While not a complete list of early church heresies, these groups are the ones that the New Testament authors seem to write against and respond to most often
Early Church Heresies
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Latest Blog Posts from Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.
2 Thessalonians 3:1-18 Handling the lazy
Paul closes with with three directives regarding work: 1) follow Paul’s example of being willing to support himself; 2) work to meet your own needs; and 3) stop enabling those who won’t work.
Why is the New Testament in Greek?
Why was the New Testament written in Greek while the Old Testament was written in Hebrew?
2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 The lawless one
Paul reassures the Thessalonians that Christ has not returned because certain events must happen first. But they can take comfort that Christ will return to bring both justice and salvation for those who believe.
5 Ideas NOT believe about your English Bible
What do you believe about your English translation of the Bible? Here are 5 ideas you should NOT hold.
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 Handling suffering
Paul encourages a suffering church by reminding them of the certainty of God’s justice and judgment. One day their suffering will end. But more importantly their faithful response through suffering is evidence that they will inherit a place in the kingdom of God.
April 2023 Reflections
We finished 1Thessalonians in April and will start 2Thessalonians in May. I will finally teach a passage I’ve avoided for a long time: Paul’s discussion of the end times in chapter 2. It will be interesting!
1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 Handling community
Paul closes this letter with what appears to be an arbitrary list of exhortations. However, the list follows a theme, as Paul explains how a church community should treat each other.
Who are you listening to?
Today we often seek preachers who tell us stories, make us laugh, and tickle our ears with poetry and platitudes. We would rather listen to Jon Stewart than Jonathan Edwards. We ought to think critically about how far we have slipped down the slope of valuing style over substance.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 The Day of the Lord
Paul explains what it means to be alert, awake and prepared for judgment day: have faith. Christians know how the world will end and we do not have to fear it. Jesus died for us so that we might live with him.
Do we work at sanctification? A lesson in discernment
Examining the connection between ideas is a useful tool for Bible study and discernment. As practice in discernment, find the wrong turn in the following argument.
How to prepare teaching notes
Ultimately, how you handle your speaking notes will depend on personal preference. As you experiment, here are some ideas that may help you find your style and prepare like a pro.