February 21, 2022

Dangers on the Safe Side: Conclusion

Dangers on the Safe Side

Over the last few weeks, we have be considering the tendency to stay “on the safe side” when it comes to difficult decisions we have to make. For inconsequential matters or choices that pertain only to this life, it may be fine or even wise to do this. However, as we have seen, in the realm of spiritual matters and our responsibilities before the Lord, staying “on the safe side” is dangerous, and “erring on the side of caution” can lead to error and sin.

When it comes to spiritual matters and God-given responsibilities, we run into problems when we make decisions based upon what is most convenient, comfortable, or easy rather than what is right. To recap, the areas we have considered in the series are:Continue Reading

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February 7, 2022

Dangers on the Safe Side (Part 3): Adding Rules

Dangers on the Safe Side

In the previous article, we talked about expanding fellowship beyond the limits given in the Scriptures. As we noticed in that article, if we are too loose in our fellowship, we can end up jeopardizing our fellowship with God. However, there is a danger in swinging too far in the other direction and being too strict in our fellowship. This happens when we impose rules upon others that are in addition to the instructions found in the word of God, and then refuse to have fellowship with those who do not conform to our rules. These rules may have been created with good intentions – trying to stay “on the safe side” and keep as far from the line of sin as possible. There is nothing wrong with this on a personal level, but it is dangerous when we try to enforce these rules on others.

Paul addressed this problem of adding rules in addition to what the Lord required in his letter to the church in Colossae.Continue Reading

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January 31, 2022

Dangers on the Safe Side (Part 2): Expanding Fellowship

Dangers on the Safe Side

One of the blessings we enjoy as Christians is the fellowship we have with other believers. As the world around us becomes more ungodly, it is especially valuable to have this relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Yet we also need to remember that God has given certain rules that outline the bounds of our fellowship. It may be tempting to stay “on the safe side” and not draw lines of fellowship among our brethren. We do not want to draw lines that God has not drawn [we will discuss this more in the next article], yet there are dangers that exist when we expand fellowship beyond the bounds that God has given us.

Let us notice Paul’s rebuke of the church in Corinth for failing to deal with one who was in sin among them.Continue Reading

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June 10, 2021

Do Christians Need Other Christians? (06.10.21)

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Plain Bible Teaching Podcast

This week we’re going to be talking about whether Christians need other Christians in order to follow the Lord, or if we can be faithful to God without other believers. This is an important topic, especially in light of the year we have had with the pandemic and the lockdowns, closures, and isolation for many that followed.Continue Reading

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January 20, 2021

Practicing Church Discipline

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Church discipline is often not a pleasant topic to discuss and is even more difficult to practice. Because of this, some congregations hardly discuss it at all. Then when a situation arises that requires it, they are either unsure how to proceed or they ignore it altogether and hope the problem simply goes away.

However, while church discipline is often difficult and painful to practice, there are times when it is absolutely necessary. Furthermore, the Scriptures show us that when it is done for the right reason and in the right way, it is actually for the good of the congregation and of the one from whom the church withdrew fellowship.

In this article, we are going to consider several passages in the New Testament that talk about this topic; but we will use Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 5 as the outline for our study.Continue Reading

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August 27, 2020

When Is It Time to Leave a Congregation? (Episode 14)

Plain Bible Teaching Podcast

The question we’ll be considering in this episode was submitted via email:

When is it time to leave a congregation?

When difficult situations, challenges, problems, etc. affect our local churches, we often wonder if we should stay or leave to become part of another congregation. Besides this, even if we aren’t experiencing challenges or problems in our local church, we may sometimes wonder if it would be better for us to leave and become part of another congregation – for various reasons. In this episode, we’re going to consider some principles that will hopefully help us answer our question.

Do you have a question you would like to submit for a future episode? Fill out the Plain Bible Teaching Podcast question form.

Thanks for listening!

If you found this episode to be useful, please share it with others. Thanks.

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October 16, 2019

Measuring the Love of God

Measuring

Midway through Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, the apostle described a prayer that he offered to the Father (Ephesians 3:14-21). Part of this prayer emphasized the greatness of the love of God.

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19).

Paul began this chapter by describing what God has given – His grace in the gospel (v. 2-3), a way to understand His will (v. 4), salvation to the Gentiles (v. 6), His wisdom revealed (v. 10), the church (v. 10), and His eternal purpose carried out in Christ (v. 11). All of these were part of the demonstration of the love of God. As Paul said, God’s love “surpasses knowledge” (v. 19).

Paul described the greatness of God’s love in terms of measurements – breadth, length, height, and depth (Ephesians 3:18). What do these measurements mean? Some commentators suggest that God’s love is described in this way simply to emphasize the fact that it cannot be quantified. However, each of these terms mean something and the New Testament shows how they apply to the love of God.Continue Reading

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