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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.

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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.

You will notice a comparison here that is very similar to Romans. On one side of the coin is the works of the flesh, also called the works of the Law. On the other side of the coin is the Holy Spirit working via faith. These are two different gospels and two different covenants. Furthermore, those who would seek any level of righteousness through works of the Law will find themselves "Under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Law and do them.'" He will later go on to say that if you want to hold to circumcision, you MUST hold to the fullness of the Law. After all, the Law was only able to impart righteousness if someone handled it perfectly in all circumstances for all time.

The Law served its purpose as guardian until Christ came, and then the Law was replaced by the new covenant in Christ's blood. Now, not because of the Law but because of faith, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." This all comes by way of faith through the promise 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.

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Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

Paul reminds the Galatians that "The gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel." In other words, the true gospel does not come from men but from God. He also tells the Galatians that he went up to Jerusalem to talk to the Apostles and to make sure that he was not teaching something false. This is likely a reference to Acts 15, in which Paul and Barnabas went to visit the brethren in Jerusalem to discuss the false teachers who were coming to Antioch and preaching the necessity of circumcision for salvation. "But," Paul says, "Even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek." And that statement, along with the reference to Acts 15, tells us what is at the heart of this "different gospel." From the early days of the ministry of the Apostles, false teachers were proclaiming that salvation in Christ could only be valid if the Gentile believers were to be circumcised like the Jews. Remember, Paul says that anyone who teaches such a thing should be condemned to Hell.

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.

Paul does tell the Corinthians, "Test yourself, to see whether you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -- Unless indeed you fail to meet the test." Paul wants the Corinthians to take a long, hard, inward look to see if they have actually put faith in Jesus. I think this is good advice for us all. I am convinced that many people who think they are believers have, in fact, missed the gospel. Even Jesus himself says, "Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven." I am not suggesting that we should go around perpetually doubting our salvation, but only that, at some point, we should check to make sure that we are not false.

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.

In chapter Eleven, Paul decides again to boast or commend himself since the Corinthians seem to like that so much. He quickly tells the church that he is also a Hebrew of Abraham, but then immediately, he goes off on his sufferings for Christ. "Far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times, I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, robbers, Gentiles, Jews, in cities, in the wilderness, in the sea, without food, hungry, thirsty, cold and exposed." Now why does Paul give this very long list? I suspect it is because the false "super-apostles" are not suffering such offenses for the sake of the gospel thus proving that they are in fact false. The false teachers boast about themselves and what they have accomplished, but Paul boasts about his weakness and the work of God in and through him.

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.

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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.

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Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

It would do us well to remember that Paul was earlier (2 Corinthians 2:17) talking about the "peddlers" of God's word. In a later chapter (2 Corinthians 11:7), he will ask, "Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel to you free of charge?" Again, Paul contrasts himself with the so-called super-apostles who commend themselves and demand payment. Paul will again say (12:13), "For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!" You can almost hear his sarcasm with this statement. It is as though he said, "I'm sorry I didn't charge you when I came to you. That was so mean of me."

These two chapters, which we considered in today's video, deal with the only time Paul asked for money from the Corinthians. It related to a gift they had promised to send to the saints in Jerusalem. These two chapters could seem like a complete side note to what Paul had been talking about previously if not for the other verses we've already alluded to showing the nature of the false apostles compared to the likes of Paul and the other true apostles.

There are a few key things for us to glean from this text about how to give and the nature of giving, but since I have already covered those with you in the video, I won't revisit them here. Just keep sight of the intent of Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, and then you will see clearly how these two chapters fit in with the whole.

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.

In light of the topic of conversation in 2 Corinthians, I find it interesting that "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers" has been taught as a text dealing with marriage. Nothing before or after this statement in 2 Corinthians would indicate that Paul is addressing anything about marriage. Instead, Paul reminds the people that they should not join themselves with false and unbelieving teachers. Unfortunately, this text can be taught as though it is talking about marriage, and most people will miss it entirely because we have yet to be taught to examine the context. It is easier to take a single verse out of context than it is to make an effort to know and understand the context.

Now, some will argue, "Ryan, couldn't this also be a warning against marrying an unbeliever?" If you are asking me if I think you should marry a person who is not a believer then my answer will always be "NO." I can make that case from multiple places in the Bible. I will not, however, use 2 Corinthians 6 to make that point since that is not at all the issue Paul is discussing there in context. The moment we decide to use Scripture with no regard for context is the moment we lose sight of the purpose and intent of the Scripture as a whole.

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.

I always try to remind you to pay special attention to the usage of "we" and "you" in Paul's letters. When I was growing up, the pastor would make the "we" the audience in one verse, and the next Sunday, use the "you" of the following verse to also make that the audience. Obviously, in writing a letter, the "we" is talking about the letter writer himself and those who he represents, while the "you" is clearly the audience/recipient of the letter. (In this case, the Corinthians)

Therefore, "We have this treasure in jars of clay" is not about the Corinthians or even believers in general, but is about Paul and the other apostles and teachers who have been carrying the word of the gospel to the nations. Again, "We are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake" is about the perils of the ministry of the gospel in Paul's day. That is not to say that we believers do not have the treasure of the gospel, nor does it mean that we are not jars of clay, but it does shape the context of the second letter to the Corinthians and is important in our understanding of what Paul is trying to say.

Again, it is helpful to remember that Paul is contrasting himself with the false teachers who have infiltrated the church in Corinth.

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.

Paul and his fellow apostles are not "peddlers" of the word of God. They have no need to commend themselves, and they don't need letters of recommendation from people of important standing. After all, they are ministers of the "new covenant" and not the "old covenant."

If you have journeyed with us through these 315 episodes, then the "Old Covenant" and "New Covenant" discussion is not foreign to you. By now, you have come to see and know (and will even more in Galatians and Hebrews) that a transfer has happened from the Old to the New. The Old Covenant kills, is a ministry of death, and a ministry of condemnation. Meanwhile, the New Covenant that comes by the Spirit brings life, has more glory than the Old, and brings about righteousness.

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