Andy Sochor, Author at Plain Bible Teaching

Andy Sochor August 17, 2022

The Blood of the Covenant

The book of Hebrews was written to emphasize the fact that the new covenant under Christ is better than the old covenant. This is true regarding the priesthood (Hebrews 7:23-28), sacrifices (Hebrews 10:1-4), promises (Hebrews 11:39-40), and so on.

One of the comparisons made by the Hebrew writer had to do with the blood of the sacrifices. The reason why this comparison was important had to do with the fact that blood was inherently connected with the covenant itself. After describing Jesus as “the mediator of a new covenant” (Hebrews 9:15), the Hebrew writer said:

“For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, ‘This is the covenant which God commanded you’” (Hebrews 9:16-20).

“And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:22-26).

If every covenant is inaugurated with blood (Hebrews 9:18), what was it about the blood of the new covenant that made it better than the old covenant? Notice what the Hebrew writer had to say about this:Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: blood, covenant, Jesus, sacrifice

Andy Sochor August 3, 2022

“O How I Love Your Law!” – The Message of Psalm 119

“O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).

With one hundred seventy-six verses, Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. From beginning to end, it is focused on a single theme – the word of God. The psalm teaches us what the word of God is, what it does for us, and what it requires of us.

It would not be possible to cover everything in this psalm in one article.* Instead, in this article we are going to notice some of the highlights from this psalm to help deepen our understanding and strengthen our appreciation for the word of God. Each of these points is just as true today as when the psalm was originally written.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: obedience, standard, truth, word of God

Andy Sochor August 1, 2022

18th Year of Plain Bible Teaching

The beginning of August means the start of another year of Plain Bible Teaching. The first year started back on August 1, 2005. That means we just completed seventeen full years and are beginning year number eighteen!

Let me take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to each one of YOU for reading, following, and sharing this material, and also for offering words of encouragement to me in this work. Some of you have been following Plain Bible Teaching since the beginning, others have discovered the site recently, and most of you are somewhere in between. No matter how long you have been following, I’m glad you’re here and hope the materials posted here continue to be a help to you for many years to come.

The goal from the beginning has been to publish materials that can accurately be described as “plain Bible teaching” in order to help others learn or be reminded of what the word of God teaches so that they might be encouraged to live in a way that will be pleasing to the Lord. I’m thankful that I’ve been able to do this for this long and have no plans to stop.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Site News

Andy Sochor July 13, 2022

Rest for the People of God

“Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11).

In the verses leading up to the passage above, the Hebrew writer encouraged his readers to remain faithful in order to receive the promised rest. He reminded them of the example of their forefathers and how they did not remain faithful. He then warned them that they could also fall short of the rest that the Lord had promised.

These instructions and warnings provide an important lesson for us as well. So let us consider what the passage teaches us today.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: apostasy, diligence, falling away, obedience, rest

Andy Sochor June 29, 2022

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:13-14).

The Bible clearly identifies God as the creator of all things. The verse above makes this personal, showing that each one of us has been created by Him. The psalmist used two words to describe this:

Fearfully – This word signifies something that causes one to revere or to stand in awe of something. The way God has formed each one of us is awe-inspiring and is a reason to approach Him in reverence.
Wonderfully – This word is used to describe something that is distinguished or set apart. God created us to be special among all the other things He has made.

The fact that we have been “fearfully and wonderfully made” teaches certain things about us. These are important to note, especially given certain mentalities and behaviors that are pervasive in our society.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: abortion, atheism, creation, evolution, God, homosexuality, humanism, purpose, racism, selfishness, transgenderism

Andy Sochor June 15, 2022

Elias Smith: A Pen in One Hand and a Battle Axe in the Other

Elias Smith (1769-1846) was one of the early Restoration Movement figures in New England. His independent-thinking led him to question the commonly-held religious doctrines of his day. However, more than merely questioning such things, J. F. Burnett described Smith as having “an intense hatred for everything ecclesiastical” (Biographical Sketches, p. 68) as he observed the empty forms and traditions in the churches of his day. Eventually, he began the work of writing and publishing his own religious magazine as a way to combat the religious establishment.

“In 1805, Elder Smith began the publication of a magazine. He named it ‘The Christian’s Magazine.’ It was published once in three months, and paid for when delivered to subscribers, at twelve and one-half cents each. In this publication he scathingly criticized the established ministry of the church, and their popular sermons. He held a pen in one hand, and a battle axe in the other. All that pent-up feeling against useless forms, powdered wigs and church paraphernalia now had outlet through this printed mouthpiece. His hitherto trammeled mind simply reveled in the luxury of its freedom, and riotously went forth to kill and to make alive.” (Ibid., p. 77).

We sometimes hear the phrase, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” This is intended to emphasize just how powerful the written word can be in advancing a cause or in defeating an enemy. This is exactly what Smith set out to do through his writing.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Restoration History Tagged With: spiritual warfare, writing