The recent worldwide outpouring of grief upon the death of Pope John Paul II was unprecedented. Mourners ranged from his humblest adherents to the most powerful political and religious leaders of our day, including France’s President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. California Governor Schwarzenegger called the Pope “a beacon of virtue, strength and goodness.” Former President Clinton called him “a man of God,” while former President Bush said that his “adherence to liberty and freedom…gave people a real anchor.”

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

—Titus 1:9

This is part three in our series of articles on being a Berean. Tom McMahon wrote “Being a Berean,” an article that laid out who we are as a ministry. Tom and Dave started The Berean Call to help get God’s message out through newsletters written by Dave Hunt (and later by Tom, too). In part two, Dave wrote a newsletter entitled, “More on Being a Berean” that continued the theme of what our ministry stands for with examples of error being taught in our Lord’s name. This newsletter will continue on those themes and our desire to do God’s will out of love for Him.

We start with the very first commandment, which Jesus said is “…thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength” (Mark 12:30). “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19), which the Lord demonstrated because “…while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8), “…was buried, and…rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4).

God saved us from an eternal punishment that we fully deserve, but He didn’t stop there. He has given us His Word, which He magnifies above His name (Psalm 138:2). In addition, Jesus promised that He would send from the Father (John 15:26) the Spirit of truth, who will guide us into all truth (John 16:13). With God’s Word and His indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16), He “…hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).

1 Bob Jones III, BJU Tape God’s Barriers Between Men, January 15, 1982.

2 Bob Jones III, BJU Tape God’s Barriers Between Men, January 15, 1982.

3 At the turn of the century, BJU removed their ban on interracial relationships.

4 Dave Hunt, “Am I A Fundamentalist?”, TBC Newsletter August 1998.

5 Galatians 3:16, English Standard Version.

6 The latest revision of the NIV has moved up the text and has the bracket section stating [The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20.].

7 John MacArthur, ed, The MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, English Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2021), 1366.

Originally Published February 1994

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. —2 Timothy 3:15

The number of false beliefs being promoted and enthusiastically received among evangelicals is staggering and growing rapidly. Take for example a new book, Lonely No More, by Karen Mains of The Chapel of the Air. In it she tells of acquiring a personal spirit guide and making contact, through visualization, with what Carl Jung called "the idiot child within," whom she identifies as "Jesus Christ"! The depth and variety of delusions which evangelicals will embrace seem unlimited, especially if cloaked in psychological jargon.