DON’T BE BUFFALOED AND BULLIED. BE A BEREAN

It's a sad and tragic thing today that so many people are unable or unwilling to engage in thoughtful coversation with a mutual desire to find out what is true. This happens where people are more committed to upholding the consensus of their tribe, camp or party, etc., than they are to finding out and following what is really true.

The Brreans are memorialized in God's Word as people who were "more noble" than others because they searched the Scriptures carefully to see if what they were being taught (even by the apostle Paul) was "so" (Acts 17:11, 12) Today they would be regarded with suspicion, if not ostracized, by some "brethren" for doing what they did.

There isn't anything noble about people who become defensive or go into attack mode at the mere suggestion of subjecting their positions to some biblically. based scrutiny. There is something wrong, tragically and terribly wrong, with people who take offense at this. These are those who are ensnared by their fear of man and their desire to please and have the praise of men (Prov. 29:15; Gal. 1:10).

Good, thoughtful discussion of that which pertains to truth is spiritually wholesome and commended in Scripture. There. needs to be a lot more of it, for the sake of "iron sharpening iron" and in the spirit of the Bereans, and Priscilla and Aquila and Apollos (Prov. 27:17; Acts 17:11; 18:24-26). People ought not to be subjected to "evil surmising" simply because they ask questions or initiate conversation for the sake of their getting better rooted in, and built up in, truth (1 Tim. 6:4; Col. 2:17).