Acts 17:11 (HCSB)

11 The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Are YouOpen-

Minded?Rethinking Biblical Open-Mindedness

The Two-Fold Nature of Biblical Open-Mindedness

• Receive the message with all readiness• John 8:31-32 – To find truth, we must hear and seek truth.

– cf. Matt. 7:7 (Prov. 23:23)• Acts 7:51-54 – We do not want to be like those who despise truth.

– cf. 2 Thess. 2:8-12 (note vs. 13-15)

• Search the Scriptures daily to see if these things are so• 1 Thess. 5:21 – Are we willing to prove all things by Scripture?

– cf. 2 Tim. 3:16-17• 1 John 4:1-6 – Do we carry a healthy dose of doctrinal skepticism?

– cf. 1 Cor. 14:29 (Deut. 18:21-22)

Ancient Athens Emulated in Today’s Church

• Do we spend our “time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing”? – cf. Acts 17:16-21• “New” concepts on grace, faith and works• “New” takes on worship, ministry and the work of the church• “New” approaches to hermeneutics, study and doctrine

Ancient Athens Emulated in Today’s Church

• The challenge today is to be “renewed in the Spirit of our mind” … not seek that which is “new”! – Rom. 12:2• We must understand what the will of the Lord is – Eph. 5:17• We must not be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine

– Eph. 4:14-15• In all of this post-modernistic open-mindedness, let God’s people realize

that there is a such a thing as truth (in contrast to error or lies), right (in contrast to wrong) and fact (in contrast to fiction)!

Ancient Athens Emulated in Today’s Church

• The warnings of old still apply today!• 2 John 9-11 – What should we do with men who are bringing

another doctrine?• Gal. 1:6-11 – If an angel from heaven preaches a different gospel,

how should we respond? • Rom. 16:17-18 – How do we treat those who divide and offend

contrary to the apostles’ doctrine?• Tit. 3:10-11 – What must we do if one pursues error despite admonition?

John 5:39-4039 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

John 10:3-53 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”