Faithful Christians are often called "Bible-believing" Christians. We affirm that the Bible is the inerrant, infallible Word of God, but what do we believe about the origin of the Bible? In this episode of Plain Truth we consider some of the criteria that was used to recognize which texts were God-breathed Scripture. And in doing so we see how God preserved the content and purity of His Word.

One thing that God makes abundantly clear is that His people will have to endure times of trouble. It's one reason the church is so important. God does not want us to persevere on our own. He wants us to belong to a flock. But it's also true that God entrusts those flocks to human shepherds. No shepherd is perfect, but scattered flocks need faithful shepherds.

Does it matter if we know in what order certain biblical events took place? Well, as it turns out, it can sometimes matter an awful lot. That's what we consider together in today's episode of Plain Truth.

This sermon from 1 Peter 4:12-19 was preached on August 23, 2020, by Matt Simmons.

If anyone could possibly make it through the first Nine Commandments, having deceived themselves into thinking that they are righteous, the Tenth Commandment cuts straight to the heart and removes any doubts. God is not only concerned with what we do outwardly, but with what we think and feel inwardly because our inner life inevitably spills over into our outer life. But what does it mean to "covet"? Is it wrong to desire good things? Those are some questions we explore in this episode of Plain Truth.

What would you do if you knew the world was coming to an end? And what do you think God would want you to do? That is a question the Bible answers for us. And while we might think God would want us to do something extraordinary, it turns out that what He actually urges us to do is quite ordinary. The question is, "Who are we going to allow to set the priorities of our life?"

Most people think of the Ninth Commandment as if it said, "You shall not lie." But what's the difference between that and, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." Is it *always* wrong to say something untruthful? And can we simply withhold the truth? These are questions we explore in this episode of Plain Truth.

We're always engaged in a spiritual battle, but it matters what weapons we use in this struggle. In 1 Peter 4:1-6 we learn how crucial it is that we have a God-centered perspective as we go through life. This sermon was preached on August 9, 2020.

This episode is a supplement to the sermon from 1 Peter 3:18-22, preached on Sunday morning, August 2nd. We dive deeper into some of the questions raised in that passage, particularly the phrase "He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison." We also explore some biblical principles for how to handle passages that we find difficult to understand. If you have not yet listened to the sermon on 1 Peter 3:18-22, you may find it helpful to do that first.

Through His righteous suffering, Jesus did not only overcome the guilt of sin, but also the power of sin and death and every evil force. Those who are in Him are no longer slaves to sin. What, then, should our posture be toward the world around us? This sermon from 1 Peter 3:18-22 was preached on Sunday, August 2nd, 2020.