After becoming Christians, that attitude should continue: Love truth. Hate lies. Test everything. Paul had come to Berea from Thessalonica. To those new Christians, Paul wrote,
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21).
How do you “test everything”? Obviously, as the Bereans knew, the Scriptures are basic to testing (2 Timothy 3:16). For Scripture is the truth God has already revealed. That truth uncovers and overthrows lies. If the person being tested loves truth, he will be pleased to be tested. Notice that Acts 17:11 compliments the Bereans, calling them “noble” for testing what Paul preached.
The Lord is pleased with testing because “test everything” is His wisdom. He inspired this command, and He is pleased when we obey His command. This is evident in the second chapter of Revelation as Jesus compliments and criticizes His churches in Asia. To the church at Ephesus He says,
I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false (Revelation 2:2).