To understand theological justice, one must understand the sanctity of faith. Every believer wishes to uphold the principles of Christ and preserve the high standards and traditions of faith they have come to honor.  

As there are many standards of faith, knowing what standards of faith to uphold is a matter of discernment. The Apostle John wrote, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9). This scripture is very black and white and leaves no room to suggest that we can exercise faith in God apart from the doctrine of Christ, or that we can love God apart from the doctrine of Christ, or that our faith can be accepted of God apart from the doctrine of Christ. The requirement is not simply having the doctrine of Christ, but also, not transgressing it. Discernment then becomes critical.  

The method of discernment that each Christian uses to establish theological justice is important because the validation for all doctrinal claims stands upon it. The “Berean Method” of Discernment, for many, has become the choice method of discernment.  What is this method of discernment? And, is it valid? Acts 17:10,11 reads, "And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming there went into the synagogue of the Jews. These 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." 

Christians use the Bereans as a role model for discernment in that they “copy” the Bereans by “searching the scriptures” to see if they agree with what is being presented to them as truth. They plot the faith model they are looking at against the Bible.  

This method of discernment can be used in two ways:

1) Nobly

2) Ignobly 

We can search the scriptures and see that Jesus is the Son of God, and see that God did send Him to be the Saviour of the world. We can search the scriptures and read of God’s plan to shed His blood for the sins of the world, and we know that whosoever believes on Jesus shall not be ashamed. We can reflect on God’s plan with faith in our hearts and accept the testimony of Jesus Christ. This, of course, is noble. 

The Scribes and Pharisees also used the scriptures for discernment, but in an ignoble way. They allowed their suspicions to enter into their belief and backed their suspicions up with scripture. For instance, when Jesus healed on the Sabbath, they quoted the scripture against Jesus’ actions simply because they were prejudiced against Jesus and they were looking for an excuse to stone Him for breaking the law.  

Matthew 12:10: And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

Matthew 15:2:  “Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.”

Matthew 15:3:  “But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” 

These are examples of the ignoble use of the Berean Method of Discernment. The Scribes and Pharisees developed an accountability system with their traditions that replaced the commandments of God. They plotted Jesus’ words against that system to protect their own traditions. Jesus offended them because He did not reciprocate according to their system. “Jesus, you are ignoring our traditions and walking contrary to our accountability scale.”  

Theological justice for the church follows the same pattern as each fight to preserve their traditions upheld by their own accountability system. The Bereans themselves were noble people in that they chose to allow the influence of God’s grace upon their soul (“they were of a ready mind”) and searched the scriptures in confirmation of God’s plan. Christians, not possessing those qualities, use the Berean Method of Discernment as a transfer technique to transfer the noble prestige and reputation of the Bereans to themselves. If we were to take away the “Berean Persona” we would see each theological camp simply exercising apologetics against another camp, each claiming the infallibility of the word of God. The word of God is indeed infallible, but the reason of man is not. 

Example: The doctrine of water baptism

Camp A: This group insists that full submersion must take place in order for the baptism of a convert to be valid and recognized by God. They can provide the full theological justifications and apologetics for that position. They have scripture they use to exercise theological justice. 

Camp B: This group insists that sprinkling the convert with water is sufficient as long as the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are spoken over the convert at time of baptism. This group also has scripture they use to exercise theological justice and apologetics for that position. 

Camp C:  This group insists that whether sprinkling or full submersion, the name of Jesus only should be spoken over the convert. They are prepared to stand behind their selection of scriptures that validates their position. The strength of their apologetics is a strong as group A and B.  

Although I have oversimplified these theological positions for the sake of brevity, we can see that these theological camps will always bear the banner of their own theological persuasion. To uphold the sanctity of their own traditions, and in the name of theological justice, each camp will “Berean—ize” the other. Each will “search the scriptures” to disprove the doctrinal position of their opponent. According to each camp, they have been, and continue to be, successful at looking to the sacred word of God to disprove the other. This is another ignoble example of the Berean Method of Discernment.  

The Bereans searched the scriptures in confirmation of Jesus Christ, not in confirmation of their own traditions. The ease at which the Berean Method of Discernment is abused is alarming. The current, popular use of the Berean Method of Discernment, is ignoble and does not reflect the true Berean heart. It has proved to be a useless tool in discerning error from truth. Camp A will set up another set of scriptures in rebuttal of Camp B and C. However, we won’t see camp B and C jumping up to say, "I see what you mean, I have been enlightened. I see by examining the scriptures that I was wrong, you have been able to help me overcome false doctrine." No. Camp B and C aren't going to fold that easily. They will also lay out another set of scriptures in rebuttal, in defense of their doctrine. Each camp will continue to refute whatever the other camps come up with. There is always a rebuttal.   

Each camp will be convinced that the other camp has overlooked a key scripture or has “misinterpreted” a key scripture. In any case, the authority to discern through the Berean Method is real only to the person who makes the determination. It is not real to the person who does not agree with the determination. They are not really Bereans, they are Pharisees, for they are using the same pattern of discernment that the Pharisees used:  

1.  Let's wait and see. [People who “wait and see” are saying that they don't know]. 

2.  This can't be of God because God would have told me first [self importance]. 

3.  This can't be of God because it offends me [truth offends]. 

4.  This can't be of God because my doctrinal position can't allow it [hard hearted]. 

5.  This can't be of God because I'll lose the honor and position that I earned [fear of loss  for emulation]. 

6.  This can't be of God because it doesn't confirm my aspiration [Satan allows us to maintain our pride through an aspiration. God does not]. 

The early church followed the pattern of Apostolic Governance. After conversion, the apostles set the foundation of truth in the hearts of believers. Through instruction, one foundation of truth was set in each believer. The church embraced one truth, one Jesus, and one Spirit. The church is 2,000 years removed from that holy tradition of faith that preserved the sanctity of truth. In view of the fact that each Christian interprets scripture differently, the Berean Method of Discernment cannot be used in a non-prejudicial environment. True theological justice was compromised the minute the tradition of faith was removed from the plan of God. 

Testing the Spirits 

The Berean Method of Discernment is also used in tandem with another type of discernment called “Testing the Spirit.” The Apostle John wrote, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). The Apostle John had set the foundation of truth in the hearts of these believers. Discernment, therefore, was based upon that tradition of faith, which was already established in them. All teaching was plotted against that foundation of truth set in the heart through apostolic teaching. This is what scripture confirms. 

When Christians test the Spirits apart from that pattern, they often experience what I call “Induced Insight Phenomena” (IIP) as an added validation to their sense of theological justice (control). Strong emotions of fear, confusion, or guilt may be evoked when one’s imagination is violated by another’s position. Christians will read into their emotional responses and say something to the effect, “I don’t feel right about this in my spirit.” This reading is not by the Holy Spirit. They are simply reading into their emotional responses and calling that “Discerning of Spirits.” Other induced insight may take the form of a telling dream, chills, or the working out of circumstances. 

The testimony of IIP is shared with other believers and set within the context of scripture to borrow divine weight and authority. The scripture is then interpreted in light of the testimony and not in light of the plan of God. This is how fables are born. Paul’s use of the word “fable” (2 Timothy 4:4) was developed from his experience correcting distortions in Christianity. He saw that through fables believers were subtly being removed from the Jesus of the covenant, which he preached, to a Jesus that was constructed of the imagination. Fables are born of true experiences that are then taken and redirected to give witness to the individual or indoctrination, but not to the covenant of Jesus Christ. 

Scripture is used with fables to disarm believers. With fables Satan can enter into the imagination to flatter one’s own value system, one’s own sense of correctness. That sense of correctness is then used as theological justice, as a fulcrum for discernment, thus creating a barrier against grace and truth. Paul’s command was to cast down every imagination that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (2 Cor. 10:5). Just because a person quotes scripture does not mean he is confirming the plan of God. 

Christians are able to develop consistent patterns with precept and line in defense of tradition and mistake that consistency for truth. Satan also approached Jesus on the strength of the bible. In Matthew 4:3-10 we read about how Satan came to tempt Jesus in  three areas, using scripture to back up his demands. In essence Satan was saying, “The bible says this Jesus, therefore, you must conform to the scriptures, act on the knowledge I just gave you, use your aspirations to project your will into scripture, and confirm your position!”        

Satan has no problem with quoting scripture, he just can’t stay within the pattern of truth. He isolates a scripture from truth in order to bring power to his own testimony. People do the same when they use scripture as a point of reference for their aspirations and principles. Precept and line interpretation of God’s plan allows people to pass off their ideas as visions and their aspirations as inspiration. Through this conviction believers build false justifications, false piety, false hope, and false confidences. This is sweet to the taste, but bitter in the belly. This is the leavened bread we cannot use for faith. 

In conclusion, we see that many abused the “Berean heart” and used them as an excuse to remain outside of God's spiritual government. We cannot use the example of the Bereans as a license to be exempt from the responsibility of God’s truth. We see too that many Christians do have the true Berean heart and are searching the scriptures with a ready mind and heart that is yielded to the grace of God.

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