Bible Study by Proxy
January 2, 2006
Dear Friends
If ever there was an opponent to Bible truth, it is the following reasoning: People much smarter and better trained than me have thought this through and I don’t need to worry about it. I will just accept it as is presented to me.
I called this “Bible study by proxy.†A proxy is giving authority to act on your behalf. People sometimes give a proxy to the board of directors of a corporation to vote their shares the way they see fit. In this case, the “Bible student†defaults all thinking to that of a higher authority or scholar. This may be done willingly because of laziness, disinterest or tradition but it also might be because the authority figure demands it. In either case, the result is the same—an environment in which intelligent discussion and questioning is discouraged.
This onslaught against Bible truth began with the Jewish scholars of the first century, continued through the Greek philosophers of the second century on down to today. How many millions of people today regularly diet solely on the words of their professionally trained pastors without so much as an inkling of what the Scriptures really say? It is mind-boggling to think that people will question virtually everything in life, but leave something as important as their eternal life to someone else.
This false philosophy of “Bible study by proxy†strikes a chord with us because, as believers, we are taught to esteem our brethren better than ourselves. We are taught to be humble and teachable. These characteristics in themselves are excellent qualities, but when coupled with ignorance can be used by the less scrupulous to take in the unsuspecting. We are told be as wise as serpents, but harmless as doves. We are told to be discriminating, not indiscriminating. We are told to measure all things by the word of God, not blindly following the supposed experts.
One of the greatest examples of the right spirit was the “noble†Bereans. The Bereans “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.†God, through Luke, describes these brethren as “noble†not only because they willingly accepted the Gospel for the Thessalonians had also accepted the Gospel. He describes them as noble because they didn’t just believe it, but checked what was preached to them against the Scripture. The most amazing thing about this passage was their teacher—the Apostle Paul. Our heavenly father commends them for not just believing Paul, but checking what Paul told them against the Bible. Surely we should not set up anyone else above the Apostle Paul and believe what they have to say without validating it against Scripture.
John Thomas was a latter-day embodiment of the principle of searching the Scriptures to see whether these things were so. He changed his mind on important Scriptural truths continually throughout his life to the extent that he was re-immersed three times. No doctrine was too sacred to question. No person was too holy or learned to challenge. He faced many fierce adversaries along the way who could not tolerate this man’s questioning and unending search of the Scriptures. John Thomas, like the Bereans before him, searched the Scriptures to see whether the things that he was told were true.
Searching for Bible truth is not easy or comfortable. The Bereans could have saved a lot of hassle if they had simply believed what Paul had to say. What Paul was telling them was right. However, the God of all the earth wants us to know that he approved of the Bereans actions. He wanted them to question. He wanted them to search and “prove all things†(1 Thess. 5:21).
Have a great week!
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