authority Archives - Page 11 of 23 - Plain Bible Teaching

Andy Sochor February 25, 2014

Bringing Up Children in the Lord (Part 3): Parents As Role Models

“A righteous man who walks in his integrity—how blessed are his sons after him” (Proverbs 20:7).

When we think about raising children, we might immediately think of training them. This is done through instruction and discipline. We will consider this more in the next lesson. However, what we will deal with in this lesson is necessary to lay the foundation for the next. Parents must teach by example – walking in integrity (Proverbs 20:7) – so that their children can see the way of righteousness in practice. If parents fail to do this, children will eventually come to see them as hypocrites, thus making the parents’ instruction seem to be irrelevant. Parents must “practice what they preach.” Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). We must let our lights shine, especially to our children.
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Filed Under: SERIES: Bringing Up Children in the Lord Tagged With: assembly, authority, children, church, example, government, home, parenting, parents, pattern, sacrifice, work

Andy Sochor January 15, 2014

Houses in Which to Eat

As time goes on, more churches (even among brethren) are hosting meals as a function of the local church. But should churches be involved in this practice? As with every question, we must strive to determine if such activities are authorized. This will be determined by examining the word of God, not by observing the cultural norms in our society or the current trends in the religious world. So let us examine what Paul had to say to the church in Corinth.

“But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.

“Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk.

“What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you” (1 Corinthians 11:17-22).

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: authority, church, fellowship, Lord's Supper, social gospel, unity

Andy Sochor December 23, 2013

Some Things Never Change

As one year quickly draws to a close, it is customary for us to look back at the changes that have taken place in our lives and look ahead to changes that may be coming in the future. While our lives are filled with change, it is important for us to remember that there are some things that never change. In this brief article, I want us to be reminded of a few of these.
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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: authority, death, God, Jesus, life, love, salvation, sin, truth, word of God

Andy Sochor November 6, 2013

The Church is Not a Charity

The title of this article may seem odd to you. It seems that most people – both religious and non-religious – view churches as, at least in part, charitable organizations. Many churches have programs and “ministries” that are designed to provide aid to the poor in their communities. Often these churches also conduct “mission trips” to various parts of the world to provide food, clothing, medicine, and more to those in third world countries. Such practices are so common that people with either ongoing or immediate financial needs seek assistance from churches in their communities.

The congregation where I preach has no program, no funds, and no intention to provide such charitable help to those in the community. The reason for this is not that we have no concern for the poor. Instead, it is because we are concerned with following the pattern found in the New Testament (cf. 2 Timothy 1:13; Colossians 3:17). Below are the reasons why the church is not a charity.
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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: authority, benevolence, church, edification, evangelism

Andy Sochor October 28, 2013

Josiah: The Courage to Restore

A restoration took place in the days of Josiah, king of Judah. He sought to restore the practices of the Law of Moses that had been abandoned.
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Filed Under: SERIES: Take Courage Tagged With: authority, error, family, repentance, tradition, word of God

Andy Sochor October 23, 2013

Teaching Questions

In our last article, we looked at some good questions asked of a teacher that related to spiritual things. However, not all questions are asked by those needing information. Sometimes questions are asked by a teacher as a way to challenge his audience. Notice the example of Jesus when He was a young boy:

“Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers” (Luke 2:46-47).

Jesus was God in the flesh (John 1:1, 14). He was not asking questions because He lacked understanding and was seeking instruction. He asked questions as a way to teach. The understanding and answers He imparted while His flesh and blood body was just twelve years old amazed those who heard Him.

This was not the only time Jesus employed this method of teaching. In this article, we will notice just a few examples in the Scriptures of questions that were asked by teachers as a way to lead their hearers to the truth.
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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: authority, falling away, false teaching, grace, obedience, sin, teaching

Andy Sochor October 20, 2013

Audio: Gospel Meeting at the Eastside church of Christ

I had the privilege of speaking in a Gospel Meeting at the Eastside church of Christ in Morgantown, KY this past week – October 17-19, 2013. The three lessons I preached are listed below.
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