falling away Archives - Plain Bible Teaching

Andy Sochor November 4, 2026

How to Prevent an Apostasy

Paul told Timothy that apostasy was certain: “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith…” (1 Timothy 4:1). He warned the brethren in Thessalonica of a great apostasy – “the apostasy” (2 Thessalonians 2:2) – which was coming. This apostasy would be widespread, yet that did not mean that every Christian or church must be doomed to fall away.

Timothy was to “hold fast the pattern of sound words” (2 Timothy 1:13, NKJV), and he was to pass this on to others (2 Timothy 2:2). He needed to continue teaching without compromise, even if others departed from the truth (2 Timothy 4:2-5). If he did this, there was hope that those who would listen would be saved (1 Timothy 4:16).

So how would Timothy approach his work as a preacher to help prevent apostasy? And how would the brethren need to respond in order to keep from falling away? Let us notice what Paul wrote after warning about the coming apostasy.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: apostasy, falling away, preaching, word of God

Andy Sochor July 8, 2026

Point Out These Things to the Brethren

“In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following” (1 Timothy 4:6).

A preacher’s job is not to find some “new” thing to present to his audience every time he preaches. If he has been preaching the truth, there is nothing “new” for him to teach without getting in trouble (cf. Galatians 1:8-9). A preacher is to “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2), which includes informing, challenging, and reminding.

In the passage above, Paul declared the need to “put the brethren in remembrance” (KJV). This can be applied broadly to anything taught in the word of God, but what did Paul mean in this specific context? Notice what he wrote in the verses leading up to this statement:

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:1-5).

These were the things that Paul wanted Timothy to “point out” to the brethren. These reminders are still necessary today. Let us briefly consider these points.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: conscience, falling away, false teachers, preaching

Andy Sochor June 4, 2025

The Lost Sheep

The parable of the lost sheep is one of the more well-known parables of Jesus. It teaches us of God’s love for us, even when we wander away from Him. It also shows us what our attitude should be toward those who wander off and are restored. It is good to be reminded of parables like this one, and also to make the proper application. Let us consider this parable together.

“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:4-7).

In order to understand the point of the parable, we need to recognize the circumstances in which it was given. Luke noted that “the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near [Jesus] to listen to Him” (Luke 15:1). Yet the parable was not directed at them. Instead, Jesus told it to Pharisees and scribes who “began to grumble” against Him because these individuals were coming to Him (Luke 15:2-3).

In the parable, Jesus described a man with one hundred sheep, and one of them wandered off. Rather than throwing up his hands and immediately giving up on the wayward sheep, he left to find it. Amazingly, he was successful, and when he returned with it, he rejoiced with his friends and neighbors. The sheep in the parable represent God’s people – those who already belonged in the fold, whether faithful or wayward.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: encouragement, falling away, parables, repentance

Andy Sochor November 24, 2023

Book Review: The Great Dechurching

Much has been said about the changing religious landscape in our culture over the last several years. Society as a whole is becoming less religious. Among those who continue to practice religion, many are attending worship services less frequently. There is a rising number of “nones” – those whose religion is “nothing in particular.” This has led to the coining of a new term to refer to those who are leaving their churches. They are the “dechurched.”

In a new book – The Great Dechurching – authors Jim Davis and Michael Graham tackle this issue. In the opening paragraph of the first chapter, they highlighted this statistic: “About 40 million adults in America today used to go to church but no longer do, which accounts for around 16 percent of our adult population.” They added, “This is not a gradual shift; it is a jolting one.”Continue Reading

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: falling away, society

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 September 9, 2019