Follow Plain Bible Teaching for Today on Substack to read about current events, social issues, religious trends, and noteworthy news from a Biblical perspective. About once a month, we will be cross-posting some of the more “evergreen” articles here.

Everybody Has a Line

Woman at Sunset

In discussions about immodest clothing and how we should define that, brethren have generally fallen into two camps:

  1. Those who draw a line between what is modest and immodest.
  2. Those who reject the practice of drawing such lines.

Those in the second group are often very critical of those in the first. They may describe the idea of a line between modest and immodest clothing as being “legalistic.” They might say that those who try to define a line are making rules that God never made.

However, the reality is that everybody has a line.Continue Reading

Do Not Be Unequally Yoked

Yoke of Oxen

Paul issued the following warning to the church in Corinth:

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,’ says the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:14-19).

What does it mean to be “bound together” or “unequally yoked” (KJV) with unbelievers? How does this instruction apply to us today? Let us consider a few points.Continue Reading

How Often Should We Assemble?

Empty pews

I do not know where the quote originated, but I have often heard brethren say that the church is just twenty years behind the world. In other words, when certain behaviors or attitudes are embraced by the world around us (whether it is regarding divorce, the use of alcohol, gender roles, etc.), they often make their way into the church after twenty years or so.

For those of us in churches of Christ, another variation to this statement relates to the practices, doctrines, and attitudes that become popular in the denominational world. In twenty years or so, we can expect the things we see in the religious world around us to start appearing among our brethren.

If that is the case, we need to be aware of a trend in the religious world regarding attendance at the assemblies of a local church.Continue Reading

Is Bad Language Good for You?

Angry Man

The New Testament is clear that Christians are to keep their speech pure (Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:6; James 3:9-12; et al.). During the trial of Jesus, when Peter was desperate to convince others that he was not one of His disciples, he “began to curse and swear” (Matthew 26:74). Clearly, this type of language is not compatible with the life of a disciple.

However, a recent article from Time discussed the surprising health benefits of swearing. The article listed the following “benefits”:Continue Reading