God’s Word Confirms the Truth: Learning from the Bereans

When the Apostle Paul arrived in Berea, something remarkable happened. Unlike many other cities, the people there didn’t just hear the Word—they searched it, with eagerness and discernment. In a world flooded with false claims and spiritual confusion, we need this same Berean mindset.

God’s People Love God’s Truth

Upon arrival in Berea, Paul and his companions, as was their custom, “went into the synagogue of the Jews” (Acts 17:10, CSB). But here, the Bereans broke the usual pattern. Rather than passively listening to Paul’s preaching, they “received the word with eagerness” (v. 11). Their enthusiasm for God’s Word was matched by their commitment to discernment. They weren’t content with emotional responses or captivating oratory. They wanted the truth.

We can’t say we love someone while believing falsehoods about them. If I claimed to love my wife but consistently believed inaccurate things about her, that wouldn’t be love—it would be ignorance dressed up as affection. In the same way, loving God means loving the truth about Him.

God’s Word Confirms the Truth

How do we know the truth about God? We go to the source: His Word. The Bible is God’s self-revelation. If we hear someone teaching, preaching, or writing about God, we must examine their words by Scripture. That’s exactly what the Bereans did. They listened to Paul and then “examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (v. 11).

They didn’t blindly accept what was said. They took notes and compared them with the ultimate authority: God’s Word. Because of this, they were commended as “more noble than those in Thessalonica” (v. 11), and as a result, “many of them believed” (v. 12). The Holy Spirit uses His own Word to confirm the truth of what is being preached. We can trust that the faithful proclamation of the Bible, coupled with diligent study, is a means God uses to both save and sanctify.

This confidence doesn’t rest in the preacher or the hearer, but in the Spirit who works through the living Word, which “is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12, CSB).

One Unified Revelation

God’s Word tells a single, unbroken story from Genesis to Revelation. There has only ever been one way of salvation: by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is not one plan for Jews and another for Gentiles. Nor is God somehow different in the Old Testament than in the New.

That’s why the Bereans could evaluate Paul’s message about Jesus as Messiah by reading the Old Testament. God doesn’t change. Some claim the God of the Old Testament is angry while the God of the New Testament is loving. But this reveals a lack of understanding about God’s unchanging character. God “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8, CSB). He is not the Great Becoming or the Great Maturing—He is the Great I Am.

Therefore, be cautious when someone claims a “new revelation” about God. Do they mean it’s new to them, or are they suggesting that God has changed? Always compare what is said about God to what God has already said about Himself. His Word confirms His truth.

The Necessity of Knowing the Word

Like the Bereans, we must check what we hear by what we read in Scripture. Today, we have unprecedented access to teaching—podcasts, YouTube, livestreams, social media. This is a great blessing, but it also opens the floodgates for error.

For example, some TikTok users claim that “Jesus never said He was God,” and they package this with clever editing, Greek words, and a confident tone. Suddenly, even believers can feel unsettled. Maybe you don’t change your mind, but a seed of doubt is planted.

Don’t let the crowd or the comments section define truth. Go to the Word. When you examine Scripture, especially in places like the Gospel of John, you’ll see clearly that Jesus did claim divinity. The only way to stay grounded is to be in the Word regularly.

Test the Sermons You Hear

This doesn’t just apply to social media. It applies to sermons as well. Always follow along with the biblical text. If a pastor references a verse, verify it. If they use Scripture out of context or say things about God that don’t align with His Word, stop listening.

Instead, seek out teachers who say what Scripture says. This includes the local church. I encourage this even with my own sermons at TICF. Take notes. Study the passage for yourself. When we receive the Word with eagerness and test it by Scripture, God strengthens our faith. How can you know God if you don’t know His Word?

God has given both Scripture and faithful teachers to build up His people. But teachers are not infallible. Only God’s Word is. So hold fast to what is true.

Practice Being a Berean

Starting now, practice being a Berean. Read Acts 17:1–15 and compare it to what you’ve just read. Then, in preparation for Sunday’s sermon, read the same passage again. Reread it Sunday night. Talk about it with a friend or family member.

Let this be the start of a habit. “Receive the message with great eagerness and examine the Scriptures every day to see if what” is taught “is true” (v. 11).

God’s Word always confirms God’s truth. May we become discerning, Bible-saturated people like the Bereans, and may God increase our faith as we seek Him.