obedience Archives - Page 40 of 49 - Plain Bible Teaching

Andy Sochor March 5, 2011

Your Sin Will Find You Out

Shortly before the Israelites were to cross the Jordan to conquer the promised land, the sons of Rueben and Gad came to Moses and requested that they be allowed to take possession of the land east of the Jordan rather than the land across the river where the rest of their brethren were going (Numbers 32:1-5). At first Moses objected, accusing these tribes of abandoning and discouraging their brethren as they were about to go to war with the inhabitants of Canaan (Numbers 32:6-7). But the sons of Rueben and Gad assured Moses that they would first build cities for their families and sheepfolds for their livestock, then they would cross over and fight with their brethren, not returning to their homes until the other tribes took possession of the land (Numbers 32:16-19).

Moses agreed to this proposition. If the men would cross the Jordan with their brethren, fight with them, then after their victory return to their homes, they could have the land east of the Jordan as their inheritance (Numbers 32:20-22). But Moses warned them against failing to carry out what they had promised to do: “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

These men needed to be sure they understood the seriousness of both their words and their actions, and the consequences of their failure. We need to learn these lessons today as well.
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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: judgment, obedience, sin

Andy Sochor February 11, 2011

Are the Jews Still God’s Chosen People Today?

The United States, both its people and its government, have generally been supportive of Israel over the years. While I personally believe this is good, it is not for the reason that is often given by those who are or want to sound religious. Many today will say that we need to support Israel because the Jews are God’s chosen people. The necessary conclusion then is that if we want to remain in God’s good favor, we must continue to support the nation of Israel. This reasoning is faulty and without Biblical support.

This is not to say that the Jews were never God’s chosen people. The Scriptures plainly tell us that they were. Notice what Moses told the children of Israel after their deliverance from Egypt:
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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: faith, Israel, obedience, salvation

Andy Sochor October 31, 2010

The Demons Also Believe

The Scriptures plainly teach that we are saved by faith (John 8:24; Romans 5:1). But what kind of faith saves us? Is it simply a belief in Christ as the Savior? Is it an obedient faith? Sadly, the religious world is divided over the nature of faith, even though the Scriptures give us a clear answer regarding the type of faith that saves us.
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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: belief, faith, obedience, salvation, works

Andy Sochor October 20, 2010

The Book of Life

The book of life is one of the books that will be opened at the day of judgment (Revelation 20:12). What is this book? How do we have our name added to it? How important is it that our name is found there? Let us notice a few things the Scriptures teach about this book.
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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: heaven, invitation, judgment, obedience, salvation

Andy Sochor August 23, 2010

Who Will Be Lost? Who Will Be Saved?

Anyone who has even a mild interest in spiritual things wants to go to heaven. Do you just want to go, or are you really going? How can we know if we are going to heaven or not?

Many times when one tries to explain who is and who is not going to heaven, charges are made that such a one is judging others. It is of prime importance that we understand who it is that is the Judge, for there is only one (James 4:12). Paul said, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

It does not matter what you or I think. What matters is what He thinks. Judgment will be made according to His word (John 12:48). So what does the word of God say? First of all, it says that many will be lost while only a few will be saved (Matthew 7:13-14). If we want to be among the saved, we ought to find out what His word says about who will be saved and who will be lost.
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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: baptism, faith, heaven, judgment, obedience, salvation

Andy Sochor August 7, 2010

Having a Zeal for God

After Paul obeyed the gospel and went about preaching to the Gentiles, he was viewed by many of his Jewish brethren as a traitor. When he came back to Jerusalem, a group of Jews stirred up the crowds against him, intending to kill him. He had to be rescued by the Roman cohort that was present in the city. Before being led away, he was given opportunity to make a brief defense for himself before the Jews. As he began, he started by highlighting what they had in common.

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today” (Acts 22:3).

Zeal for God – the eager and intense interest in pursuing Him – was a characteristic that Paul had in common with the Jews. It is important that we, as Christians, also have a zeal for God and the things of God. But zeal alone is not enough. That is plainly seen in this passage. Both Paul and the Jews were zealous, even sharing the same object of their zeal – God. But the Jews viewed Paul as an enemy. So intense was the division between them that the Jews were beating Paul, intending to kill him, when the Roman soldiers arrived (Acts 21:31-32). When Paul reached the point in his defense where he talked about his work in preaching to the Gentiles, they cried out, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!” (Acts 22:22). Both were zealous for God, yet they were on opposite sides of this conflict. How?
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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: knowledge, obedience, zeal

Andy Sochor May 30, 2010

The Death of Eli

Eli, a man who judged Israel for forty years, died on a day of great conflict between the children of Israel and the Philistines. He did not die in battle, nor was he killed by the sword of his enemy. Instead, he died a sad death upon hearing news of the battle.

“The man said to Eli, ‘I am the one who came from the battle line. Indeed, I escaped from the battle line today.’ And he said, ‘How did things go, my son?’ Then the one who brought the news replied, ‘Israel has fled before the Philistines and there has also been a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken.’

“When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for he was old and heavy. Thus he judged Israel forty years” (1 Samuel 4:16-18).

There were four troubling pieces of news that Eli received before he died.
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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: death, fellowship, obedience, revelation