***”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.” — Acts 17:11***
They searched the OT to see how it fit with the Gospel preached to them.
***I believe the Lord has done as He promised. He has preserved His word through all ages and turmoil and deceit and darkness, even when some corrupted men chained the Bible to their altar to prevent the world from reading the words of God and knowing the truth which sets men free.***
I thought that you claimed knowledge, not belief.
The idea of prevention of people from reading the Bible is yet another Reformation base canard. Those who believe it ignore historical fact. It is no wonder that the ability to ignore and twist history often makes the transition over to the ability to ignore and twist Scripture as well.
They did search the OT because the NT didn't exist yet, and they searched the Septuagint (because in Thessalonika they spoke Greek), to check against St. Paul's gospel.
The Apostolic Church, on the other hand, checks the Gospels to interpret correctly St. Paul, and the rest of the New Testament, and in the light of the New Testament, the Old Testament.
So, either way, what the Protestants are proposing is backwards. I am not sure how could the Bereans check St. Paul's gospel against the OT, except for some of his quotes form that source, and some of those "quotes" are not quotes but concoctions of various verses from various books and various chapters.
It's like using words from different editions, dating back to different era, of a daily newspaper to create a "quote" that fits your teaching!
And where did they find "Christ crucified" and "saved by faith alone" in the Old Testament? Or where did they find that one does not have to follow the Law in the Old Testament? Or where did they find that the Gentiles are really "extended Israel" in the OT?
lol. Just because you've read Webster's definition of "gnostic" and thus have some vague understanding of gnosticism as having something to do with "knowledge," this does not mean all "knowledge" is incorrect or gnostic.
Some knowledge is actually God-given. And by this God-given knowledge we have faith in Christ alone because God has renewed our minds and quickened our hearts to understand this truth. Like Paul, we know whom we have believed.
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth... For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." -- Romans 10:1-4;13
"And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another." -- Romans 15:14
"That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge" -- 1 Corinthians 1:5
"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place." -- 2 Corinthians 2:14
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." -- 2 Corinthains 4:6
"By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned" -- 2 Corinthians 6:6
"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him" -- Ephesians 1:17
"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment" -- Philippians 1:9
"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ" -- Philippians 3:8
"And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him... Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord... And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." -- Colossians 3:10,16,23-24"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.