November 4, 2026

How to Prevent an Apostasy

Opening the Bible

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: , , ,
November 2, 2026

Hermeneutics: Conclusion

Hermeneutics

Before we conclude this brief study of hermeneutics, I want us to review what we have learned. God has revealed His word in such a way that we can understand it. Paul affirmed this in his letter to the Ephesians: “By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:4). He expected them to be able to take what he wrote and arrive at the same understanding of God’s will that he had. We should be able to do the same thing today.Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Hermeneutics Tagged With: , ,
September 28, 2026

Hermeneutics (Part 2): How Authority Is Established

HermeneuticsIn the previous article, we discussed the need for authority. However, recognizing that authority is important will not do us any good if we fail to understand how to determine what has been commanded by Christ and authorized in His word. So in this article, we are going to see how authority is established. To do this, we will consider how God communicates His will to us, and look at a practical example to see how to apply this.Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Hermeneutics Tagged With: , ,
September 21, 2026

Hermeneutics (Part 1): The Need for Authority

Hermeneutics

As we begin our study of hermeneutics, we will start with a discussion of authority, because this is why learning how to interpret Scripture is important. The Bible is not like other works of literature. We may study to understand the works of Homer, Shakespeare, and others for academic reasons, or simply for our own personal enjoyment. Yet the Scriptures are different. The Bible is more than just an interesting, informative, or inspiring book; it contains the very words of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). This makes it different from other books because of the authority Jesus Christ has over every aspect of our lives. So in the first part of our study, we will consider the need for authority.Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Hermeneutics Tagged With: ,
September 14, 2026

Hermeneutics: Introduction

HermeneuticsHermeneutics refers to the study of how to interpret the Bible. This is a vital topic because it involves learning how to properly handle the Scriptures that have been given to us by God. Paul spoke of how important this is when he wrote to Timothy:

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

In that verse, the apostle explained that it requires effort to learn how to handle God’s word accurately. Handling it accurately necessarily requires us to interpret it properly.Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Hermeneutics Tagged With: , , ,
July 2, 2026

Arguing Over the Scriptures (07/02/26)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Plain Bible Teaching Podcast

This week, we’re talking about arguing over the Scriptures. It can be very profitable at times to discuss and debate what the Bible teaches. Then there are other times when these discussions turn into unprofitable arguments. We’re going to talk about some points today that will hopefully help us avoid these unproductive discussions so we can make better use of our opportunities to discuss the Scriptures with others.Continue Reading

Tagged With: ,
December 3, 2025

Our Daily Meditation

Man sitting by the water in autumn

When we think about what we can do as individuals to grow spiritually, a few obvious things come to mind: reading the Bible, studying, prayer, and so on. One practice mentioned throughout the Bible but often ignored today is meditation. Yet if we practice this correctly, it can greatly help us in our service to God.

Notice what the psalmist wrote:

“O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation” (Psalm 119:97-99).

In this article, we are going to discuss meditation – what it is, how to do it, the benefits of it, and why it is a challenge to practice in the modern world.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , ,