Simpler Bible

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

When we track the thought process of Chapter 3, we see that it begins with the false gospel that has permeated the early church: that one is saved by faith AND works (usually circumcision and occasionally the observation of various holy days or feast days). Paul reminds the reader, "These are only a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ." (The author of Hebrews uses the same language in 8:5 and 10:1)

So, since you have died with Christ to the Law (think Romans 7) and have been raised with Christ to walk in new life (think Romans 6), then you should now walk in a manner consistent with being people of God, no longer deceiving yourselves or those around you by walking in the things of the world as well as the things of God (think Galatians 5). It should become apparent to us, having already read and studied these other chapters along with Acts 15, that the gospel of faith-based righteousness was in direct opposition to the "gospel" of faith and circumcision or of faith and Sabbath. It is good for us to be reminded once again that these letters of Paul should be taken as whole units rather than fortune cookie quips. When these letters are compared to other letters by Paul, we see the themes are regularly repeated to all the churches, signifying that the difficulties faced in one community of believers were almost certainly being faced in all the rest. I don't imagine it is any less true today.

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

Finally, in the fourth chapter, I find myself challenged again to "Rejoice in the Lord always" and to contemplate those things that are "true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy." By placing all of my confidence in the Lord, I will, like Paul, be able to say that "I can do all things [endure all circumstances] through Christ who gives me strength."

That is how I view the book of Philippians as a much-needed attitude adjustment. Death is Gain. Serve like Jesus even to the point of death. All other honors are rubbish compared to knowing Christ. And no matter the circumstances, I can endure all things through Christ, who gives me his strength. How might these four shifts in perspective forever shape the way we live in this temporary world? I can only imagine how profound a change it would be.

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

If you have ever been to our church, you know I don't go very many weeks without referencing the second chapter of Philippians. Here again, I find another attitude in myself I want to have conformed to that of Christ. Paul reminds the believer, "Have this attitude in yourself which is also in Christ Jesus." The "attitude" contemplated in this particular text is that of a servant. We are to serve as Christ served, in obedience to God, even to the point of death. I try to remind myself that Jesus's death glorified God, that Lazarus was allowed to die for the glory of God, that even Peter's death was going to be for the glory of God, and if "to die is gain" then I long for my life and even my death to be for the glory of God.

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

First, please consider the context before discussing how wives should submit to their husbands. Ephesians 5:21 says that the believers should be "Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." Now, some people will take this one step further and say that this is how husbands and wives should relate to one another, but that is still two steps too short. When we keep reading in Chapter Six (don't let the chapter break destroy your contextual reading) we see that the "submission" carries over to the parent/child relationship and the slave/master relationship as well. The discussion on marriage at the end of chapter five, while important, is part of the larger discussion of submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. All three of these first-century relationship examples should be viewed through the filter of 5:21.

Second, the part on spiritual warfare in Chapter Six, while significant, is secondary to the point being made that a believer's enemies are not the flesh and blood varieties but the spiritual varieties. This is yet another way for Paul to emphasize the importance of the unity of the believers. We have seen this theme used broadly in this short letter. Usually, when we get to this part of Ephesians, we direct our teaching to the topic of battling spiritual forces in the heavenly places, but of course, that is not the primary theme of the letter. (But you should take note of how Paul utilizes "heavenly places" throughout this letter. I am sure you will find it interesting."

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

As twenty-first-century believers we are aware that salvation was alwasy intended for the Jew and the Gentile, but in the first centruy, and prior to then, the inclusion of the Gentiles was a mystery. Though the prophets had written about Gentile inclusion at length, the Jews had missed it.

Paul, then takes a moment in Chapter Four to remind the believers, Jews and Gentiles, that they share the same faith, same God, same Lord, same Spirit, same baptism, same hope, and that they are of one body. The last three chapters of Ephesians has Paul giving them practical wisdom and application on what it looks like to walk in unity before the Lord.

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

By the time we hit Ephesians 2:11, and then through the end of the Chapter, we can see the context quite clearly. On the one hand, you have the Gentiles, the uncircumcision, those who were separated from Christ, strangers, and far off. On the other hand, you have the Jews, the circumcision, the predestined people of God, those who were near to the things of Christ through the prophets. Though there are two groups of people, there are not two means of salvation. There are not two saviors, nor are there two faiths. In Christ, those who were once strangers (Gentiles) are now fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God (the Jews who believe).

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

If only we would walk by the Spirit rather than walk according to our own abilities, we would see that we are not under the law but under grace. There is no law against the work of the Spirit, so then we ought to rest in the Spirit rather than our own works.

Only those who want to brag about how great they are at keeping the law, press other people to do the law well. (again, this context is referring to circumcision) Law followers want to boast and brag about their ability to follow the law. However, faith people like to boast and brag about the cross of Jesus Christ and its saving power.

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

Again, these two sons, these two Jerusalems, represent two covenants, the Old and the New. Just as Ishmael, who was older than Isaac by 14 years, mocked his younger brother; so also now those who hold to the law for righteousness' sake mock the people who insist righteousness is by faith. This tension between the two camps is not limited to the days of Paul, but is still prevalent even in the twenty-first century. Tell someone that the Law is not a means for righteousness and watch them squirm uncomfortably. Perhaps you are uncomfortable with this idea yourself, but there have always been people who struggled with the simplicity of righteousness by faith. It seems too easy. It seems too light a thing. But those who pursue righteousness, as though it had anything to do with works, will find themselves cast out of the presence of God with no inheritance in his kingdom. Even Ishmael had no share in his father's blessing. But "Brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman."

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes