Andy Sochor, Author at Plain Bible Teaching

Andy Sochor May 17, 2023

Judging and Being Judged

Our society as a whole has rejected the idea that we can identify anyone’s chosen behavior or identity as being wrong. This has led to the acceptance of numerous practices that were once largely looked down upon. As a result, the only thing that many people will condemn is the “intolerance” and “bigotry” from those who identify sin as sin.

Many such people are irreligious and have no interest in following the Lord, yet they want to try to use the Bible against “intolerant” Christians. Then there are others among this group who claim to be Christians but condemn the “judging” done by other Christians. Both types of individuals will often cite Jesus’ statement, “Do not judge so that you will not be judged” (Matthew 7:1), in order to condemn those who identify sin and encourage righteous behavior. However, Jesus’ point in that passage is very different from the one that many people make from it. Notice the whole context of that verse:

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:1-5).

In this passage, Jesus talked about judging and being judged. Other Bible passages address this topic as well. Let us consider what Jesus and the rest of the Scriptures say about it.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: judging, judgment, mercy, standard

Andy Sochor May 3, 2023

Conduct Yourselves in a Manner Worthy of the Gospel

When Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, there were very few problems that he needed to correct. These brethren were faithfully following the Lord and were an encouragement to the apostle. So he encouraged them to continue serving the Lord in a way that would please Him. Consider the following verses:

“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me” (Philippians 1:27-30).

In the passage above, Paul told them to “conduct [themselves] in a manner worthy of the gospel.” This indicates that the gospel calls us to a higher standard, and Christians must strive to live up to it. But what exactly does that mean? How can we do this today? Let us consider what Paul wrote in this passage about how we can “conduct [ourselves] in a manner worthy of the gospel.”Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: gospel, persecution, unity, work

Andy Sochor April 19, 2023

How the Church May Use Its Money

“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

The passage above shows the practice of churches in the first century under the direction of the apostles taking up a collection on the first day of the week. Brethren often cite this as the reason why Christians today continue to give on the first day of each week when they assemble with their local congregations.

But why do we give on the first day of each week? Besides following this example, what is the purpose of doing this? After we put our money in the collection plate, what does the church do with it? Are there any instructions or principles in the New Testament that would inform us about the church’s use of that money? We are going to consider these questions in this article.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: authority, autonomy, church, collection, money, social gospel

Andy Sochor April 9, 2023

Video Lessons on Titus

We recently completed a 5-lesson series of video lessons on Titus. You can click on the video player below to begin watching the series. Or you can scroll down to go directly to individual lessons.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Video

Andy Sochor April 5, 2023

The Meekest Man in All the Earth

“Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3, KJV).

While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a complaint arose from Miriam and Aaron against Moses. The original reason for the complaint was something involving Moses’ wife (Numbers 12:1), yet it led his brother and sister to challenge Moses himself (Numbers 12:2). It is in this context that the statement above was made about one of Moses’ character traits – meekness.

In this article, we will discuss meekness – what it is, how it was manifested in Moses’ life, and why we must display this trait today.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: courage, example, humility, meekness, Moses

Andy Sochor March 29, 2023

Notable Women and Their Role in the Early Church

Over the last few decades, there has been a growing movement in the religious world pushing for women to be able to serve as preachers, pastors, or in other leadership roles within the church. In fact, I wrote an article back in 2009 commenting on a study that indicated then that the number of women pastors has doubled in a decade. This trend has only accelerated since that time.

As more “conservative” religious groups feel pressured to welcome women in various leadership roles in their churches, there is more of an attempt to defend this practice by appealing to the Scriptures. Lately, I have noticed some religious people citing certain women mentioned in the New Testament as “proof” that women are permitted to preach in any public forum, oversee a local congregation, or exercise some other leadership role in the work or worship of the church.

In this article, I want us to briefly notice some of these prominent women of the first century church and see what the Scriptures actually have to say about them. We will also be reminded about what the New Testament says about women serving in these roles.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: preaching, women, women preachers

Andy Sochor March 15, 2023

Cold, Empty Churches

Corydon E. Fuller, in Reminiscences of James A. Garfield, described a period in which he (the author) was working with a school in Hambden, Ohio, in 1851. In this “little village” that “enjoyed no past, and had no hope in the future,” there were two churches which he described in this way:

“The two churches stood like gladiators over against each other, shabby in their weather-beaten habiliments, faded and tattered by winter’s storms and summer’s heat. Without, they were forbidding and repulsive; within, the fires had grown cold upon their altars, and the worshipers had departed, save a few fossils who had come down from a former generation.” (Reminiscences of James A. Garfield, p. 39)

No additional information is given about these churches and how they got into this condition. However, any church could find itself in this condition in the future, no matter its current state.

The churches Fuller described were once active in their work and worship. Yet over time, their services had “grown cold,” and most of the “worshipers had departed.” Whether one condition led to the other or both happened concurrently, they were related (and can also be in our churches today).Continue Reading

Filed Under: Restoration History Tagged With: assembly, church, edification, evangelism