Some are impressed by academic achievements. Others are dazzled by personality or charisma. And there are those who are influenced by longevity. (Let’s leave out those who just take information from the top listing of a Google search as absolutely true.)
Regardless of the topic, someone with a long history, scholarly credentials, and a likeable personality does not absolutely guarantee they are correct in what they say. Einstein’s static universe theory in 1917 was completely disproved by Edwin Hubble demonstrating that the universe is constantly expanding. But, Einstein said it; it must be true, right?
My point is, if something is true, it doesn’t matter who speaks it or writes it or sings it; truth is truth, period. A four year old could speak truth just as someone who’s ninety years old. Someone with no formal education could speak truth just as a someone with five doctorate degrees. Truth is truth, regardless of who speaks it.
Yet, we all know, that too often it is the academic achievements, the charisma, the long history that can easily sway or lead one to welcome information and accept it as true. After all, if someone has studied the topic as long as he or she has, and has the degrees, and on top of all that a great personality, he surely must be right.
In the spiritual arena, this becomes very interesting. Suppose the great Apostle Paul visited your church or your group, and presented a wonderful teaching. Surely that would be enough to accept that information as true, right? Yet, there is a group recorded in the book of Acts who did not just take Paul’s word for it.
It says in Acts 17 of the people in Berea, “they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so.” For their actions, they were called noble. How many believers do that today?
Even with all the advantages the information age affords us, many people would rather someone just spoon feed them their spiritual food. And since there are so many options available today, if you don’t like the taste, there’s another spoon feeding on the next corner.
I’m not being critical of those who preach or of those who listen to the preachers. Rather, I’m bringing up a very important question. It is something I’ve said over and over for years and years in my teachings: why do you believe what you believe?
When it comes to spiritual matters, we ought to believe what we believe because we can see it ourselves in the Scriptures. Not just an isolated verse, but we take the time to see something fit together with the whole Word of God.
The reason it is so important is because if the Bible is not the standard for truth, then what is? The first listing from a Google search? How would you know? The Bible is the standard for truth when it is rightly understood.
I’m truly grateful for all those who preach God’s Word and for all those who have a hunger to learn more about God. I’m thankful when someone teaches me something, and I’m always excited to share or teach God’s Word. But, I am most impressed with God, Who had His Word written so that we could know Him.
Mike Verdicchio
2015
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