The BIG Picture (Shorts)

Paul warned in 1 Timothy 4:1 that in the latter times some would depart from the faith because they start listening to the wrong voices. We’re watching that happen. People don’t abandon Scripture in one moment — they drift because something else has captured their attention. Then in 2 Timothy 4:3–4, Paul shows the next step. When people no longer want sound doctrine, they go looking for teachers who tell them what they prefer to hear. Truth becomes uncomfortable, so they trade it for stories and opinions that feel easier. These two passages describe the apostasy we see growing today: a steady move away from Scripture, a rising impatience with truth, and a desire for teaching that never confronts the heart. The Bible said this would happen, so we shouldn’t be surprised — but we should be alert and anchored in the Word. But it’s important to understand this: What we’re seeing now is not the “falling away” Paul speaks of in 2 Thessalonians 2. That event is a specific, worldwide rebellion ...

It’s not always obvious. The weaker brother isn’t the one who skips church or struggles with prayer. He’s often the one who looks the most committed. He avoids meat, steers clear of certain days, and holds tight to rules that make him feel holy. He’s sincere. He’s serious. And in his own mind, he’s strong. But Paul says otherwise. The weaker brother is weak in faith—not weak in effort. He’s not rebellious, he’s just unsure. His conscience is sensitive, sometimes misinformed. He’s afraid of dishonouring God, so he builds fences where God gave freedom. He’s shaped by tradition, not truth. And while his heart may be in the right place, his understanding hasn’t caught up. He sees liberty and feels guilt. He sees others walking free and assumes they’re careless. He equates restraint with righteousness. And when someone enjoys a freedom he avoids, he’s offended—not because they’re wrong, but because he’s unsettled. Now here’s the twist: He thinks he’s the strong one. He sees his strictness a...

The majority of Christians seem content in knowing just the basics of the Bible. Most of their knowledge is gained from listening to preachers, not reading the Bible for themselves. Interestingly, Bible skeptics are willing to read the Bible because their true motive is to “catch [God] in His words” Mk.12:13, “that they might accuse Him” Matt.12:10. Yet, compared to the minority of committed Bible students who find the deep truths of the Bible, these “self-confident” skeptics are ultimately blind to the truth and ignorant in spiritual understanding, 1Cor.2:14! Why is the Bible difficult to read? Why do Christians rarely read it? Why do skeptics hate the pure words of God? The problem is not with the King James Bible. The problem is with the heart of man. The Bible discerns his heart and motives, Heb.4:12. Reading scripture is like a mirror that reflects back his true image! Its only when 'self' dies, and Christ lives in us that the Bible makes sense and becomes a joy to stud...