Christian leaders there (including some of "The Original"...the 12 disciples of Christ) was monumental because he now shared how people of the non-Jewish faith were to be accepted by the Messiah Himself....and the requirement to be followers of the Jewish Law...were no longer needed!
Then, through the early years of Christianity there were several attempts to thwart the Early Christian movement through false and erroneous teachings...to the point many turned away from Christianity and some of the Jewish faith reverted back to Jewish Law.
Why?
In a village in Greek Macedonia or northern Greece there was a place named Berea, or Beroea to some, who during the days of Saint Paul had a Jewish populace that were known for their character...that is to say they had a hunger to study and examine the ancient Scriptures daily in a more objective manner without bias.The Scriptures at that time was the Old Testament...the Hebrew Bible...including the Torah, the writings of the prophets, and wisdom books such as the Psalms.
During the 2nd missionary journey of Saint Paul, he had run into opposition of the new Gospel being preached at that time in a town called Thessalonica, approximately 75 miles from Berea. What had happened was the Jewish people in Thessalonica had not received the Gospel Saint Paul was preaching in a positive manner, and literally threatened Paul and the followers of this new Gospel claiming Jesus as the True Messiah... including their very lives. It is described in the Book of Acts in the New Testament beginning around chapter 17. Because of this resistance, Paul and his entourage were forced to escaped Thessalonica at night...and arrived in Berea.
When they arrived there, the Gospel of Christ Jesus was proclaimed in the local synagogue, the church of the Jewish faith, for even up to that time Christianity had strong ties with the Jewish faith.
Yet, the Jewish people of Berea proved to be much different than those of Thessalonica.
The Book of Acts describes them as a more noble people than those of Thessalonica...not referring to their birthrights but rather their openness to listen to the Gospel Paul introduced to them. So, here is Saint Paul...perhaps one of the greatest apostles of the Early church, a tremendous theologian, and soon to be the author of at least 13 of the 27 total books (or letters) of the entire Christian New Testament, preaching to the local Jewish mass in Berea.
After Saint Paul had spoke and introduced Christ Jesus as the True Messiah and the importance of receiving Him into their lives as the only Son of the Living God of the Jewish faith...as well as those who were outside of the Jewish teachings....the Bereans did something different than other written documents we read of concerning the acceptance of Jesus Christ...they questioned and studied and examined the Scriptures...to find out for themselves whether Saint Paul was accurate on the message he had given them.
The Bereans took daily interest in examining and adhering to the Sacred Scriptures...and would not just accept anyone or any message that happened to come their way.
So...what caused this community to be so committed and interested to even study and examine Scripture...on a daily basis?
How do Christians today study the Scriptures in comparison to let's say a group like these Bereans?
Did the Early church find Scripture study boring... a non- interest topic....a Bible no one seems to be able to relate...like many of us today?
Guess there needs to be a...part 2......
The study of the Sacred Scripture...a lost art to some, boring to others, and simply a book of rules to the many. If there be an "Achilles heel" to Christianity...I would conclude it is found right here...the study of the Sacred Scripture. Also I might include this could be an age old problem that might have its origins even in the days of the Early Church.
With that...allow me to begin....
Saint Paul in my own mind was the very catalyst to get Christianity "off the ground" you might say and separate the Early Christians from being just another segment of the Jewish faith. His trip to Jerusalem and to the Christian leaders there (including some of "The Original"...the 12 disciples of Christ) was monumental because he now shared how people of the non-Jewish faith were to be accepted by the Messiah Himself....and the requirement to be followers of the Jewish Law...were no longer needed!
Then, through the early years of Christianity there were several attempts to thwart the Early Christian movement through false and erroneous teachings...to the point many turned away from Christianity and some of the Jewish faith reverted back to Jewish Law.
Why?
In a village in Greek Macedonia or northern Greece there was a place named Berea, or Beroea to some, who during the days of Saint Paul had a Jewish populace that were known for their character...that is to say they had a hunger to study and examine the ancient Scriptures daily in a more objective manner without bias.The Scriptures at that time was the Old Testament...the Hebrew Bible...including the Torah, the writings of the prophets, and wisdom books such as the Psalms.
During the 2nd missionary journey of Saint Paul, he had run into opposition of the new Gospel being preached at that time in a town called Thessalonica, approximately 75 miles from Berea. What had happened was the Jewish people in Thessalonica had not received the Gospel Saint Paul was preaching in a positive manner, and literally threatened Paul and the followers of this new Gospel claiming Jesus as the True Messiah... including their very lives. It is described in the Book of Acts in the New Testament beginning around chapter 17. Because of this resistance, Paul and his entourage were forced to escaped Thessalonica at night...and arrived in Berea.
When they arrived there, the Gospel of Christ Jesus was proclaimed in the local synagogue, the church of the Jewish faith, for even up to that time Christianity had strong ties with the Jewish faith.
Yet, the Jewish people of Berea proved to be much different than those of Thessalonica.
The Book of Acts describes them as a more noble people than those of Thessalonica...not referring to their birthrights but rather their openness to listen to the Gospel Paul introduced to them. So, here is Saint Paul...perhaps one of the greatest apostles of the Early church, a tremendous theologian, and soon to be the author of at least 13 of the 27 total books (or letters) of the entire Christian New Testament, preaching to the local Jewish mass in Berea.
After Saint Paul had spoke and introduced Christ Jesus as the True Messiah and the importance of receiving Him into their lives as the only Son of the Living God of the Jewish faith...as well as those who were outside of the Jewish teachings....the Bereans did something different than other written documents we read of concerning the acceptance of Jesus Christ...they questioned and studied and examined the Scriptures...to find out for themselves whether Saint Paul was accurate on the message he had given them.
The Bereans took daily interest in examining and adhering to the Sacred Scriptures...and would not just accept anyone or any message that happened to come their way.
So...what caused this community to be so committed and interested to even study and examine Scripture...on a daily basis?
How do Christians today study the Scriptures in comparison to let's say a group like these Bereans?
Did the Early church find Scripture study boring... a non- interest topic....a Bible no one seems to be able to relate...like many of us today?
Guess there needs to be a...part 2......
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