The ideal and the reality

NORSK
After having experienced resistance from "their own" in every city, Paul and Silas arrived in Berea. Also in this town they followed the pattern and went to the Jews first, which of course meant to visit the synagogue and preach there, but the atmosphere was different:

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica
Acts 17: 11a

It's fun to look at the concept of "nobler character" which comes from the Greek root word: εὐγενής (Eugene - composed of "well/good" and "born/gene"). What was the attitude that got Luke to conclude that these Jews were "well born"?

Simply the fact that “they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true”. The ideal for a good Jew was just “openness to the Word” and examination of the Scriptures to determine whether a doctrine was from God.

It is highly likely that the Jews of the other places had the same ideal, but it is not always the reality matches the ideal. That was a struggle for the Jews, and that is a struggle for Jostein. However, it is extremely important that the ideals I have are rooted in Scripture. Therefore, I carry the dream that my life will endure the light of the Word so that I with the help of the Spirit can make the changes in the same. The Jews at Berea managed for a while, but eventually even they were influenced by their "own".

We feel safe together with our "own" because we have the same starting point; we are "well-born" (read: reborn); we have the same "genes" (read: spiritual genes) and should therefore also have the same mindset as Christ Jesus (1).

That is not always the reality neither for me nor for my "own". That can cause conflicts (2). The best cure is to accept the "word" and examine "the Scriptures".

Today 'manna':

I want to have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.

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(1) Phil 2:5
(2) Acts 17:13